Video game developer FromSoftware released a new action adventure game “Elden Ring” on Feb. 25. The game was a successor to the studio’s “Dark Souls” series. Upon release, the game received glowing reviews and achieved an incredibly high score of 97 on Metacritic, putting it at the 11th best rated game of all time on the website. I think that “Elden Ring” is a solid game and will be a model for video games in the future.

Before giving my opinion on the game, it is important to note that I am relatively new to this style of game. “Elden Ring” and other video games by FromSoftware such as “Dark Souls” and “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” are known for their unique difficulty. People who are veterans of the series are accustomed to the higher difficulty gameplay, but for me, having only played one previous game, it was a challenge. In the first hour or so that I played “Elden Ring”, I had yet to get a feel for the combat, and it proved difficult to defeat many of the stronger enemies that I came across. However, I think that with more time invested, this will not be a problem. 

That being said, the other aspects of the game were very pleasing. The combat feels smooth, the graphics look great, and it still has that iconic feel like the rest of the games by FromSoftware. 

The only issue that I encountered was the performance, or how well the game ran on my computer. When loading in new areas, or in more intense moments, I experienced some stutters and inconsistent frame time. While this has been a widespread issue for those playing on a computer, this has not been an issue on consoles. Before purchasing the game, it is important to do some research and determine if your computer will be able to handle it, and create an enjoyable experience. 

Next, “Elden Ring” is a nice break from routine in the video game industry. In past years, large video game studios have made flashy advertising and big claims, only to release a game that was unfinished. It happened so often that it almost became normal. Games would release in an unpolished state, lacking many of the promised features, and developers would assure fans that these features would come in the future. Even if a developer does fulfill these promises after some time, the consumer did not pay to get the game they wanted in a year. They paid money to get a solid, complete game on release. In the case of “Elden Ring”, it did not disappoint. Besides the previously mentioned performance issues, the game delivered exactly what consumers were promised. After years of deception and false claims, it was a breath of fresh air. “Elden Ring” showed us what is possible when video game developers put in the care and effort to create a game for everyone to enjoy.

In conclusion, I would recommend that you pick up “Elden Ring”. If you are willing to take the time to learn the combat, it can be very rewarding, and make the game much more enjoyable. “Elden Ring” has redefined the video game industry, and created a model for future games to follow.