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Elden Ringwas a departure from Hidetaka Miyazaki’s tried and tested formula for Soulslikes in many ways for both the legendary director and his fans alike.
Nearly everything about the game felt different to veteranSoulsplayers. Diving into the game fresh off a playthrough ofDark Souls III, an attempt on my part to prepare myself for the challenges that Miyazaki would have in store for me, signs of his handiwork made themselves known as I began to explore The Lands Between.
Familiar but Not Quite the Same
WhenElden Ringlaunched in February 2022, the excitement of trying out a title born out of a collaboration between one of my favorite game directors of all time and George R.R. Martin was palpable indeed.
Diving into the game, I was immediately struck by how its main theme eschewed the somber, even depressing music of its predecessors, opting for the rising crescendo that has now become famous in its own right.
The opening cinematic and the subsequent trek through the game’s tutorial section, another crucial difference fromDark Souls IIIand other FromSoftware titles, introduced familiar combat mechanics. It added new ones into the mix that could not have prepared me for my first look at The Lands Between.
Hidetaka Miyazaki on Elden Ring’s Most Criticized Feature: “I don’t think the game would have done what it did” If We Took It Away
Shoving open the giant doors to reveal Miyazaki’s stunning new open world was, and still is, a moment I would like to forget just so that I could experience it all over again. A sprawling landmass in which every direction led to something new to explore was a far cry from the often-claustrophobic spaces that Miyazaki’s previous titles pushed their protagonists into.
And yet, The Lands Between felt like home. There were the Sites of Grace,Elden Ring’sversion of Bonfires from previous games. There was the Roundtable Hold and a familiar structure to side content that had Miyazaki’s stamp of vague directions and opaque clues all over it.
The more things changed inElden Ring, the more they stayed the same. But Miyazaki’s finest creation might mean that his next project cannot, and should not, go back to his roots.
A Bold New Direction Means There’s No Going Back
FromSoftware’s ambitious open-world RPG may have taken the gaming world by storm when it was released back in 2022, but it could now be the biggest roadblock for the studio and its visionary leader as they think about the road ahead.
It’s evident in theconversations aboutElden Ring’sbosses, many of whom had me rolling out of attacks more than I could land my own (I’m looking at you, Malenia!). Taking them on without Summons was admittedly tedious despite that feeling of achievement that comes at the end of a particularly nasty encounter that I had come to love from Soulslikes.
“I was so hyped for them…”: Elden Ring DLC Fans Look Back in Retrospect at the Most Disappointing Aspect of Shadow of the Erdtree
In a way,Elden RingandShadow of the Erdtree’sbosses make a compelling case for the game and its DLC being FromSoftware’s finest work to date and feats that the studio cannot attempt to topple.
They represent everything the studio has attempted in the past rolled into an experience that pushed both Miyazaki and his fans to their very limits, redefining what a futureSoulsgame could be in ways that he cannot change.
This may very well be the reason behind Miyazaki’s potential plan to have FromSoftwareworking on multiple smaller projectsrunning concurrently with new directors at their respective helms. He will likely ensure that his vision for punishing yet rewarding experiences with his games continue to underline their overall mechanics.
“She’s blind and is using that to…”: Hidetaka Miyazaki Didn’t Miss During Elden Ring as Fans Uncover Malenia Lore That Was Right in Front of Us All Along
Armored Core VI: The Fires of Rubiconis a great example of this, showcasing a new gameplay loop that retained the difficulty that players have come to expect from Miyazaki while standing out from Soulslikes enough to be its own thing.
An attempt to surpassElden Ringis, in my opinion, is a futile effort. While I truly believe that Miyazaki could, in theory, create a similar experience, I don’t think that he should try to do so.
It is time for FromSoftware to begin revolutionizing other types of games, delivering experiences that stay with their players long after the credits have rolled in genres that they have not had the chance to dabble with yet.
Like The Lands Between, there are a number of paths that Miyazaki can take for his next project. And likeElden Ring, he is sure to find something new along the way as he explores limitless possibilities in his search for a new magnum opus.
How do you think the future of FromSoftware will turn out? Let us know in the comments!
Varun Karunakar
Articles Published :31
A gaming writer with a passion for action RPGs, Varun spends most of his time grinding his teeth at the latest Soulslike or taking on adventures like Baldur’s Gate 3. He usually has either a controller or guitar in his hands when he’s not covering the latest in gaming.
