Elden Ring

Giving Demilords the finger

- By Oscar Taylor-Kent

INFO

FORMAT PS5 (reviewed), PS4

PRICE £49.99

ETA Out now

PUB Bandai Namco Entertainment

DEV FromSoftware

PLAYERS 1-4

LENGTH 40+ hrs

ACCESSIBILITY Auto-lock options; adjustable camera speed; subtitles; more accessible multiplayer features for groups; controller remapping

Shield up, sword at the ready, we’re exploring the ramparts of Stormveil Castle. As we think we’re on a roll, we’re jumped by eagles with knives on their feet who drop bombs on us. Before we can flee, a knight with a powerful wind attack we can’t back away from intercepts. You died. But instead of grinding out the sequence, Elden Ring helps us get good by making exploring part of the loop.

The huge open world of the Lands Between is filled with things to do, meaning you can always come back to the bigger dungeons like Stormveil Castle, which looms over the start of the game. Poking around, we find a friendly magician in a crypt, and stumble upon ruins where we slay a miniboss Demi-Human Queen and nick her sorcerer’s staff.

Investigating a strange, ancient evergaol treats us to another boss; beating it gains us a curved sword with an ‘arte of war’ (like weapon skills from past soulsbornes) that allows us to combo together a slicing leap back with a follow-up gap closer. Exploring a nearby mine, torch in hand, gains us enough ore to upgrade it. Before we know it, we’re back at that rampart, shooting spells at the eagles from range, and deftly leaping back and forth against the knight. Elden Ring is one of few fantasy open worlds where exploring feels like an epic journey very much your own.