It’s an enjoyable AAA game, something almost unheard of these days. I’m not a Dark Souls veteran by any stretch, though I did manage to pour 30 or so hours into the third installment. Elden Ring was my first true FromSoft playthrough where I saw the ending. From start to the finish, this single-player game entranced me with a similar feeling to watching Game of Thrones season one for the very first time. My mind raced with intrigue, wonder, and excitement about the journey ahead and not one minute did this dissipate. Elden Ring has been lauded as “The greatest game of all time,” and I have to agree.
It still holds up after two years
And I don’t see that changing. Yes, two years isn’t a long time for a video game, especially one I’m sprouting as the greatest thing since the wheel. One could easily consider another game as the best of the best, such as the indie hit Terraria, The Oregon Trail, or even Pong. There’s never an objective take on such an award, which makes it almost impossible to draw up a shortlist of games without surpassing the 100 marker. Elden Ring would certainly make the list, cementing itself with the greatest hits.
A great entry point for the Souls series
Plenty of newcomers started with Elden Ring. This rings true for every Dark Souls game as I’m sure many players were new to the series, but Elden Ring is something else. It managed to take the Dark Souls formula and make it appeal to the masses. Yes, it’s difficult, yes some of the systems are still on the clunky side, but it has far more polish than older FromSoft games and the results show. Many players of Elden Ring either never played or heard of Dark Souls but they quickly caught wind of Elden Ring.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a huge success
An entire game sold as DLC. Additional content released as a purchasable DLC doesn’t have to stand in the way of enjoying a game, nor does it have to leave a sour taste in the mouth. The Witcher 3 has some of the best-rated DLC on the market. These expansions were huge and could even be considered a game of their own and it’s a similar story here with Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. The DLC is massive and it contains many more hours of gaming on top of the base game. Combine both together as a first playthrough and you’ll be lost in The Lands Between for days.
Not yet played Elden Ring?
You’re missing out on an incredible story, mesmerizing visuals, and a world that feels alive. Elden Ring is the greatest game I’ve had the pleasure of playing and the only downside is not being able to wipe my memory of it clean for a fresh playthrough so I can experience it all again. With its first DLC released and an active community, there hasn’t been a better time to hop into The Lands Between. Just be cautious about trusting messages left by other adventurers.
