It hasn’t even been a year since Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice launched and we’re already gearing up for From Software’s next dark-fantasy epic in Elden Ring. Revealed during Microsoft’s Xbox 2019 E3 Press Conference, Elden Ring is again being directed by the legendary Hidetaka Miyazaki in collaboration with the equally as legendary George R.R. Martin. What could this mean? It means a lot of things. From what we can gather from the CG trailer, there are hints pointing to a game that is headed back to the From Software roots. This means, character customization, collecting armor and weapons, and perhaps even a return to co-op and PvP gameplay. Sekiro had none of this and although Sekiro is so far my leading candidate for Game of the Year, there’s no denying that From Software’s greatest strength lies in player choice.
In the trailer, we can see Dark Souls style of armor and the dark fantasy element laid on thick. We also know that Elden Ring will be From Software’s largest game to date which instantly reminds me of the expansive and interconnected world of Dark Souls. I’m still scratching my head over what George R.R. Martin’s involvement will entail in the context of a From Software game but if A Song of Ice and Fire is anything to go by, I think we’re in for some insanely detailed character development and more story arcs than we’ve ever seen in previous games. For those that may be on the fence about Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki has stated that, “This is a FromSoftware title through and through, rich in fantasy and RPG action.” Elden Ring looks to fall in line with what we should expect from From Software games and we can’t wait to repeatedly die over and over again.
Elden Ring has not been given a release date but it is planned for release on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
