In the last few years, open-world games like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” have set high hopes and expectations for the future of fantasy gaming. While Hyrule is still a beautiful place to lose track of time, fans have been craving more since its 2017 release.
Enter “Elden Ring,” a game that combines the mechanics of the renowned series of “Dark Souls” and the near-endless exploration of “Breath of the Wild” to make something that both long-term fantasy fanatics and newcomers will love.
Elden Ring Character Overview
Players begin their epic journey by creating their own custom character. You have 10 classes to choose from, which includes:
- Hero
- Bandit
- Vagabond
- Astrologer
- Warrior
- Prisoner
- Confessor
- Prophet
- Samurai
- Wretch
Each of these classes come with their own unique strengths and stat layout. Hero is the standard class with high Strength, Vigor, and Endurance making them a solid choice for new players. The Samurai is not only stylish, but comes with a boost in their Dexterity.
Dexterity is a stat that lets you better wield weapons such as a katana, dagger, and flail. This stat also reduces the damage you take from falling while making it more difficult for enemies to knock you off Torrent, your spectral steed.
If you’re someone who wants to shape their character, then you’re going to love playing as the Wretch. The Wretch is the blank slate character in this game. Every stat is set to 10, so you have free reign in deciding what stat gets boosted more. There are plenty of options to choose from when creating your character, like choosing between a Numen and a Draconian to picking a Keepsake that makes a specific action easier.
Elden Ring Gameplay
Once you’ve created your character, the story begins with the fabled Elden Ring being destroyed. Your character will traverse “Game of Thrones” creator George R. R. Martin’s new world, which is known as the Lands Between.
Tarnished are individuals who have seemingly lost the blessing of the Erdtree, which resulted in their banishment from the Lands Between. But since the ring was shattered, the Tarnished are guided back to the Lands Between because of lost grace.
The Lands Between is vast with tons of exploration, challenging bosses to overcome and dungeons to crawl. Even the first area can take you hours to explore. Something else that makes this game so intuitive is that if you’re stuck on an area or boss, the game doesn’t lock you into it. You can go do something else until you’re prepared.
The combat in this game functions similarly to “Dark Souls”. You can equip one-handed or two-handed weapons, cast magic and defend yourself with shields. If you’re familiar with “Dark Souls 3”, you might recall the inclusion of weapon arts.
In this game, they make a return under the guise of Ashes of War. They’re add-ons you equip to a weapon to make it more effective in combat. They can scale your damage output, add an element to it, and give it a unique skill. If there’s a boss you’re having trouble with, Ashes of War can give you a serious edge.
You can also dungeon crawl and take on difficult bosses alongside your friends with the implementation of multiplayer. Or you can treat them like every other enemy, and destroy them in PvP. Just make sure you have the appropriate Fingers first.
The Verdict on Elden Ring
“Elden Ring” is a game that has surpassed many expectations. By combining in-depth exploration of an open world with fun and thrilling combat, you’ll find yourself spending hours trying to discover everything the Lands Between has to offer.
