The Elden Ring Final Preview – Going hands on shows it’s worth the hype

Even in the current climate of over-expectation and constant drip-feeding of progress updates, the lengthy saga of Elden Ring’s development has been exceptional. At first this seemed to be equal parts inspired by George R.R. Martin’s involvement as the growing popularity of FromSoftware’s library of challenging fantasy titles, but over the past few months there has been a shift more towards a mainstream excitement for the game. The result is that this month’s release might even overshadow major titles such as the Horizon Forbidden West. ‘Souls-likes’ have certainly come a long way since the low-key release of Demon’s Souls back on the PS3, the tens of millions of copies sold proving that this genre is far from an obscure niche.

Of course, the downside of so much anticipation is the worry that it will underwhelm (just look at Dying Light 2 for the most recent example). Those who played the network test build a few months back got a tantalising taste of the game, but finally last week I had an extended session with which to play a near final build. Read on for my impressions and a few early tips.

First things first, I played this preview build via the streaming service Shadow and so can’t really comment about performance. It was clear that the host PC was a powerful gaming machine and the gameplay was surprisingly smooth (my experiences with Game Pass and PS Now streaming have been less than stellar). There were a few hiccoughs here and there but nothing that adversely affected my time.

Despite the much-discussed switch to a more open world setting, the design and atmosphere of Elden Ring is very much in keeping with FromSoftware’s earlier games. There is perhaps more greenery and sunshine than you might expect, but as I am coming to the end of a Bloodborne playthrough, that might not be as stark a change to you as it was for me.

Elden Ring’s more ambitious open world approach sees exploration shift from repeating challenging combat encounters and opening up new pathways, and more about seeing where you can get to in your chosen direction. The most obvious comparison here is Breath of the Wild and there is definitely a similar sense of freedom – there’s also the same ability to find yourself in areas that are clearly out of your league. That said, there are still dungeons and buildings to explore that play out in more traditional Souls style, so it isn’t a complete departure.

I deliberately didn’t follow the main story quest through my 5 hours with Elden Ring, so while I did try the first main boss a few times, I spent the most of my time getting a feel for how the world of Elden Ring works. Unlike the distinct loading screens and separate realms of earlier games, the seamless world of Elden Ring is ripe for open progression. Just getting on your mount and heading off across the map results in lots of exciting moments and emergent encounters. The two most memorable for me were the first appearance of the dragon that has featured so heavily in the early trailers and a surprise attack by a massive bear. The latter was a real shock as I had just fought off a couple of regular size bears and was feeling quite pleased with myself. Both of these battles were surprisingly reminiscent of Monster Hunter rather than the earlier Souls games. There are still fog barriers for storyline bosses, but there are also enemies of that calibre who are just wandering around the map.

Combat feels like a fusion between the solidity of Dark Souls and the more aggressive Bloodborne. I was pleased to return to the safety of my sword and shield after having to retrain myself when travelling through Yharnam, but the new systems of guard counter and poise feel like evolutions of Bloodborne’s approach. I spent most of my time avoiding combat (I didn’t want to waste levelling up on a throwaway character!) but the time I did spend here promised a vast amount of depth and challenge. The different weapon choices all handle very differently and there seems to be a real value in mixing things up – two-handed heavy attacks look set to play a far more important role here than in previous games. Equally, making mistakes results in quick and certain punishment which should appease long time fans that feel anxious that things have been watered down.

Another Souls tradition, although perhaps a less welcome one, is the obscurity of progress. The first NPC you meet tells you the general direction of your adventure but the main game systems are initially locked away. My focus on exploration meant that I missed the grace location (this game’s equivalent to bonfires) which reveals the character who allows you to level up and gives you access to Torrent, your steed – make sure that you rest at the site just outside the gatehouse to avoid repeating my mistake.

Once you do have access to your steed, the game opens up even more. Rather than a living horse as in Zelda, summoning Torrent is reminiscent of the Darksiders series as they immediately appear beneath you and then disappear just as quickly if you venture indoors. The extra options for mounted combat and environment navigation make Torrent even more important in distinguishing Elden Ring from its predecessors.

I could go on for much, much longer, such was the impact of even this short time with Elden Ring, but it won’t be too long to wait for our full review and the game’s release. It’s safe to say even at this early stage that Elden Ring feels like the natural evolution of Souls games and is shaping up to be a worthy entrant into FromSoftware’s legendary library.

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• Source: https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2022/02/10/the-elden-ring-final-preview-going-hands-on-shows-its-worth-the-hype/