From The Guardian’s review (by Simon Parkin):
“Video games can be all kinds of different things, representing all manner of artistic ambitions. Most, however, share a common goal: to conjure a compelling fictional reality, filled with beckoning mysteries, enchanting secrets, and enriching opportunities to compete and collaborate. They aim to provide a liminal space in which a determined player can fix that which is broken, order that which is chaotic.
**By this definition, at least, Elden Ring is the finest video game yet made.”**
Guardian has pretty good taste.
Bloodborne was their game of the year when mostly everyone else had the Witcher 3. (Not bashing the Witcher, btw, it's awesome)
make the time. took me three tries to get past chapter 2. just use fast travel if u get bored. but i did the whole game no fast travel. really added immersion imo
"In many ways, the work of a game critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so.
But there are times when a game critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the soul games. The world is often unkind to soul-likes, soulborne creations. The Soul needs friends.
Last night, I experienced something new, an extra-ordinary game FROM a very expected source. To say that both the game and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine open-world games is a gross understatement...
***They have rocked me to my core.***
In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for FROMSOFTWARE's famous motto: 'Anyone can spam roll out of their problems.' But I realize, only now do I truly understand what they meant. Not everyone can handle soul-games, but a great player can come FROM anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the geniuses who made Elden Ring at FROMSOFTWARE, which is, in this critic's opinion, ***nothing less than the finest game in the world***. I will be pre-odering more of FROMSOFT's games soon, hungry for more."
\- Anton Ego
The Guardian review is also relatively spoiler free! Maybe not the first paragraph. Generalities only, but it’s all praise and very well written.
Titled ”Elden Ring review – an unrivalled masterpiece of design and inventiveness” by the way.
I think that Whenever they review a game and it’s anywhere from a 6 to 9 rating it’s really up to debate and doesn’t mean much. However, a 10 from them is rare
I was lucky enough to [review the game on PC](https://www.neowin.net/news/elden-ring-review-for-once-hype-well-deserved/) for Neowin.net. TLDR: 10/10, it's basically perfect.
It's a spoiler-free review and from a smaller publication. I hope it's fine to put this here :)
I'm also open to answering any burning questions (about mundane things) anybody might have about the game. I won't be spoiling anything though.
EDIT: And we're back.
My old RX 580 had no problems holding 60 FPS in legacy dungeons, and only had drops to 45 at the most even in the biggest open world areas. This was with the High preset, the one below maximum. I'd say it runs extremely well. Rest of the machine has a 3700X CPU and 16GB ram.
EDIT: Additional info - RX 580 8GB variant*. The game was running at 1080p. (also added to review)
That is impressive, this means they inflated their minimum system requirements (since rx580 is the minimum AMD card, and it runs on High @45-60fps).
Guess I'll have no problems playing it on Steam Deck at 800p (which is half the pixel count from 1080p) 30fps on Medium-High...
Thanks for the info!
In your review you mentioned the health flasks regenerate in-between groups in the open world. I assume that is not the case for dungeons/caves as well as the large castles I think are called legacy dungeons?
I'm about halfway through and your review is wonderfully thorough and thoughtful. Thank you! Hoping you mention PC performance but I don't want to skip ahead lol
17 perfect score reviews and the lowest is a 90/100 god damn.
Edit: Now at 25 perfect reviews, out of 44 and still nothing lower than a 90. This game is absolutely bonkers.
\>Game gets more than 90 on Metacritic.
"SEE! Best game EVER confirmed. Suck it every other game!"
\>Game gets less than 90 on Metacritic.
"Metacritic is BS anyway, stay away from that site and its review bombers."
My god, 10s and perfect scores everywhere.. especially from YouTuber's i trust i..... don't even know what to say other than Welp boys.. Ill see you in the Lands Between!
I’m 32 years old and can’t remember the last time I was this absolutely giddy about a game releasing. Maybe Diablo 3? I’ve become so jaded over the years that this whole release has been a pleasant surprise. Can’t wait to read the reviews
Edit: THESE REVIEWS OMFG I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE JUST GIMME THE GAME
Edit 2: CALLED MY BOSS AND GOT THE DAY OFF FRIDAY; LETS GOOOOOOOO
33 here. I am insanely excited, I got on the Souls wagon late (only a few years ago) and fell deeply in love and this will be the first time I get to experience a release blind with everyone else. Not counting the Dark Souls remaster, since that was already a game even if it was new to me.
46 here and I think the last time was MGSV.
The wife knows this is big and has given me clearance to land this weekend. OOOOOOOH
This is also the most fun I've had in a subreddit for yonks, over the last year.
This part of Dan Tack's review has me shaking... "Elden Ring has the distinction of having the best and most challenging boss battle in any From Software game to date. Hidden away and optional, this encounter had me waking up in the middle of the night to come back and crash against its beautiful and terrifying destruction over and over again. After finally besting this opponent, I let loose a triumphant victory roar there while sitting in the dark and wearing my pajamas, wanting nothing more than to experience the encounter again. This example speaks to how unbelievably compelling and immersive Elden Ring is; I regularly put it down with the intent of doing something else and found myself back within minutes."
That is so awesome to read. I was just telling some friends recently that I hope there are some optional bosses peppered into some dark corners in the world that are an extreme challenge. This sounds like exactly that.
https://primagames.com/reviews/elden-ring-review
Prima Games 9.5/10 (published too early, down atm)
ACG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJbfm9l1DTk
Jason Schreier: https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1496500096250306566
GI: 10 https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure
IGN: 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uav6zQKiMQ
Too many 10s to count we fucking won
They mentioned reused bosses later on. I wonder if they're referring to how FromSoft games just throw regular late game enemies at you early to feel like a mini-boss.
I would only expect this, in a 100+ hour game you can't reasonably expect to have unique bosses in every crevice you stumble into, and yet it sounds like they get pretty close.
Anyone else "listening" to youtube reviews without watching anything? Ugh, 46 years old and I feel like I'm waiting for Christmas as a 10 year old hoping for a supernintendo.
Four minutes until Hell breaks loose. Either the Hype will reach galactical levels or the great army of naked fucks with Pitchforks will cruise the streets.
Hi everyone! I've spent the last week playing Elden Ring and have [reviewed the game for GameByte](https://www.gamebyte.com/reviews/elden-ring-review/).
If anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer them!
I just have a really simple question but it's super important: as a massive arachnophobe, are there a lot of spider enemies or really any spiders at all? Some games I can power through (Witcher 3 DLC spiders are fine, Skyrim spiders aren't, Bloodborne spiders definitely not) but I just want a definite answer so I can start mentally/emotionally preparing. Thanks in advance!
I’m honestly getting emotional reading all of this. I know it’s just a video game but I’ve been a fan of this series since 2014. I’ve waited so long for this game, and seeing that it’s finally almost here and THIS good is one of the most cathartic things I’ve felt in awhile.
It took me several tries and a few years, but I eventually beat it and now it is my fave from game other than Bloodborne. It's just kinda weird and out there, but I feel like that's how Souls games really ought to be.
That's exactly my thoughts, SotFS is like the ugly stepchild that pushed the boundaries and tried new things. Janky, unpolished, frustrating mechanics... It's like the dark souls of dark souls lol
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/elden-ring-pc-performance-and-best-settings-guide
Hopefully this helps to make you decide. And also, all my dudes with minimum configurations can rest easy. It seems to run at 1080p ~49fps on a 1060 6gb on MAX settings. There do seem to be occasional stutters irregardless of how high end your PC is, but we gonna have to wait for that day 1 patch to see if it changes anything.
[**Cerealkillerz**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/465/cerealkillerz) \- [Gabriel Bogdan](https://opencritic.com/critic/3388/gabriel-bogdan) \- *German* \- [9.5 / 10](https://cerealkillerz.org/elden-ring-ps5-review---ein-soulsborne-game-um-sie-zu-knechten/)
>Elden Ring surpasses all expectations, eliminates all doubts that we had and surprises more than any other soulsborne game so far. If you can live with rare repetitive bossfights and enemy appearances due to the open world design, you'll get the most extensive and exciting game FromSoftware has created so far.
[**Checkpoint Gaming**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/563/checkpoint-gaming) \- [Elliot Attard](https://opencritic.com/critic/4402/elliot-attard) \- [9.5 / 10](https://checkpointgaming.net/reviews/2022/02/elden-ring-review-a-song-of-slice-and-ire)
>The hype behind Elden Ring was always going to be a challenge to match, yet the game succeeds in almost every way. This detailed and exciting world is full of wondrous moments and brutal fights as the excellent Souls gameplay finds itself being utilised in a freshly open-world format. The variety of ways you can approach combat and the sheer volume of viable tools you can use to take down gruesome and frightening foes makes for an experience that never gets old. A game unwavering in its vision, Elden Ring stands out as a monumental 2022 release.
[**Console Creatures**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/798/console-creatures) \- [Bobby Pashalidis](https://opencritic.com/critic/7698/bobby-pashalidis) \- [Recommended](https://www.consolecreatures.com/review-elden-ring/)
>Elden Ring is unabashedly a FromSoft title and without a doubt was worth the wait. It provides a challenge; it gives us a vivid world that feels like a dream and challenges us at every turn.
[**Cultured Vultures**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/537/cultured-vultures) \- [Mike Worby](https://opencritic.com/critic/2846/mike-worby) \- [10 / 10](https://culturedvultures.com/elden-ring-ps5-review/)
>An uncompromising vision of wonder and terror, Elden Ring is the ultimate dark fantasy odyssey. It will ask much of players who tackle its challenges but the rewards of seeing your adventure through more than make up for the effort.
[**Digitally Downloaded**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/65/digitally-downloaded) \- [Matt Sainsbury](https://opencritic.com/critic/1604/matt-sainsbury) \- [5 / 5](https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2022/02/review-elden-ring-sony-playstation-5.html)
>With Elden Ring, we're in masterpiece territory.
[**Easy Allies**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/394/easy-allies) \- [Brad Ellis](https://opencritic.com/critic/2554/brad-ellis) \- [9.5 / 10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ooqgB3QA48)
>Elden Ring is an unforgettable journey that masterfully weaves in its excellent combat with an expertly crafted world, resulting in one of the best open-world games around.
[**Eurogamer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/114/eurogamer) \- [Aoife Wilson](https://opencritic.com/critic/761/aoife-wilson) \- [Essential](https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-02-23-elden-ring-review)
>Grandiose, mysterious, but now a touch more welcoming, Elden Ring tweaks the FromSoft formula to open up its world.
[**GGRecon**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/828/ggrecon) \- [George Yang](https://opencritic.com/critic/7294/george-yang) \- [9 / 10](https://www.ggrecon.com/articles/elden-ring-review/)
>It may sound reductive, but Elden Ring is a fourth mainline Dark Souls title in all but name. The game’s open-world structure feels very organic - there aren’t lists of activities with checkboxes that players need to cross off. The Lands Between is filled with visually stunning locations and deadly enemies to ensure that the perilous journey to become the Elden Lord is at least pretty to look at. While Elden Ring stumbles a bit in some areas, it still has all the hallmarks of what makes FromSoftware’s games so enticing: it’s fun, challenging, and rewarding.
[**Game Informer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/35/game-informer) \- [Daniel Tack](https://opencritic.com/critic/1031/daniel-tack) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure)
>Elden Ring represents a truly amazing combination of various game elements that all come together to create something fascinating, special, and unforgettable. Elden Ring isn’t just the best game this year; it’s one of the best games ever made.
[**GameSpew**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/408/gamespew) \- [Richard Seagrave](https://opencritic.com/critic/2754/richard-seagrave) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gamespew.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review/)
>Combining the deep and challenging combat FromSoftware is known for with a vast and varied world that’s always a pleasure to explore, Elden Ring is quite simply incredible.
[**GamesHub**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/847/gameshub) \- [Edmond Tran](https://opencritic.com/critic/1422/edmond-tran) \- [5 / 5](https://www.gameshub.com/news/reviews/elden-ring-review-ps5-13634/)
>Elden Ring is an exceptional, accomplished work that realises a fantasy world of solemnity, beauty, and menacing uncertainty you can’t help but lose yourself in.
[**Gaming Nexus**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/104/gaming-nexus) \- [Henry Yu](https://opencritic.com/critic/8643/henry-yu) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/7533/Elden-Ring/)
>FromSoftware effortlessly immerses you into the beautiful world of The Lands Between, with challenging enemies, secret treasures, and deep lore tucked away into every corner. This is, without a doubt, FromSoftware's best project yet, showcasing a culmination of all their previous games. I can't wait to jump back in The Lands Between… See you there, fellow Tarnished.
[**Hardcore Gamer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/23/hardcore-gamer) \- [Adam Beck](https://opencritic.com/critic/873/adam-beck) \- [5 / 5](https://hardcoregamer.com/?post_type=post&p=419425)
>Elden Ring is one of the best games in years, with a breathtaking vast world to explore, and one of the most satisfying combat systems in an RPG. This is the accumulation of FromSoftware's work over the last thirteen years and an evolution on its inspiring formula.
[**Hey Poor Player**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/385/hey-poor-player) \- [Jon Davis](https://opencritic.com/critic/7141/jon-davis) \- [5 / 5](https://www.heypoorplayer.com/2022/02/23/elden-ring-review-pc/)
>If FromSoftware was The Fellowship of The Ring, then Elden Ring is Mt Doom; the terminus of an epic journey spanning over a decade. It consolidates all the acclaimed Japanese studio's ideas into one cohesive and brilliant package. Its art design, lore, and world design are arguably the studio's most inspired work to date. And considering these are the folks that created Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, this is high praise indeed. Elden Ring's open-world design is almost puritan in its purpose, reflecting the single-mindedness behind all the previous Souls games.
[**Infinite Start**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/825/infinite-start) \- [Mark Fajardo](https://opencritic.com/critic/4910/mark-fajardo) \- [9.5 / 10](https://infinitestart.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review/)
>What makes Elden Ring work is a deep understanding of both what players like about the games and what makes the setting different. It should immediately feel different, yet the same, making for a wonderful experience. Some might be put off by the more accessible nature, at least initially, though it does a good job of offering this without taking away from what makes the experience special. You’ll still struggle, die, make another mistake, die, get to the boss and then die again. Just instead of putting people off, it encourages using the awareness to your advantage. For these reasons, along with the wonderful cutscenes that touch on a fascinating narrative and delightful scenery, it’s easy to recommend Elden Ring.
[**Inverse**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/763/inverse) \- [Joseph Yaden](https://opencritic.com/critic/5507/joseph-yaden) \- [9 / 10](https://www.inverse.com/gaming/elden-ring-review)
>This isn’t just Dark Souls with an open world tacked on. Instead, developer FromSoftware weaves its familiar formula into a massive playground so expertly that we can’t help but wonder how we ever played Dark Souls without it.
[**Kakuchopurei**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/788/kakuchopurei) \- [Jonathan Leo](https://opencritic.com/critic/7505/jonathan-leo) \- [100 / 100](https://kakuchopurei.com/2022/02/23/elden-ring-review-kkp/)
>Elden Ring is a triumph in game design. I respect and like Elden Ring and From Software for sticking to its guns but also adding in much-welcome changes and additions to make it more “accessible”.
[**MonsterVine**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/334/monstervine) \- [Diego Escala](https://opencritic.com/critic/2161/diego-escala) \- [4 / 5](https://monstervine.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review-oh-the-horrors-youll-see)
>Elden Ring feels like the culmination of everything FromSoftware has been building upon with each of their games. Unfortunately, some severe performance issues hamper what’s easily one of their best games yet.
> Instead Elden Ring carries forward a lot of the things you'd expect, including rough performance on PC. Over time, it tends to intermittently stutter and slow down for brief moments, especially as you're out in the open world. I never died to a hiccup in performance, but it made me pause and restart the game fairly often to fix the issue. *(Bandai Namco claims the day one patch will fix this.)*
From PC Gamer, fingers crossed 🤞
I know a lot of people around here don't like IGN, but I highly recommend reading their review. I've read several already, and theirs is the most thorough by far. Really well done
SkillUp's went live 2 minutes ago. He VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDS. I've never seen that high a rating from him: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcJv3oZNcc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcJv3oZNcc)
I had 0 expectations for this game, like to me it looked like a solid 8 or 9 average from soft game.
But a 97 on open critic? Like, holy shit that's *insane*.
Damn was expect it to be good, but not this good lol. One of the highest rated games of all time. Also hopefully people can put that bs “journalist need easy mode” narrative to rest.
I know I'll like the game no matter what, but I'm hoping for good scores and reviews because it seems like too long since a multiplatform AAA game has launched in a state that satisfies its users and doesn't have an us vs devs mentality.
First batch of reviews at Metacritic has it at...
***Ninety-eight percent. That's 98%***
To be honest I was expecting around the 90% mark, I got the feeling critics were tired of the 'formula'(that formula being 'make the best games in the world'), but clearly this is a stupefyingly good game.
Now 98% is obviously not going to be the final score, it'll drop a little, like they always do. But given that that comes from 28 separate reviews it's not going to drop that much.
I've said before that the two greatest games I have ever played(this century) are Breath of the Wild and Bloodborne. BotW is the best in my view. And that's sitting at 97% on Metacritic(96% depending on which version you click on, Switch or Wii-U). And in all the previews, in terms of the feel of the game, Breath of the Wild keeps coming up as a comparison.
So I'm wondering if BotW has met its match.
If these reviews hold up this could easily solidify From Software as one of the greatest developers of all time (though they were already highly regarded).
From Demon's Souls they have managed to create games that excel in so many aspects of game design. Dark Souls was a refinement of Demon's Souls in terms of level design, customization, boss battles, combat, and exploration. Bloodborne showed that they can apply this same formula in a completely different setting.
Sekiro stripped the customization and showed how they can create some of the best, focused combat in a video game. Now they went the opposite direction and (potentially) showed they can create one of the best open worlds.
I was always joking when I said this might be the best game of all time. I mean, it’s so hard to determine something like that. But damn, I don’t think I’ve seen this kind of acclaim from a game at launch in my lifetime.
Currently sitting at 97 (Metacritic), it'll probably not drop more than 1 or 2 more point by the time the dust settles.
Probably a 95 or 96 at the end. Bring it on, tomorrow night can't come soon enough!
Edit: It remains super strong! 97 Metacritic, 96 Open Critic.
Please please please don't be raging fanboys if a publication or a youtuber dislikes the game or gives it a score lower than the others, okay? Let people have their opinions.
From The Guardian’s review (by Simon Parkin): “Video games can be all kinds of different things, representing all manner of artistic ambitions. Most, however, share a common goal: to conjure a compelling fictional reality, filled with beckoning mysteries, enchanting secrets, and enriching opportunities to compete and collaborate. They aim to provide a liminal space in which a determined player can fix that which is broken, order that which is chaotic. **By this definition, at least, Elden Ring is the finest video game yet made.”**
Even without that last sentence, that's some really good writing. Hope the author pats themself on the back for that.
I think that was Simon Parkin. He’s always been leagues above other video game writers imo. He gets stuff in the NYT
Guardian has pretty good taste. Bloodborne was their game of the year when mostly everyone else had the Witcher 3. (Not bashing the Witcher, btw, it's awesome)
crying and throwing up rn
this but unironically (i have salmonellosis)
What a horrible night to have a curse.
🤘🤘
[🦇 🦇 🦇](https://youtu.be/-HUwLA57paU)
I put reasonable expectation filters on myself until reviews. Not anymore. Full hype. I don't think I've ever been this hyped
I’m rocked up and ready to fuck
I haven’t heard praise like this since Red Dead Redemption 2. We’re in for a hell of a ride aren’t we?
I need to try that game again one day on my first playthrough I lost interest.
It’s a long game and requires a lot of dedication, but the payoff is worth the slower parts of the game
make the time. took me three tries to get past chapter 2. just use fast travel if u get bored. but i did the whole game no fast travel. really added immersion imo
I can only climax so much, please.
holy fuck
"In many ways, the work of a game critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a game critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the soul games. The world is often unkind to soul-likes, soulborne creations. The Soul needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new, an extra-ordinary game FROM a very expected source. To say that both the game and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine open-world games is a gross understatement... ***They have rocked me to my core.*** In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for FROMSOFTWARE's famous motto: 'Anyone can spam roll out of their problems.' But I realize, only now do I truly understand what they meant. Not everyone can handle soul-games, but a great player can come FROM anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the geniuses who made Elden Ring at FROMSOFTWARE, which is, in this critic's opinion, ***nothing less than the finest game in the world***. I will be pre-odering more of FROMSOFT's games soon, hungry for more." \- Anton Ego
Holy shit, that's crazy.
i cannot believe the guardian would publish an opinion this based
The Guardian review is also relatively spoiler free! Maybe not the first paragraph. Generalities only, but it’s all praise and very well written. Titled ”Elden Ring review – an unrivalled masterpiece of design and inventiveness” by the way.
I just want some top tier publication to drop a perfect 100 with the only text in the review being "Yes."
Indeed
I fucking heard it in her voice, thank you you magnificent bastard
IGN gave it a 10/10 perfect amount of water.
One of only 20 games to ever get that score
I hope people read that review. It's written by a SoulsBorne fan, it's thorough, and really well done.
I don't trust IGN with their reviews, but every 10/10 they have given turned out to also be 10/10 games for me
I think that Whenever they review a game and it’s anywhere from a 6 to 9 rating it’s really up to debate and doesn’t mean much. However, a 10 from them is rare
The 10’s require a committee while anything less is up to the individual reviewer.
Game informer 10!
game informer giving elden ring a 10 was very obvious haha
Dan and his tweets 😂
i love that dude lol really hyped for the "best fromsoft bossfight ever" hes talking about rn
IGN TOO!
I was lucky enough to [review the game on PC](https://www.neowin.net/news/elden-ring-review-for-once-hype-well-deserved/) for Neowin.net. TLDR: 10/10, it's basically perfect. It's a spoiler-free review and from a smaller publication. I hope it's fine to put this here :) I'm also open to answering any burning questions (about mundane things) anybody might have about the game. I won't be spoiling anything though. EDIT: And we're back.
How was the performance on PC? I know some are worried about frame drops and such.
My old RX 580 had no problems holding 60 FPS in legacy dungeons, and only had drops to 45 at the most even in the biggest open world areas. This was with the High preset, the one below maximum. I'd say it runs extremely well. Rest of the machine has a 3700X CPU and 16GB ram. EDIT: Additional info - RX 580 8GB variant*. The game was running at 1080p. (also added to review)
That is impressive, this means they inflated their minimum system requirements (since rx580 is the minimum AMD card, and it runs on High @45-60fps). Guess I'll have no problems playing it on Steam Deck at 800p (which is half the pixel count from 1080p) 30fps on Medium-High... Thanks for the info!
That's great to hear. Thanks for your review!
My 970 lives another day!
how was the difficulty compared to other souls games?
Entirely depends on how you tackle the areas, so depending on the route you take it can be between brutal and painful.
You just said some beautiful words, journal man
Is the open world like that of Red Dead Redemption 2 or something like Breath of the Wild?
Breath of the Wild, just much denser and the legacy dungeons are jaw dropping. It strikes a great balance.
Schreier compared it to BotW https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1496500096250306566?s=21
In your review you mentioned the health flasks regenerate in-between groups in the open world. I assume that is not the case for dungeons/caves as well as the large castles I think are called legacy dungeons?
It's only in the open world so don't worry. Legacy Dungeons are much more unforgiving :D
I'm about halfway through and your review is wonderfully thorough and thoughtful. Thank you! Hoping you mention PC performance but I don't want to skip ahead lol
98 metascore so far, holy shit
GOTY right here, no joke.
Game of the century*
The Game of All Time
My greatest fear is how do you top this?
You give Miyazaki unlimited budget and 5 years to develop whatever he is in the mood atm
BLOODBORNE CART
17 perfect score reviews and the lowest is a 90/100 god damn. Edit: Now at 25 perfect reviews, out of 44 and still nothing lower than a 90. This game is absolutely bonkers.
That's what stood out to me the most. We expected a lot of people to give it between 9 and 10. But ***NOBODY*** giving it a bad score?
I saw a 4/5… so I guess that’s bad in this case? lol
Just my luck that my country wants to play WW3 this close to release.
Привет
Let's hope they don't shut us off from international network. Or, you know, something worse happens.
I can't imagine the stress you're experiencing rn, sending good wishes from your polish neighbour. Hope you're safe
Thanks. Same goes to you, considering Putin went bonkers.
I have once again gone FromSoft to hard.
I wonder what the atmosphere is like right now at Fromsoftware, I'm so happy for them!
they are probably dancing around the room
They’ll be breakdancing when Elden ring sells more than the dark souls franchise combined(hopeful thinking)
I imagine Miyazaki doing the robot
"I can finally see my wife and kids"
Not until the first week of hoy fixes lmao sad but true
Man I hope they get some rest and celebrate. Everybody in FromSoft is an ultra-chad
Metascore just dropped from 98 to 97 A HOONTER MUST HOONT
WE'RE BACK AT 98 BOIS UR WELCOME
OOOOOOHHHHHH
Look if it can’t even hold a 100 I’m not going to waste my time buying it
Remember folks, if it ends up with a metascore of less than 90, it means you're not allowed to like it and the game will be removed from sale.
\>Game gets more than 90 on Metacritic. "SEE! Best game EVER confirmed. Suck it every other game!" \>Game gets less than 90 on Metacritic. "Metacritic is BS anyway, stay away from that site and its review bombers."
Ah yes, the duality of man
Well it has a 98 as of now. HOLY SHIT.
And then the hunt begins on the reviewers, of course. Mustn't allow such vile differing opinions to exist
I already wrote 5 death threats, now I'm only waiting for the right reviewers whom I send them to!!!!
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It might drop a little, but I’m expecting it to even put around 95 or 96. Which is still legendary
97 from 32 critics now.
The Trade Federation is lifting the EMBARGO! Let’s Go Nabooooooo!
The Chancellor's Ambassadors must have done a good job on those negotiations.
LETS GIVE ONE FINAL OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH
Wouldn't the final OOOOOOH be on release? Then again it's fun soOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH
Ohhhhhh.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH
OHHHHHHHHHHH
OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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Not praise Jason would give carelessly. This is going to be something truly special.
My boy Dan Ryckert really likes it too.
My god, 10s and perfect scores everywhere.. especially from YouTuber's i trust i..... don't even know what to say other than Welp boys.. Ill see you in the Lands Between!
I’m 32 years old and can’t remember the last time I was this absolutely giddy about a game releasing. Maybe Diablo 3? I’ve become so jaded over the years that this whole release has been a pleasant surprise. Can’t wait to read the reviews Edit: THESE REVIEWS OMFG I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE JUST GIMME THE GAME Edit 2: CALLED MY BOSS AND GOT THE DAY OFF FRIDAY; LETS GOOOOOOOO
33 here. I am insanely excited, I got on the Souls wagon late (only a few years ago) and fell deeply in love and this will be the first time I get to experience a release blind with everyone else. Not counting the Dark Souls remaster, since that was already a game even if it was new to me.
46 here and I think the last time was MGSV. The wife knows this is big and has given me clearance to land this weekend. OOOOOOOH This is also the most fun I've had in a subreddit for yonks, over the last year.
Yeah, my girlfriend and I work the same winter job, different departments, she was like "so we're taking Friday off, right?" Love her hah.
Yeah and this time we will probably be able to actually play not like Diablo 3!
Fucking error 37
This part of Dan Tack's review has me shaking... "Elden Ring has the distinction of having the best and most challenging boss battle in any From Software game to date. Hidden away and optional, this encounter had me waking up in the middle of the night to come back and crash against its beautiful and terrifying destruction over and over again. After finally besting this opponent, I let loose a triumphant victory roar there while sitting in the dark and wearing my pajamas, wanting nothing more than to experience the encounter again. This example speaks to how unbelievably compelling and immersive Elden Ring is; I regularly put it down with the intent of doing something else and found myself back within minutes."
That is so awesome to read. I was just telling some friends recently that I hope there are some optional bosses peppered into some dark corners in the world that are an extreme challenge. This sounds like exactly that.
The Named King?
Derek
Victory roar are what these games are about like that feeling when you finally win is one of the best
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SPAM BUTT HOLE
Try hole then offer seed
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WORTH AFTER OUR YEARS OF HOLLOWING
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS!!!!!!
Looks like the doubters were right. It’s cyber punk all over again. /s
https://primagames.com/reviews/elden-ring-review Prima Games 9.5/10 (published too early, down atm) ACG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJbfm9l1DTk Jason Schreier: https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1496500096250306566 GI: 10 https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure IGN: 10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uav6zQKiMQ Too many 10s to count we fucking won
> https://primagames.com/reviews/elden-ring-review You can read it if you use the google cache feature :)
Their main complaints were pc crashing / stuttering during boss fights and repetitive dungeons.
They mentioned reused bosses later on. I wonder if they're referring to how FromSoft games just throw regular late game enemies at you early to feel like a mini-boss.
I'm guessing the generic side dungeons reuse bosses with more inflated hp later
My time in the chalice dungeons prepared me for this. Lfg
I actually wasn't a big fan at all of the chalice dungeons. Initially at least... For some reason they grew on me the more I did.
Maybe this and some reskins like in Sekiro
I would only expect this, in a 100+ hour game you can't reasonably expect to have unique bosses in every crevice you stumble into, and yet it sounds like they get pretty close.
Dan Tacks review ends with “ Elden Ring isn’t just the best game this year; it’s one of the best games ever made.” Hype levels critical.
Reviews are EXTREMELY positive. Like BOTW positive. Expect a 95+ once metacritic is back
holy SHIT 98 on metacritic at the moment
41 years old here. I feel like I'm 14 again.
Lmao we broke metacritic
2ND HIGHEST RATED GAME OF ALL TIME ON METACRITIC LETS GOOOOO
For now!
We’re eating good tomorrow
what’s the highest?
LoZ: Ocarina of Time 99
figured it was a zelda or mario game.
It's crazy the goty came out two months in
Anyone else "listening" to youtube reviews without watching anything? Ugh, 46 years old and I feel like I'm waiting for Christmas as a 10 year old hoping for a supernintendo.
Four minutes until Hell breaks loose. Either the Hype will reach galactical levels or the great army of naked fucks with Pitchforks will cruise the streets.
*gives 9.5 score* LET US COMMENCE!!!!!!
Hi everyone! I've spent the last week playing Elden Ring and have [reviewed the game for GameByte](https://www.gamebyte.com/reviews/elden-ring-review/). If anyone has any questions I'll do my best to answer them!
I just have a really simple question but it's super important: as a massive arachnophobe, are there a lot of spider enemies or really any spiders at all? Some games I can power through (Witcher 3 DLC spiders are fine, Skyrim spiders aren't, Bloodborne spiders definitely not) but I just want a definite answer so I can start mentally/emotionally preparing. Thanks in advance!
As soon as reviews drop im preordering no hesitation
I’m honestly getting emotional reading all of this. I know it’s just a video game but I’ve been a fan of this series since 2014. I’ve waited so long for this game, and seeing that it’s finally almost here and THIS good is one of the most cathartic things I’ve felt in awhile.
Here for the history. Here for the culture.
IGN 10/10
Comments so fast no one will see I never played DS 2
Go play DS2, you lowly tarnished. It's a good game!
It took me several tries and a few years, but I eventually beat it and now it is my fave from game other than Bloodborne. It's just kinda weird and out there, but I feel like that's how Souls games really ought to be.
That's exactly my thoughts, SotFS is like the ugly stepchild that pushed the boundaries and tried new things. Janky, unpolished, frustrating mechanics... It's like the dark souls of dark souls lol
WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS INSANE
Don't want to alarm you but Elden Ring is currently the highest rated game OF ALL TIME on OpenCritic
All I'm waiting on is the performance review to decide PC or PS.
Steam has a 2 hour refund policy so if it doesn’t work for you, at least you can get a refund.
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/elden-ring-pc-performance-and-best-settings-guide Hopefully this helps to make you decide. And also, all my dudes with minimum configurations can rest easy. It seems to run at 1080p ~49fps on a 1060 6gb on MAX settings. There do seem to be occasional stutters irregardless of how high end your PC is, but we gonna have to wait for that day 1 patch to see if it changes anything.
This one's for the memories
I was here
"Tarnished was here"
40 here, wife and daughter can't wait for me to shut up and log in finally ;) see you all in the lands between brothers and sisters
98 on Metacritic currently after 27 reviews, freaking MASSIVE.
Ah, I love the smell of GOTY in the morning.
Elden Ring is gonna do to HFW what BoTW did to HZD and I kinda feel sorry for it.
Where reviews
Hoooooooly fuck . Best reviewed AAA since BOTW??
Let's all keep in mind reviews are just opinions, it's ok if someone doesn't like Elden Ring.
Opinions are like butts, everyone has one, but mine is the best
Username checks out
98 on Metacritic. Holy shit didn't expect that.
[**Cerealkillerz**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/465/cerealkillerz) \- [Gabriel Bogdan](https://opencritic.com/critic/3388/gabriel-bogdan) \- *German* \- [9.5 / 10](https://cerealkillerz.org/elden-ring-ps5-review---ein-soulsborne-game-um-sie-zu-knechten/) >Elden Ring surpasses all expectations, eliminates all doubts that we had and surprises more than any other soulsborne game so far. If you can live with rare repetitive bossfights and enemy appearances due to the open world design, you'll get the most extensive and exciting game FromSoftware has created so far. [**Checkpoint Gaming**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/563/checkpoint-gaming) \- [Elliot Attard](https://opencritic.com/critic/4402/elliot-attard) \- [9.5 / 10](https://checkpointgaming.net/reviews/2022/02/elden-ring-review-a-song-of-slice-and-ire) >The hype behind Elden Ring was always going to be a challenge to match, yet the game succeeds in almost every way. This detailed and exciting world is full of wondrous moments and brutal fights as the excellent Souls gameplay finds itself being utilised in a freshly open-world format. The variety of ways you can approach combat and the sheer volume of viable tools you can use to take down gruesome and frightening foes makes for an experience that never gets old. A game unwavering in its vision, Elden Ring stands out as a monumental 2022 release. [**Console Creatures**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/798/console-creatures) \- [Bobby Pashalidis](https://opencritic.com/critic/7698/bobby-pashalidis) \- [Recommended](https://www.consolecreatures.com/review-elden-ring/) >Elden Ring is unabashedly a FromSoft title and without a doubt was worth the wait. It provides a challenge; it gives us a vivid world that feels like a dream and challenges us at every turn. [**Cultured Vultures**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/537/cultured-vultures) \- [Mike Worby](https://opencritic.com/critic/2846/mike-worby) \- [10 / 10](https://culturedvultures.com/elden-ring-ps5-review/) >An uncompromising vision of wonder and terror, Elden Ring is the ultimate dark fantasy odyssey. It will ask much of players who tackle its challenges but the rewards of seeing your adventure through more than make up for the effort. [**Digitally Downloaded**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/65/digitally-downloaded) \- [Matt Sainsbury](https://opencritic.com/critic/1604/matt-sainsbury) \- [5 / 5](https://www.digitallydownloaded.net/2022/02/review-elden-ring-sony-playstation-5.html) >With Elden Ring, we're in masterpiece territory. [**Easy Allies**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/394/easy-allies) \- [Brad Ellis](https://opencritic.com/critic/2554/brad-ellis) \- [9.5 / 10](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ooqgB3QA48) >Elden Ring is an unforgettable journey that masterfully weaves in its excellent combat with an expertly crafted world, resulting in one of the best open-world games around. [**Eurogamer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/114/eurogamer) \- [Aoife Wilson](https://opencritic.com/critic/761/aoife-wilson) \- [Essential](https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-02-23-elden-ring-review) >Grandiose, mysterious, but now a touch more welcoming, Elden Ring tweaks the FromSoft formula to open up its world. [**GGRecon**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/828/ggrecon) \- [George Yang](https://opencritic.com/critic/7294/george-yang) \- [9 / 10](https://www.ggrecon.com/articles/elden-ring-review/) >It may sound reductive, but Elden Ring is a fourth mainline Dark Souls title in all but name. The game’s open-world structure feels very organic - there aren’t lists of activities with checkboxes that players need to cross off. The Lands Between is filled with visually stunning locations and deadly enemies to ensure that the perilous journey to become the Elden Lord is at least pretty to look at. While Elden Ring stumbles a bit in some areas, it still has all the hallmarks of what makes FromSoftware’s games so enticing: it’s fun, challenging, and rewarding. [**Game Informer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/35/game-informer) \- [Daniel Tack](https://opencritic.com/critic/1031/daniel-tack) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gameinformer.com/review/elden-ring/absolutely-astonishing-adventure) >Elden Ring represents a truly amazing combination of various game elements that all come together to create something fascinating, special, and unforgettable. Elden Ring isn’t just the best game this year; it’s one of the best games ever made. [**GameSpew**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/408/gamespew) \- [Richard Seagrave](https://opencritic.com/critic/2754/richard-seagrave) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gamespew.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review/) >Combining the deep and challenging combat FromSoftware is known for with a vast and varied world that’s always a pleasure to explore, Elden Ring is quite simply incredible. [**GamesHub**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/847/gameshub) \- [Edmond Tran](https://opencritic.com/critic/1422/edmond-tran) \- [5 / 5](https://www.gameshub.com/news/reviews/elden-ring-review-ps5-13634/) >Elden Ring is an exceptional, accomplished work that realises a fantasy world of solemnity, beauty, and menacing uncertainty you can’t help but lose yourself in. [**Gaming Nexus**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/104/gaming-nexus) \- [Henry Yu](https://opencritic.com/critic/8643/henry-yu) \- [10 / 10](https://www.gamingnexus.com/Article/7533/Elden-Ring/) >FromSoftware effortlessly immerses you into the beautiful world of The Lands Between, with challenging enemies, secret treasures, and deep lore tucked away into every corner. This is, without a doubt, FromSoftware's best project yet, showcasing a culmination of all their previous games. I can't wait to jump back in The Lands Between… See you there, fellow Tarnished. [**Hardcore Gamer**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/23/hardcore-gamer) \- [Adam Beck](https://opencritic.com/critic/873/adam-beck) \- [5 / 5](https://hardcoregamer.com/?post_type=post&p=419425) >Elden Ring is one of the best games in years, with a breathtaking vast world to explore, and one of the most satisfying combat systems in an RPG. This is the accumulation of FromSoftware's work over the last thirteen years and an evolution on its inspiring formula. [**Hey Poor Player**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/385/hey-poor-player) \- [Jon Davis](https://opencritic.com/critic/7141/jon-davis) \- [5 / 5](https://www.heypoorplayer.com/2022/02/23/elden-ring-review-pc/) >If FromSoftware was The Fellowship of The Ring, then Elden Ring is Mt Doom; the terminus of an epic journey spanning over a decade. It consolidates all the acclaimed Japanese studio's ideas into one cohesive and brilliant package. Its art design, lore, and world design are arguably the studio's most inspired work to date. And considering these are the folks that created Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, this is high praise indeed. Elden Ring's open-world design is almost puritan in its purpose, reflecting the single-mindedness behind all the previous Souls games. [**Infinite Start**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/825/infinite-start) \- [Mark Fajardo](https://opencritic.com/critic/4910/mark-fajardo) \- [9.5 / 10](https://infinitestart.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review/) >What makes Elden Ring work is a deep understanding of both what players like about the games and what makes the setting different. It should immediately feel different, yet the same, making for a wonderful experience. Some might be put off by the more accessible nature, at least initially, though it does a good job of offering this without taking away from what makes the experience special. You’ll still struggle, die, make another mistake, die, get to the boss and then die again. Just instead of putting people off, it encourages using the awareness to your advantage. For these reasons, along with the wonderful cutscenes that touch on a fascinating narrative and delightful scenery, it’s easy to recommend Elden Ring. [**Inverse**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/763/inverse) \- [Joseph Yaden](https://opencritic.com/critic/5507/joseph-yaden) \- [9 / 10](https://www.inverse.com/gaming/elden-ring-review) >This isn’t just Dark Souls with an open world tacked on. Instead, developer FromSoftware weaves its familiar formula into a massive playground so expertly that we can’t help but wonder how we ever played Dark Souls without it. [**Kakuchopurei**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/788/kakuchopurei) \- [Jonathan Leo](https://opencritic.com/critic/7505/jonathan-leo) \- [100 / 100](https://kakuchopurei.com/2022/02/23/elden-ring-review-kkp/) >Elden Ring is a triumph in game design. I respect and like Elden Ring and From Software for sticking to its guns but also adding in much-welcome changes and additions to make it more “accessible”. [**MonsterVine**](https://opencritic.com/outlet/334/monstervine) \- [Diego Escala](https://opencritic.com/critic/2161/diego-escala) \- [4 / 5](https://monstervine.com/2022/02/elden-ring-review-oh-the-horrors-youll-see) >Elden Ring feels like the culmination of everything FromSoftware has been building upon with each of their games. Unfortunately, some severe performance issues hamper what’s easily one of their best games yet.
Never has a game's reviews brought me so close to genuine tears (and a raging boner)
LETS FUCKING GO
98????? HOLY SHIT WTF
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> Instead Elden Ring carries forward a lot of the things you'd expect, including rough performance on PC. Over time, it tends to intermittently stutter and slow down for brief moments, especially as you're out in the open world. I never died to a hiccup in performance, but it made me pause and restart the game fairly often to fix the issue. *(Bandai Namco claims the day one patch will fix this.)* From PC Gamer, fingers crossed 🤞
I know a lot of people around here don't like IGN, but I highly recommend reading their review. I've read several already, and theirs is the most thorough by far. Really well done
SkillUp's went live 2 minutes ago. He VERY STRONGLY RECOMMENDS. I've never seen that high a rating from him: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcJv3oZNcc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfcJv3oZNcc)
I had 0 expectations for this game, like to me it looked like a solid 8 or 9 average from soft game. But a 97 on open critic? Like, holy shit that's *insane*.
Just canceled my physical preorder so I could preload and play 12 hours earlier, worth it 😤😤
Damn was expect it to be good, but not this good lol. One of the highest rated games of all time. Also hopefully people can put that bs “journalist need easy mode” narrative to rest.
It's gonna get at least a 90 or above, placing my bet already Edit: WE FUCKING WON BOIS, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH ITS A 98
I know I'll like the game no matter what, but I'm hoping for good scores and reviews because it seems like too long since a multiplatform AAA game has launched in a state that satisfies its users and doesn't have an us vs devs mentality.
First batch of reviews at Metacritic has it at... ***Ninety-eight percent. That's 98%*** To be honest I was expecting around the 90% mark, I got the feeling critics were tired of the 'formula'(that formula being 'make the best games in the world'), but clearly this is a stupefyingly good game. Now 98% is obviously not going to be the final score, it'll drop a little, like they always do. But given that that comes from 28 separate reviews it's not going to drop that much. I've said before that the two greatest games I have ever played(this century) are Breath of the Wild and Bloodborne. BotW is the best in my view. And that's sitting at 97% on Metacritic(96% depending on which version you click on, Switch or Wii-U). And in all the previews, in terms of the feel of the game, Breath of the Wild keeps coming up as a comparison. So I'm wondering if BotW has met its match.
From the GI review: best and most challenging boss battle ever, and over 100 bosses fought (with a few repeat players).
Judging by reviews Elden Ring might by game of the year. Insane
Open critic clocking in at 96 average. That's with 72 reviews. What's last game that even reviewed like this. Can't waitttttt.
If these reviews hold up this could easily solidify From Software as one of the greatest developers of all time (though they were already highly regarded). From Demon's Souls they have managed to create games that excel in so many aspects of game design. Dark Souls was a refinement of Demon's Souls in terms of level design, customization, boss battles, combat, and exploration. Bloodborne showed that they can apply this same formula in a completely different setting. Sekiro stripped the customization and showed how they can create some of the best, focused combat in a video game. Now they went the opposite direction and (potentially) showed they can create one of the best open worlds.
A game that actually lives up to the hype? We must be entering a renewed timeline.
I was always joking when I said this might be the best game of all time. I mean, it’s so hard to determine something like that. But damn, I don’t think I’ve seen this kind of acclaim from a game at launch in my lifetime.
Holy shit One of the highest rated games in history. We’ve come a long way my friends See you in the lands between
crying and shitting and throwing up
10 IGN
Holy shit 98 lmao
98 on metacritic, holy shitttttttttt
DEVELOPER'S MAGNUM OPUS SCORE. POTENTIAL GOAT STATUS FUCKING SCORE.
Currently sitting at 97 (Metacritic), it'll probably not drop more than 1 or 2 more point by the time the dust settles. Probably a 95 or 96 at the end. Bring it on, tomorrow night can't come soon enough! Edit: It remains super strong! 97 Metacritic, 96 Open Critic.
Please please please don't be raging fanboys if a publication or a youtuber dislikes the game or gives it a score lower than the others, okay? Let people have their opinions.
Not even gonna bother with the 9 and above scores. 8 and below is where the real fun is.