Elden Ring Review Round-Up – Is It FromSoftware’s Best Game Ever?

Elden Ring has arrived and so too are the critic reviews. The review scores vary from near perfection to perfect. But is it all just hype?

Elden Ring FAQ: Every Guide You’ll Need

Today is the launch day for the highly anticipated Elden Ring. Critics and fans alike are buzzing about FromSoftware’s latest hit. On aggregate websites such as Metacritic and OpenCritic, Elden Ring is already one of the highest-rated games of all time. So, it begs the question, is Elden Ring one of the best games ever?

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Here’s what some of the critics are saying:

GameByte – Olly SmithScore: 9.5/10

If Dark Souls was the earthquake, Elden Ring is the aftershock. In a sense, it’s more of a love letter to the Soulsborne fanbase, incorporating dramatic fragments of each past game into a single product that is rewarding and fulfilling. While not perfect, I believe that FromSoftware has followed through on the hype surrounding this game and been able to create something truly mesmerising.

VGC – Jordan MiddlerScore: 5/5 Stars

Elden Ring is a fantastic game that can still deliver the unmatched thrill of defeating a tough boss after an hours-long battle. Those who worship at the church of Souls-like will find a game that’s basically everything they ever wanted. There are more bosses than ever, more areas to explore, and so much lore to find that the digital archaeologists of the Souls community will be kept busy for years.

Game Rant – Pam K FerdinandScore: 5/5 Stars

However, when judged on its own merits, Elden Ring is a phenomenal game that will disappoint very few. It has most of the components that fans of the genre seek: a wondrous aesthetic, a feeling of mystery that invites exploration, skilfully designed and intimidating adversaries, and rich gameplay with a lot of replayability thanks to the various classes and builds. In the end, Elden Ring is more than just an open-world Dark Souls. It is strong in its own right, with tweaks to the classic Souls blueprint that create a refreshing new experience that still feels familiar.

Gamesradar+ – Joel FraneyScore: 5/5

When Elden Ring hits the rails, the momentum carries it forward and refuses to slow down. My peaks of rage at being stomped on by towering titans never stopped being fun despite that, with that very particular form of masochistic joy you get from wrestling with FromSoftware games. It might not be as ground-breaking as its inspirations, but taken on its own terms, Elden Ring might be the best of its brethren – and that’s something I’m still struggling to believe has actually happened.

Eurogamer – Aoife WilsonScore: Essential

George R.R Martin’s cultural currency in 2022 is hardly enough to change the trajectory of Elden Ring’s success on its own. All that said, Elden Ring remains a glorious game, one that established fans are going to savour for some time to come, and one that may just welcome new fans into the FromSoft fold. Sumptuous visual design, dark and detailed lore and a vast-but-intricate open world are reason enough to venture out into the Lands Between. Add to that FromSoftware’s unforgiving and unforgettable gameplay loop and this is something truly special.

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Featured Image Credit: FromSoftware