Elden Ring is releasing this Friday and is easily one of the year’s most anticipated games. Let’s not forget it was voted so by Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards two years in a row!
The latest game from Soulborne genre creator FromSoftware has not only lived up to the hype but exceeded it according to early reviews. The majority of which mention and compare the open-world design to be as game-changing as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But beware, as it’s enormous; many reviewers are still working through the massive game and have had to post reviews in progress. From what I can gather, it can take anywhere between 60-80 hours to beat Elden Ring, depending on how much extra exploring you choose to do and your skill level.
It certainly sounds like Elden Ring is a shoo-in as far as a Game of the Year contender. Check out what Australian critics are saying about the game in the reviews below.
Ani-Game (10/10 – Review in Progress) – Joel Gralton
“Elden Ring is a masterclass in design and worldbuilding. The challenge certainly won’t be for everyone but it’s rich world and incredibly rewarding gameplay has me wanting to spend so many more hours discovering everything that’s on offer.”
AusGamers (Review in Progress) – Joab Gilroy
“There’s enough content for about three games, and I haven’t finished it yet. It just keeps on giving. And with that, From Software may have delivered the last game you’ll ever need.”
Checkpoint Gaming (9.5/10) – Elliot Attard
“Elden Ring feels as though it’s made for the fans, unflinching in its objective of creating a gargantuan experience players can sink weeks if not months into. Rise ye Tarnished, a playground of unrelenting death awaits.”
Digitally Downloaded (5/5) – Matt Sainsbury
“Spinning a richly evocative and carefully paced tale of darkness and misery, Elden Ring isn’t the most easygoing game, either in terms of its storytelling or general difficulty. However, not only is it majestic in scope and vision, it is one of the most perfect examples of how an open world structure can be used to the thematic benefit of the game, rather than just be a massive space used to hurl worthless content at players.”
GamesHub (5/5) – Edmond Tran
“Elden Ring’s challenges are as imposing and satisfying to overcome as ever, but there’s also a degree of hope woven into the fabric of the game’s design, one that encourages you to explore widely in a beautiful, awe-inspiring landscape.”
Maxi Geek (9.5/10)
“As per Miyazaki’s Souls-like games, it’s really about the journey and experience of overcoming hardship, opposed to soul-les big explosive scenes like in a Michael Bay film. The question is, are you ready to explore the Lands Between? If you’ve never played a Souls-like game before, this is the one to start your journey on.”
MKAU Gaming (10/10) – Shane Fletcher
“It can be daunting knowing the history of From Software producing difficult games, but if you have the patience to learn the rules of engagement in this tough but fair experience, you will achieve some of the most exhilarating achievements a video game can offer.”
PowerUp Gaming (Review in Progress) – Leo Stevenson
“Knowing there are many more hours of seamless transitions from open-world exploration to classic Dark Souls labyrinths, mini and micro dungeons, sub-bosses and mysteries and all manner of weird and wonderful NPCs really gets my motor going. It appears there may be an endless number of things to do in Elden Ring and that’s fine by me.”
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Press Start (9.5/10) – Harry Kalogirou
“Elden Ring is without a doubt, FromSoft’s most ambitious undertaking yet, and like Dark Souls before it, I believe it will leave a permanent mark on both the open-world genre and the games industry in general.”
Stevivor (Review in Progress) – Luke Lawrie
“This is a remarkable accomplishment; from what I have played so far, Elden Ring is everything fans have been dreaming of. It is one of the most rewarding and satisfying gaming experiences that I’ve had in the last few years; one that will make you cry, but amaze you while doing so.”
WellPlayed (10/10) – Jordan Garcia
“I’m concerned that FromSoftware cannot reach higher than this peak. I hate using this term, but Elden Ring feels like FromSoftware’s magnum opus. It is the culmination of a decade of refinement and improvement, and it absolutely reaps the benefits of the mistakes and success of FromSoftware’s previous works.”
Are you planning on picking up Elden Ring on Friday? Will this be your first Soulsborne game? Let us know in the comments section.
