Elden Ring, the next game from the team behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne, is just a few weeks away from release, and the director of the game has stated in a recent interview that it will be less stressful than the company’s previous offerings. Fans of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s action-RPG games have coined the word “Soulslikes” since the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009 and its far more successful follow-up, Dark Souls in 2011.
Although a handful of games have succeeded to combine soul-like gameplay with a compelling tale, few have managed to achieve the level of polish and atmosphere that From Software’s titles have achieved. Those hoping for a dark action RPG that would put their wits and patience to the test were ecstatic when Demon’s Souls was published on the PlayStation 3. Many would-be players were scared off by the game’s brutal violence and steep learning curve. In spite of the fact that From Software’s subsequent games built on the Souls formula by adding more game modes and playstyles, many players have remained wary of the developer’s previous work and other Souls-inspired titles for fear of being disappointed and feeling like they aren’t making any progress.
As a result of these criticisms, Miyazaki has listened to his team at From Software and worked to make Elden Ring an open-world game that even individuals who have never played a Souls game may enjoy. Miyazaki recently spoke with the PlayStation Blog on the Elden Ring open world, player advancement, and how players should feel less pressure playing the game because of the openness of the game’s open world. Much effort was put into making Elden Ring less frustrating for players, even if the game’s director claims that his games are designed to make them feel accomplished when they complete challenges.
The sense of freedom Miyazaki says in the interview allows players to explore another location and eventually return to the task at their own leisure if they find a place too overwhelming. In the developer’s view, this will encourage more players to finish the game. In addition, players can make use of Elden Ring’s revamped and simplified multiplayer. In November, Miyazaki and his team were able to gather some useful data for improving the game’s multiplayer thanks to the Elden Ring network tests.
Fans can summon another player by placing a summon sign in Elden Ring’s environment. A summon pool is now possible thanks to a new feature that most players were unaware of. Fans of Elden Ring can now form four-person teams to take on the game’s many challenges or to take on the game’s toughest bosses. For those who haven’t yet finished Elden Ring, it’s a nice thing to hear of new measures being put in place to assist those who are. Software’s previous games like Sekiro and Bloodborne contain a lot of gorgeous moments that many gamers don’t get to see because of frustrating parts or bosses. In terms of gameplay, Elden Ring looks like a great place to start if you’ve always wanted to explore what makes Dark Souls and its ilk so special.