FromSoftware has detailed some of the mechanics players can expect to see in Elden Ring when the game launches in January 2021. For those who don’t know, Elden Ring is a project between Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones writer George R.R Martin. The game has been in development since 2017 and announced in 2019. However, after two years of silence, Bandai Namco has finally unveiled the gameplay and release date for Elden Ring along with more confirmed gameplay details.
While we already know most of this information thanks to various leaks that took place over the course of the past few months, it is nice to have it confirmed.
READ MORE Elden Ring Gameplay and Release Date Announced For Last and Current-Gen Hardware
According to FromSoftware, Elden Ring is the studios biggest game to date. They say that players can traverse this new open-world landscape on horseback which is a first for the series. Sure, players can go about it on foot but the sheer scale of the world may be faster explored on a horse. The horse also allows players to quickly enter combat by swiping enemies who might be walking around or perhaps riding on a horse too.
The world contains secrets to find and tough enemies to fight but seeing it all will require various items and shortcuts available while riding horseback. Players can reach higher platforms on the horse and even leap across massive gaps. These mechanics would not be possible without the horseback feature.
The world of Elden Ring also features a dynamic day and night cycle and weather effects for the first time in the series. While the world did change in past games, Elden Ring dynamic time and weather will alter the game world visually as well as offer new combat encounters to take on depending on when you venture out.
This is all tied together by a world with a range of biomes to explore. Some of these locations include swamps, plains, massive battlefields, dark castles and other deadly environments. FromSoftware says that these locations are bigger and more detailed than any past games.
Throughout your journey, players will come into contact with new NPCs that will all feature-rich backstories. In classic Souls tradition, not all of these NPCs are good and trusted. Some of them will try and take advantage of you while others will try and help you. According to FromSoftware, Elden Ring will feature adversaries with profound backstories and backgrounds. In addition, characters will have unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress.
Just like past games, players can create their own character at the start of Elden Ring. There is a range of classes to choose from too. Not all of these have been announced yet but you can wield all sorts of items from two-handed axes to magic and miracles. This will all change as you explore the game and find new gear to use.
Lastly, like other Soulsborne games that feature a story shrouded in item hint descriptions and shady dialogue options, Elden Ring will have the same. Right now we know that players have to become Elden Lord. FromSoftware says that The Golden Order is broken and in order to bring make things right, the player will venture through the game in search of the Elden Ring. That is all we know.
Last but not least is the co-op. Elden Ring will feature full co-op with up to four players. It is unclear yet whether or not the game will also include a PvP mode. However, it most likely will.
Featuring a vast and seamless landscape with natural weather and time-of-day progression, players will become fully immersed in the world of ELDEN RING as they begin their journey and choose on their own path. Traverse on foot or horseback, alone or online with friends across grassy plains, suffocating swamps and lush forests. Ascend spiraling mountains, enter breathtaking castles, and witness other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in
Elden Ringis set to launch on 21 January 2022 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The game will offer free upgrades for those on last-gen consoles too. Catch up on the trailer down below.
