Here’s what we’ve learned about Elden Ring’s map and haunting dark fantasy world following its Summer Game Fest showcase.
Following years of radio silence, exciting Elden Ring details are starting to emerge following the game’s Summer Game Fest premiere. In a recent interview, the game’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki shared new details on the game’s map and what we can expect while exploring its dark fantasy world.
Elden Ring takes place in The Lands Between, a realm created by fantasy novelist and Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin. This land, with its crumbling, ancient ruins and verdant rolling plains, is made up of six distinct regions, each ruled by a Demigod. Like previous Souls games, there will be a preferred order in which to tackle these areas. However, players are free to explore them in any order they choose. Additionally, each area will contain its own dungeon to tackle, which is presumably where you’ll encounter the region’s Demigod.
“We wanted to give a free level of progression and exploration through The Lands Between, so there’s a lot of different ways,” explained Miyazaki in an interview with IGN. “You won’t be able to access everything from the start, but there are a lot of different ways you can approach each area. And there’s a lot of freedom as to which order you tackle different areas as well.”
Have Horse, Will Travel
Elden Ring will allow you to mount up in single-player. Sadly, co-op treks are limited to on-foot travel.
Elden Ring‘s world is developer FromSoftware’s largest and most wide-open yet. With that in mind, hoofing it around the sprawling landscape would be less than ideal. Thankfully, you won’t have to; at least not when playing the game alone. Elden Ring allows players to hop in the saddle of a swift, seemingly supernatural horse (or a giant goat, if you’re feeling gruff). With glowing hooves and the ability to double jump, Link’s loyal steed Epona doesn’t even come close. Not only does the horse give you a great way to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, but it’s also helpful in a scrape as mounted combat is absolutely an option.
Unfortunately, if you were hoping to amass a posse of dark fantasy rough riders in the game’s multiplayer mode, you’re out of luck. Speaking to Famitsu, Miyazaki said, “Yes. There are a few exceptions, but multiplayer is possible even in the massive open field. You can even go straight into boss battles together. However, during multiplayer you can’t use your horse, so be warned.”
Weathering The Storm
Elden Ring features a dynamic weather system and day and night cycle.
In a press release provided by the game’s publisher Bandai Namco, we learned that the game will feature both a day a night cycle and dynamic weather. At the moment, we don’t know exactly how or if these mechanics will shape Elden Ring‘s gameplay. But when you consider FromSoftware’s penchant for secrets and deep, layered gameplay, I think it’s safe to assume they’ll use these features to enhance the experience.
Even if these features are purely cosmetic, they should still set the stage for some cool moments. Imagine crossing blades with a Demigod against a striking full moon or exploring a swamp in a torrential downpour. We can’t wait to see how these new features elevate Elden Ring’s atmosphere in comparison to FromSoftware’s prior releases.
In case you missed last week’s gameplay reveal trailer, be sure to check it out below:
Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too much longer to get our hands on the game. Elden Ring will release on January 21, 2022, for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
What do you think of what we know so far about Elden Ring‘s map? Are you excited to explore its haunting landscape when the game launches early next year? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
