I’ve been thinking about From Software a lot lately, and now I can’t help thinking about Elden Ring. The game isn’t due out until early next year, but I’m already excited about it. The thing is, it looks both totally different and extremely similar to everything that the developer has put out before. This might be deliberate, since in some way I’m sure all of the games are linked, but there’s too much on show here not to discuss. If you’re up for it, come with me on this wild ride.
Right off the bat, there’s a lot of reference to fire. The Tarnished will be a lowly creature that’s basically just a standard dead dude, and you tarnish metal with heat. Dark Souls is all about fire and ash and being reborn through it to keep the cycle alive. This is central to all Dark Souls lore, so that’s the link I see there. The medieval aesthetic is also very much a Dark Souls thing.
Bloodborne is next on the table, and we can see that in some of the more grotesque enemies. People appear to be transformed by their desires in this world, and I think that’s something that Bloodborne got across really well. There may not be ancient gods, but there are myths, and those being brought to life looks more like Bloodborne than anything else.
Finally, we’ve got Sekiro sneaking in here with the actual sneaking your character can do, and the much faster-paced combat. I can see a lot of running and jumping, as well as the horseback combat. All of this is influence from the speedy game that is Sekiro. From Software is obviously interested in making games that are harder to master due to their speed, and Elden Ring certainly looks like it will be. I like that From Software is pulling everything it has together for this game, knowingly or not. The game will be better for the influences it takes from past games, and I think it will also be more well rounded because it’s going to feature a lot of systems that players enjoy.