Prior to its launch on February 25, 2022, developer FromSoftware has released a new trailer for their much-anticipated title, Elden Ring. The chunky 6-minute long trailer touches upon some of the lore and expands upon the mechanics in-game.
From the minds of Hidetaka Miyazaki and George RR Martin, Elden Ring is an action RPG (role-playing game) set in a dark fantasy world of the Lands Between. Ruled by great heroes inheriting the blood of Queen Marika the Eternal, the bleak, fantastical realm plays host to several hostile entities and secrets with drastic implications on the surrounding world.
You play as a descendant of the Tarnished, a group of heroes once banished from the lands. Following the destruction of the Elden Ring and the scattering of its shards, players must embark on this treacherous journey to seek them, restore the ring, and ultimately become the Elden Lord. As with every other Soul-like title, you will be met with a range of punishingly difficult bosses, an unfolding mystery, and fearsome mobs at every corner.
This time, FromSoftware has included a sprawling open-world feature, letting you explore the lands at heart’s will, and slowly progress towards your goal. In an interview with PlayStation, game director Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that the exploration had been balanced with boss fights in a way that the open world is not left ignored by players.
For navigation, players can rely on a map to place markers or beacons for interesting locations. Fast travelling to previously discovered checkpoints is now possible via the map. Previously, this could only be done by visiting bonfires or idols in select locations in the world.
For faster traversal, players can summon Torrent, a spectral steed (horse) anytime and anywhere, except for dungeon areas. Demo gameplay has also proven the horse to be quite effective in killing bosses as they are quite nimble and fluid in mobility. Upon dropping from great heights, you could even time the jump button to break fall and ensure a safe landing.
The player character can be fully customised – from appearance and armour to abilities. While Warriors specialise in close-quarters combat, casters excel at ranged magic attacks. There is a variety of preset classes to choose from – or you could master a little bit of everything to build your character in a way that fits your playstyle.
Weapon and equipment such as fire arrows can be done on the fly, alongside consumables to offer health or strength benefits. You could also summon AI-based Spirits to aid in battle, or if you are feeling a bit lonely invite a friend to journey together, explore, and face tenacious foes together.
Elden Ring launches on the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC via Steam.
