Elden Ring: a masterpiece in hardcore mode, our test

More than a week after its release, Elden Ring is on everyone’s lips. From Software’s masterpiece has won the hearts of the press, and ours, by establishing itself as a must-have in video games.

[Mis à jour le 4 mars 2022 à 15h10] If there was any fear of disappointment after months or even years of seething anticipation for Elden Ring, it would seem that is not the case. The latest product from From Software games has won one of the best overall ratings in the history of the video game world, with a score exceeding 95/100 after several dozen international reviews. The press is full of praise for this game, which some like Jason Schreier, respected journalist at Bloomberg, have called “one of the best games ever made”. And in all this, there are still the players who were able to discover the game this Friday at midnight. This launch was also spectacular, the game exceeding 700,000 simultaneous players on Steam. A success clouded by negative evaluations on the platform, due to rather catastrophic performance on the PC version, despite a release patch that had little effect. Difficulties recognized by Bandai Namco and From Software through a tweet and a press release:

After a quick introduction to its mysterious universe, all in heroic-fantasy and sinister medievalism, we are thrown into the world of the Underworld. A sword in the right hand, a shield in the left hand and off we go on an epic quest to create our legend in the Elden Ring universe. Only then, four steps into the wild, and the Grafted Offspring rushes at us, enduring our pathetic thrust attempts to sweep us with the back of his hand into the surrounding abyss. From Software announces the color to us. Our quest for Renown and the Ring Fragments of Elden won’t be easy. Nothing surprising for a creation from the studios of Hidetaka Miyazaki you will tell me, and you will be right. Only, despite the many disappointments, in the form of a total one-shot, a too tough boss or a trapped loot box, we can not help but continue. There’s something dizzying about this inhospitable open world. From its gargantuan fortresses to its generous forests, Elden Ring calls us, condemns us to the famous “get good”, to become better in order to take full advantage of its vertiginous scenario and its unique gameplay.

Car From Software masters the RPG format like no other. The opportunities for character customization are plentiful, giving the player the ability to build their protagonist as they see fit. The RPG is pushed to the smallest detail, in the smallest statistics, the smallest weapon. Each type of player will find his account, carried away by the whirlwind of content that animates the smallest corners of Elden Ring. Not strong enough to kill Margit? No problem, a little walk in nature, an exploration session, better equipment and a few runes later you’re ready. Far from guiding the player by offering him all the possible means to overcome his opponents, Elden Ring offers him the opportunity to build himself. Go explore the world as you see fit, at the risk of coming across an enemy determined to cut you into a thousand pieces at every corner of the wall. Because rest does not exist in Elden Ring, and that is its strength. Each new encounter leaves the player on edge, fearing for their life and hard-earned runes, immersing them body and soul in a grim and bloody world. Quite a feat, given the popularity of the role-playing format in recent years, making Elden Ring a UFO of immersion and talent in its class.

So it’s true, Elden Ring is not the most accessible of games, and for a neophyte of From Software titles can sometimes seem obtuse, even cruel. But, swallowing his pride after being crushed by a large crab and dusting off his armor, the player tirelessly walks away, encouraged to become stronger, better. Ego wounds are frequent without being unfair, stirring up the pride of the one who holds the controller, to push him to constantly come back. And after all, isn’t that the spinal cord of the action RPG? Elden Ring is far from being a walk in the park, but will convince all players, forcing them to tap into their motivation to have the opportunity to discover the fantastic world forged by George RR Martin. It also offers some tools to facilitate an adventure, despite the complexity of its cooperative mode which could benefit from being simplified and made permanent. Elden Ring is tough, but anyone can overcome it, and everyone should, as the Underworld is so unique, deep and attractive. The only big black spot a little over seven days after its release, a catastrophic optimization on PC which leads to drops of frames per second and disconnections in coop with a shovel. Nothing incorrigible, nothing permanent. We do like everyone else in praising it but hey, Elden Ring is a must-have, probably one of the best games of the last decade, and a serious contender for the Game of the Year 2022 award. So why s deprive of it?

It’s hard not to recognize the special touch of Hidetaka Miyazaki (no relation to Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Ghibli studios) during these three minutes. A universe as dark as it is mysterious, an enigmatic scenario, characters and monsters with so… varied attractions. This is the work of the Japanese director, behind Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro. And this time, he was able to count on a collaboration with none other than George RR Martin, the author behind the Game of Thrones saga, to provide us with this unique experience. Elden Ring is an open-world game that the player can explore at will while performing side quests and following the main plot. The game also includes multiplayer aspects, up to four players.

As for its story, Elden Ring takes place in a whole new universe, from the imagination of none other than George RR Martin. Interviewed by the American newspaper WWTW, the author of Game of Throne confirmed his involvement in the project throughout its many years of development. He claimed to have shaped the Elden Ring universe in great detail to provide developers with a solid foundation for their game development. Given the complexity and originality of the universes George RR Martin is able to create, one can expect high-flying storytelling. If we add that to the inventiveness and the graphic quality to which the From Software teams have accustomed us, Elden Ring could very quickly earn its place alongside the excellent Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls or Sekiro. Moreover, George RR Martin himself claimed to be impatient to discover the game. The story of Elden Ring is this: