A mind-blowing 15 minutes of gameplay was revealed for Elden Ring last night, and with that preview, we also get a pretty substantial info drop. We've learned about the world, the overarching lore, some gameplay elements, pre-order bonuses, and the different editions available for purchase.
The Story Outline
In the Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the ELDEN RING, the source of the Erdtree, has been shattered. Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the ELDEN RING known as the Great Runes, and the mad taint of their newfound strength triggered a war: The Shattering. A war that meant abandonment by the Greater Will. And now the guidance of grace will be brought to the Tarnished who were spurned by the grace of gold and exiled from the Lands Between.
Ye dead who yet live, your grace long lost, follow the path to the Lands Between beyond the foggy sea to stand before the ELDEN RING. And become the Elden Lord.
This is the world that was influenced by George RR Martin, although everything it still is pretty Dark Souls-y.
Gameplay Elements
A NEW FANTASY WORLD: Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential DARK SOULS video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the ELDEN RING’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
WORLD EXPLORATION IN THE LANDS BETWEEN: ELDEN RING features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title.
Based on the 15-minute preview, the thing that stood out to me the most was the lack or severe nerfing of the fall damage - this opens up A LOT of possibilities making verticality go both ways.
GENRE-DEFINING GAMEPLAY: Create your character in FromSoftware's refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat.
This is another thing that stood out in the preview, - the combat looked amazing. It seems as if it'll be flashier than Dark Souls 3 - like it's a mix of Sekiro and Dark Souls combat.
MULTIPLAYER: Players will be able to enjoy their experience with other Tarnished in the LANDS BETWEEN by cooperating or invading other players' worlds. Players on PS4 and PS5 will be able to play on the same servers. Players on Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox One S and Xbox Series X|S will also be able to play on the same server.
So cross-generational play, but no cross-play, which is no bueno. This would've been such an amazing game if you could play with everyone regardless of platform. That's very disappointing. But I guess this means I'm buying two copies.
ENHANCED EXPERIENCE ON PS5 and Xbox Series X|S: Using the power of a new generation of consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, will allow player to personalize their experience by choosing between GRAPHIC MODE to enhance the game's visuals (up to 4K) or PERFOMANCE MODE for a higher framerate (up to 60FPS). A free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version will be available for players who purchase ELDEN RING on PlayStation 4, and Smart Delivery will be supported for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
For PlayStation users, please be aware because it's confusing - if you buy the PlayStation 4 version, you can upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version for free EXCEPT if you buy the physical PS4 version, you CANNOT upgrade on the PS5 Digital Edition because it doesn't have a disc drive. If you buy the PlayStation 5 version, you get the PS4 version for free.
On the Xbox ecosystem, Smart Delivery ensures that if you just buy the game once, you can use it for either Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S. Please note if you get the physical version, you can't upgrade on the Xbox Series S because it does not have a disc drive.
Game Editions
Standard Edition: Available on Xbox Series X/S-Xbox One (digital version only), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC Digital.
The exact schedule for physical pre-order will be announced at a later date.
Digital Deluxe Edition:
Available on PlayStation, Xbox, and STEAM digital storefronts.
Comes with a Digital Artbook and the Original Soundtrack
Collector’s Edition:
Digital Soundtrack: Discover the complete ELDEN RING original soundtrack. Be enchanted by the rhythms of the Lands Between.
Exclusive Steelbook Case: An exclusive STEELBOOK featuring the ELDEN RING.
40 Page Hardcover Artbook: Deep dive into the world of ELDEN RING with never-before-seen exclusive 40-page art book. Learn more about the Lands Between, its environments, monsters and the strongest warriors living within them.
Statue of Malenia – Blade of Miquella: A finely detailed 23cm (9inch) figure of Malenia – Blade of Miquella
Platform: The game is available on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. A physical version of the Game is available for the chosen platform.
Pre-order Exclusive: The Digital Adventure Guide and the Ring Bonus Gesture, available for pre-orders of both standard or collector's editions
Day-1 Physical Bonus: Includes an exclusive delicate goldwork ring, SPECTRAL STEED WHISTLE, which is used to call the spectral steed in-game by whistling through one's fingers. It's made out of 100% zinc alloy.
Prices:
PlayStation (SG) - S$79.90 (Php 2,969.58) for standard PS4/PS5 edition, S$109.90 (Php 4,084.57) for Digital Deluxe PS4/PS5 edtion
PlayStation (HK) - HK$479 (Php 3,095.29) for standard PS4/PS5 edition, HK$639 (Php 4,129.21) for Digital Deluxe PS4/PS5 edition
PlayStation (US) - $59.99 (Php 3,018.07) for standard PS4/PS5 edition, $79.99 (Php 4,024.26) for Digital Deluxe PS4/PS5 edition
Steam (PH) - Php 1,999.95 for standard PS4/PS5 edition, Php 2,699.95 for Digital Deluxe edition
Xbox (US) - $59.99 (Php 3,018.07) for standard edition, $79.99 (Php 4,024.26) for Digital Deluxe edition
Xbox (SG) - S$79.90 (Php 2,969.58) for standard edition, S$109.90 (Php 4,084.57) for Digital Deluxe edition