What makes Elden Ring different from Dark Souls?

Key Differences Between Elden Ring and Dark Souls: A Deeper Dive

While both franchises are developed by FromSoftware, significant gameplay and narrative differences set them apart.

Open World vs. Linear Design:

Elden Ring: Features a sprawling open world, allowing for vastly increased player freedom. Explore at your own pace, tackling challenges in any order you choose. This open structure encourages experimentation and multiple playthroughs with vastly different experiences.
Dark Souls: Employs a more linear level design. Areas are interconnected, but progression generally follows a set path, leading to a more structured and guided experience.

Narrative and Lore:

Elden Ring: Benefits from the involvement of George R.R. Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire. His contribution significantly enriches the game’s lore and world-building, creating a richer and more intricate narrative experience. The story is more subtly woven into the environment, requiring exploration and discovery to piece it together.
Dark Souls: Known for its cryptic and environmental storytelling, requiring players to piece together the narrative through item descriptions, environmental details, and NPC interactions. While rich, it is delivered in a less overtly presented manner compared to Elden Ring.

Gameplay Mechanics:

Mounts: Elden Ring introduces Spirit Steeds (Torrent), allowing for rapid traversal of the vast open world, drastically changing exploration dynamics.
Build Diversity: Both games offer build customization, but Elden Ring’s open world and diverse enemy types encourage a wider range of viable builds.
Summoning: While present in Dark Souls, Elden Ring expands on summoning mechanics, allowing for more frequent and diverse cooperation.

In short: Elden Ring maintains the challenging combat and rewarding gameplay of Dark Souls but expands upon it with an open world, richer narrative, and additional gameplay mechanics. Choosing between them depends on your preference for exploration freedom versus a more structured, guided experience.

Is Elden Ring combat better than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s combat is a significant evolution from Dark Souls. The increased emphasis on fluidity, responsiveness, and the wider array of weapons, spells, and Ashes of War allows for far greater build diversity and strategic depth. The open world encourages experimentation and mastery of diverse combat styles, unlike Dark Souls’ more linear progression. However, while the system itself is superior, a noticeable portion of the boss encounters feel underdeveloped. Many bosses rely on cheap tactics and telegraphed attacks that don’t challenge the player’s refined skills honed through the improved combat system. This disconnect between the sophisticated mechanics and some of the boss designs creates a frustrating inconsistency. Essentially, Elden Ring provides the tools for incredibly nuanced and rewarding combat, but fails to consistently utilize them effectively in every boss fight. A significant number of encounters could benefit from a re-evaluation, focusing on utilizing the full potential of the system’s possibilities to create truly memorable and challenging boss battles. The potential is undeniably there, but the execution lags in certain areas.

Why is Elden Ring so hard compared to Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s brutal difficulty stems from its significantly faster pace. Unlike the methodical combat of Dark Souls, where you could carefully analyze enemy attacks, Elden Ring demands instant reactions. Its relentless onslaught of enemies forces players to master combat mechanics quickly or face swift punishment. The game throws a constant barrage of attacks your way, leaving little room for error. This increased speed and unforgiving nature elevates the challenge beyond that of Dark Souls, demanding a higher level of skill and adaptability.

This isn’t just about speed, though. Elden Ring features a wider variety of enemy attacks and attack patterns, making predicting and reacting even more crucial. The open world further complicates matters, often pitting you against multiple foes simultaneously, drastically increasing the difficulty curve compared to Dark Souls’ more linear level design. This necessitates a proactive and aggressive playstyle, rewarding players who master parrying, dodging, and precise attacks.

Think of it like this: Dark Souls is a chess match; Elden Ring is a lightning-fast boxing match. In Dark Souls, you can carefully plan your moves, studying your opponent. In Elden Ring, you need to be constantly on your toes, reacting instinctively and adapting to the ever-changing flow of battle.

Is Elden Ring more accessible than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s accessibility advantage over Dark Souls is a massive gameplay buff for new players and veteran Souls veterans alike. The significantly increased density of Sites of Grace acts as a strategic respawn system, minimizing downtime between attempts. Think of it as a more frequent, strategically placed “checkpoint” in a typical action game, reducing the frustrating “git gud” grind often associated with the Souls series. This streamlined checkpoint system directly translates to faster learning curves and increased overall playtime efficiency. Less time trekking back to a boss means more time mastering its moveset and improving your build. This is a crucial advantage, particularly in competitive speedrunning or high-level PvP where every second counts. In short, Elden Ring’s generous checkpoint placement is a meta-game shift favoring consistent progression and strategic optimization.

The impact on competitive scenes is substantial. Faster run times are achievable due to the reduced travel time between deaths, leading to more refined strategies and techniques being explored and developed. This creates a more dynamic and accessible competitive landscape for aspiring Elden Ring esports professionals.

Is Elden Ring inspired by Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s lineage to Dark Souls is undeniable, frequently cited by fans and critics alike. While sharing the DNA of challenging combat, environmental storytelling, and meticulously crafted level design, the comparison is ultimately reductive. Elden Ring expands significantly upon the Dark Souls formula, transitioning from interconnected, relatively linear level design to a truly open world that emphasizes exploration and player agency. This open world isn’t merely a larger map; it’s a fundamentally different game design philosophy. The scale is vastly increased, allowing for greater freedom in tackling objectives and uncovering secrets. While Dark Souls relied heavily on a sense of claustrophobic dread, Elden Ring incorporates a sweeping grandeur, offering a sense of awe-inspiring vastness. Furthermore, the shift to a more narrative-focused approach, albeit still subtly delivered, differentiates it significantly. The interconnectedness of the world is less about linear progression and more about emergent gameplay stemming from the player’s choices and discoveries. The sheer volume and variety of build options, spells, and weapons also represent a significant leap forward from the previous titles, contributing to significantly higher replayability. In short, Elden Ring is a spiritual successor, sharing core mechanics, but also a bold evolution that defines its own identity beyond the Dark Souls shadow.

Is Elden Ring one of the best games ever made?

Elden Ring? Yeah, it cleaned up at the GOTY awards. But that’s just the marketing blurb. The real story is in the crucible. That open world? A playground for ganks and ambushes. Mastering its intricate combat – the timing, the spacing, the stagger – that’s where the *real* game begins. Forget the narrative, the lore – it’s all window dressing compared to the brutal dance of death in the PvP arenas. 28 million copies sold? That’s a lot of potential victims. Those gameplay systems? They’re a masterclass in asymmetrical combat. Knowing how to exploit every weakness, every i-frame, that’s what separates the wheat from the chaff. The setting? A beautiful backdrop for epic duels, but the true beauty lies in the skill and cunning required to emerge victorious. It’s not just one of the best games ever; it’s a masterclass in competitive gameplay, a testament to FromSoftware’s genius in crafting a world that rewards mastery.

Seriously, learn to parry. That’s your first lesson in Elden Ring PvP. And then, master the art of the backstab.

Who is the saddest character in Elden Ring?

Morgott, the Omen King, is a compelling example of tragedy within Elden Ring’s rich lore. While his strength in combat is undeniable, his inherent sadness stems from his birth as an accursed Omen. This wasn’t simply a matter of societal prejudice; his very existence was deemed a curse, leading to immediate ostracization. His inherent strength and royal lineage, a lineage he so desperately tries to uphold, are ironic juxtapositions to his suffering. He’s a powerful warrior burdened by a destiny of isolation and loathing, forced to fight not just for his kingdom, but for the acceptance he’ll likely never receive. The weight of this burden is palpable in his boss fight, his dialogue, and even his environmental storytelling. Understanding Morgott’s background provides crucial insight into the themes of societal prejudice and the crippling effects of inherited curses that permeate the Lands Between. His struggle isn’t merely personal; it mirrors the broader societal struggles within the game’s narrative. Studying his story adds significant depth to your understanding of the Elden Ring’s complex world and its flawed characters.

Key Points to remember about Morgott: His strength is a direct consequence of his desperate need to prove himself worthy despite his cursed heritage; his actions throughout the game are driven by duty and a profound loneliness; and his ultimate fate, which players can actively influence, emphasizes the cyclical nature of suffering within the Lands Between’s power structures. His struggle serves as a cautionary tale and a profound exploration of themes that transcend the realm of video game narratives.

Did the people who made Dark Souls make Elden Ring?

While technically different teams worked on each title, the lineage is undeniable. FromSoftware employed a clever “co-director” system. Think of it as a branching narrative, not a linear one.

Each game, Dark Souls and Elden Ring, had its own dedicated director guiding the initial development phases. This allowed for parallel development, a feat of organizational sorcery. But the true architect, Hidetaka Miyazaki, remained the ultimate overseer.

Miyazaki’s Oversight: He wasn’t just a name on the box. His influence permeated every aspect; shaping the core gameplay mechanics, the breathtaking art style, and the hauntingly beautiful scores of both games. He ensured a cohesive identity, a shared “soul,” if you will, linking the two experiences.

This explains the familiar yet distinct feel. You’ll recognize the signature FromSoftware DNA – the punishing difficulty, the cryptic lore, the rewarding sense of accomplishment – but Elden Ring expands upon the foundation laid by Dark Souls, branching out into a sprawling open world without losing its essence.

Shared Legacy: Consider it less a case of “who made it?” and more a question of “what inspired it?” The collective experience of Dark Souls’ development undeniably shaped Elden Ring‘s creation, resulting in a game that feels both familiar and revolutionary.
Evolution, Not Revolution: Elden Ring isn’t a reboot or a simple sequel. It’s an evolution, taking the best aspects of Dark Souls and pushing the boundaries of open-world design within the established FromSoftware framework.

Did Elden Ring sell better than Dark Souls?

Elden Ring’s sales absolutely smashed Dark Souls. We’re talking over 28.6 million copies sold – that’s more than the entire Dark Souls franchise combined! That’s a monumental achievement, especially considering the notoriously high difficulty of FromSoftware games. This massive success speaks volumes about the game’s accessibility improvements, its open world design, and the overall polish. It really broadened FromSoftware’s player base significantly, bringing in a huge amount of new fans to the Souls-like genre. Think about that for a second – the impact on the gaming landscape is huge.

This success wasn’t just a fluke; it was driven by incredible word-of-mouth marketing and critical acclaim. Many praised the game’s epic scope and challenging yet rewarding gameplay. The numbers don’t lie; Elden Ring undeniably reigns supreme in terms of sales within the FromSoftware catalog.

Is Elden Ring approachable?

Approachable? Hah. Let’s be clear, “approachable” is relative. It’s still a FromSoft game; death is a frequent, if not intimate, companion. But compared to their previous titles, Elden Ring dials back the relentless, almost sadistic difficulty curve. The open world allows for significant build experimentation and strategic avoidance – you can powerlevel in less-challenging zones, explore, and generally circumvent frustrating encounters. The Spirit Ashes summons are far more impactful than previous titles’ equivalent, acting as genuine damage-dealing and distracting support rather than temporary shields. This, combined with a wider variety of build options – from pure strength bruisers to nimble mages – provides significantly more avenues to tailor your character to overcome challenges. The sheer scale of the world also means there are many different routes and approaches to a boss fight, allowing for more discovery and learning on your own terms. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still demanding, but the increased agency and freedom offered by the open world and refined mechanics significantly lower the barrier to entry for newcomers to the series. It’s more forgiving, not easier.

The ‘cowardice’ comment? That’s spot on. Exploiting enemy AI, kiting, using the environment… that’s the *smart* way to play, not cowardly. Mastering the game isn’t about brute forcing every encounter; it’s about strategic adaptation and leveraging every tool at your disposal. And Elden Ring provides a wealth of such tools. Prepare to die, but don’t mistake frequent deaths for inherent failure. They’re lessons in disguise. It’s a rewarding challenge, and the sense of accomplishment after finally conquering a formidable foe or clearing a difficult area is simply unmatched in other games.

What does Miyazaki think of Elden Ring?

So, Miyazaki’s take on Elden Ring? He essentially said the open world and freedom made it more accessible, which ironically benefits *him* as a player. Think about it – the guy who crafts these incredibly intricate, challenging games, finally gets to experience a similar level of freedom and exploration he imbues in his creations. It’s a fascinating meta-commentary. He’s not just the creator, but also a beneficiary of that design choice. It’s interesting to consider how the shift towards open-world design might influence future FromSoftware titles, potentially offering a similar balance of freedom and challenging gameplay, perhaps even incorporating some elements from Elden Ring’s success. The impact on player engagement is undeniable; Elden Ring’s sales figures speak volumes about the appeal of this broader approach.

Did Dark Souls sales increase after Elden Ring?

So, Elden Ring’s massive 28.6 million sales? That’s bigger than the *entire* Dark Souls franchise’s sales *before* Elden Ring even dropped. That’s insane. Think about that for a second – FromSoftware’s built this whole legacy on brutally challenging, rewarding gameplay, and Elden Ring just exploded that legacy onto a whole new level. It’s not just a sales bump for Dark Souls, it’s a testament to how Elden Ring brought so many new players into the FromSoftware fold, many of whom likely then went back and explored the older games. The interconnected lore between the games is incredible too – you can spot so many callbacks and references between Elden Ring and Dark Souls, it’s almost like a giant, interconnected Easter egg hunt for the hardcore fans. The Dark Souls series certainly saw a sales boost after Elden Ring’s release, but it’s really a case of the child surpassing the parent in terms of popularity. It’s a phenomenal success story. And hey, let’s be honest, more people playing Dark Souls means more people suffering…and ultimately, more people *triumphing* over those incredibly difficult bosses. And that’s what makes the whole FromSoftware experience so rewarding.

How many people actually finished Elden Ring?

While precise completion numbers are elusive, the claim of nearly 6,000 players completing Elden Ring is likely a significant underestimate, considering the lack of a centralized, universally tracked completion metric. Steam achievements offer a partial picture, but exclude console players and those who utilize unofficial methods to track progress. Furthermore, “completion” itself is subjective. Does it mean defeating the final boss? Discovering all items? Reaching a specific percentage of game completion? The definition directly impacts the final count.

Factors Affecting Completion Rates:

High Difficulty: Elden Ring’s notoriously challenging gameplay significantly lowers completion rates compared to more accessible titles. This is a key aspect of FromSoftware’s design philosophy, however.
Open World Design: The expansive open world encourages exploration and experimentation, potentially diverting players from the main storyline and increasing overall playtime but decreasing focused progression.
Player Skill and Persistence: Completion relies heavily on player skill and determination, leading to a natural attrition rate as players encounter obstacles.
Lack of Hand-Holding: The game’s minimalist guidance can frustrate some, resulting in abandonment before completion.

Comparing to Similar Titles: Comparing Elden Ring’s completion rate to other open-world RPGs with similar difficulty would provide a more informative benchmark. Analyzing player behavior across different platforms and assessing completion time distributions would yield valuable insights into player engagement and attrition points. While the 6,000 figure lacks rigorous methodology, it still highlights the game’s enduring appeal given the challenging nature of the game and the lack of post-launch content designed to encourage completion.

Data Sources and Limitations: Future analysis should incorporate data from multiple sources including Steam achievements, in-game trackers (if available), and possibly surveys to gain a more comprehensive picture. However, even with enhanced data collection, achieving a completely accurate completion rate remains a considerable challenge.

Is Elden Ring worth it for a non-souls player?

Elden Ring’s accessibility is often debated, but the answer remains a resounding yes, even for Souls veterans, let alone newcomers. While its difficulty is undeniable, FromSoftware has significantly improved quality-of-life aspects compared to previous titles. The open world allows for diverse playstyles, offering multiple approaches to challenges. You can opt for a methodical, slow-burn experience, meticulously upgrading and learning enemy attack patterns, or embrace a more aggressive, risk-reward style.

For non-Souls players, here’s what makes it worthwhile:

Stunning World Design: The Lands Between are breathtakingly beautiful and brimming with lore, inviting exploration and discovery.
Customizable Character Build: Experiment with different weapon types, magic schools, and stats to create a unique character perfectly suited to your preferred playstyle.
Challenging but Rewarding Combat: The learning curve is steep, but mastering combat and overcoming difficult bosses is incredibly satisfying.
Abundant Optional Content: Numerous side quests, hidden dungeons, and optional bosses provide hundreds of hours of gameplay.

The difficulty can be mitigated through various strategies:

Summoning Spirits: Utilize spirit ashes to gain an edge in tough encounters.
Exploration & Leveling: Thorough exploration and strategic leveling make challenging areas more manageable.
Co-op Play: Team up with friends to tackle difficult bosses.

Ultimately, Elden Ring’s immense scale, intricate systems, and rewarding gameplay make it a truly unforgettable experience, irrespective of prior Soulsborne experience.

Is Elden Ring hard for a new player?

Elden Ring’s reputation for difficulty is well-earned. The game presents a significant challenge even for seasoned gamers, let alone newcomers. The initial learning curve is steep, demanding quick adaptation to its unforgiving combat system. Players will face relentless aggression from bosses, many of which are significantly over-leveled for early game encounters, necessitating repeated attempts and strategic refinement. This isn’t simply about memorizing patterns; it’s about understanding enemy attack tells, exploiting weaknesses, and mastering the intricate combat mechanics, including stamina management and effective spell/weapon utilization. The open world, while expansive and rewarding, can also be brutally punishing, with numerous strong enemies lurking in unexpected locations. This creates a high-risk, high-reward loop, forcing players to carefully assess threats, manage resources, and adapt their playstyle dynamically. Success in Elden Ring depends on a deep understanding of both individual enemy weaknesses and the game’s underlying mechanics. Furthermore, player build diversity significantly impacts the experience, with some builds inherently proving more challenging for beginners than others.

The high difficulty, however, is often cited as a contributing factor to the game’s engaging and rewarding gameplay. The sense of accomplishment after overcoming a particularly challenging boss or area is substantial, fostering a strong sense of progression and player agency. Unlike many games that offer generous checkpoints, Elden Ring often forces players to re-traverse areas, further adding to the overall challenge and strategic depth. The game rewards methodical exploration, experimentation, and patient learning, all crucial for long-term success and a deeper appreciation of the intricately designed world and its many challenges.

Has anyone finished Elden Ring without dying?

While the achievement of completing Elden Ring without dying is impressive, claiming it’s a “first” is inaccurate. Multiple players have accomplished this, albeit with varying degrees of difficulty and stipulations. ItzCBD’s accomplishment, completing the game eight consecutive times as a Wretch without death or leveling, is noteworthy for its sheer repetition and the inherent difficulty of the Wretch class.

Key factors contributing to this achievement include:

Exceptional game knowledge: ItzCBD demonstrated mastery of enemy attack patterns, boss fight strategies, and map navigation, crucial for avoiding death. This is built upon countless hours of gameplay and meticulous study.
High-level skill: Precise timing, flawless execution, and exceptional reaction speed were undoubtedly required for consistent success over eight runs.
Optimal build and strategy: The Wretch class starts with minimal stats, demanding optimal resource management and strategic combat choices throughout the game. ItzCBD’s chosen build would be highly effective, likely prioritizing dodging and precise attacks over brute strength.
Mental fortitude: The pressure of maintaining a perfect run across eight attempts is immense. The ability to remain focused and composed under extreme pressure is a significant factor.

The 16 hours and 39 minutes completion time, while impressive, is likely not the fastest no-death run possible. Speedrunners frequently optimize for faster times, sacrificing some margin for error in favor of speed.

It’s important to differentiate between “no-death” runs and “no-hit” runs. No-hit runs are far rarer, requiring even greater skill and precision. ItzCBD’s achievement, while incredible, falls under the broader category of “no-death” runs.

Who is Miyazaki’s favorite Elden Ring character?

Hidetaka Miyazaki’s selection of Starscourge Radahn as his favorite Elden Ring boss transcends mere spectacle. While the boss fight’s audiovisual impact is undeniable – a massive, gravity-defying spectacle unlike any other in the Soulslike genre – Miyazaki’s preference stems from a deeper appreciation of Radahn’s narrative arc. This highlights a key design philosophy in FromSoftware titles: compelling lore and character development underpin even the most challenging encounters.

Radahn’s backstory is crucial. His descent into madness, fueled by the Shard of the Elden Ring’s influence and his attempts to control it, provides a tragic counterpoint to the player’s journey. Unlike many antagonists driven by pure malice, Radahn’s downfall is a consequence of his ambition and the corrupting power he sought to wield. This nuanced characterization elevates him beyond a simple “final boss” archetype, making his defeat resonate on a more emotional level. The fight itself is a culmination of this tragic story, a visually stunning representation of Radahn’s broken spirit and overwhelming power.

From a game design perspective, Radahn’s fight demonstrates a mastery of pacing and scale. The initial cavalry charge, the subsequent shift to ranged combat, and the final, desperate melee phase all contribute to a dynamic and memorable experience. It’s a masterclass in boss design that expertly blends spectacle with compelling narrative, precisely the kind of achievement that resonates with a seasoned game developer like Miyazaki. The boss’s design isn’t solely about difficulty; it’s about crafting a meaningful and unforgettable encounter within the broader context of the game’s rich world.

The choice of Radahn over other formidable bosses like Malenia, Blade of Miquella, also speaks volumes. While Malenia is undeniably challenging and visually impressive, her design, at least at first glance, is arguably more straightforward in terms of narrative context compared to the intricate tragedy of Radahn’s demise.

Why did Elden Ring get so popular?

Elden Ring’s meteoric rise isn’t just hype; it’s a masterful blend of compelling gameplay and world design. The game’s open world, a crucial factor in its success, isn’t just vast; it’s a meticulously crafted tapestry woven from diverse mythological threads. We’re talking Celtic twilight, Norse sagas, Greek heroism, Slavic folklore, even splashes of Japanese mythology – all seamlessly integrated. This isn’t just window dressing; the cultural influences inform the lore, the enemy design, even the level architecture. The level of detail is insane; you’ve got hidden lore fragments strewn across the map, rewarding dedicated exploration. This depth is what sets it apart. It’s not just about killing bosses; it’s about uncovering a rich, rewarding narrative that encourages repeated playthroughs and deep community engagement. The world’s organic feel, the freedom to approach challenges in diverse ways, that’s the real meta. This isn’t your typical linear experience; it’s a sandbox where strategy and player skill are truly rewarded, making it engaging for both casual players and hardcore veterans.

Beyond the lore, the combat system itself deserves recognition. The difficulty, while challenging, is fair. It pushes players to master mechanics, leading to a powerful sense of accomplishment. It’s this combination – a massive, detailed world, rewarding gameplay, and a compelling narrative – that has made Elden Ring a true esports phenomenon, attracting players from all backgrounds and skill levels.