Demon's Souls, a remake of FromSoftware's 2009 release by Bluepoint Games, was one of the best and most popular PS5 launch titles. It successfully reconstructed the popular entry in the Souls series and caused both old and new fans to dive back into the punishing, but incredibly rewarding saga. Bluepoint's Demon's Souls remake did a great job of staying true to the original and mostly overhauled the graphics, transforming the 2009 game into one of the first exclusively next-gen titles out there.
The anticipation for FromSoftware's next game, Elden Ring, more than surpasses the hype surrounding the Demon's Souls remake in November, but the improved visuals in the latter might have actually reduced the appeal of Elden Ring.
Elden Ring's Gameplay Trailer Looks Amazing, But the Visuals Disappointed Some
Most will concur that the Elden Ring trailer revealed during the Summer Games Fest did not disappoint. Elden Ring looks like it will be a truly epic experience filled with monstrous creatures, deep lore, and a stunning world begging to be explored. Elden Ring went all out in more ways than one, and while the gameplay trailer did reveal quite a bit about the world, the enemies, and the lore, there will undoubtedly be more to discover in the game itself.
Despite being thrilled about the game's premise and excited that Elden Ring does actually exist, some fans couldn't help but feel like the graphics fell a little flat. Video games are now at an intersection between current and next-gen, with some games because exclusively next-gen and some being available on both generations of consoles.
As more and more gamers get their hands on a PS5 or Xbox Series X, many have expressed disappointment about the fact that many games are releasing on current-gen. The PS4 and Xbox One are nowhere near as powerful as their new-gen kin, and not making games exclusively next-gen means that developers aren't taking full advantage of the new consoles' power. At least, that's how some look at it. While FromSoftware will be releasing next-gen versions of Elden Ring, and while the game does look visually impressive, the graphical quality isn't quite up to par with more recent releases. It's very possible that the graphics in the gameplay trailer will be improved upon between now and January, but a lot of fans felt a little underwhelmed.
Demon's Souls Next-Gen Graphics Surpass Elden Ring
If it wasn't for Demon's Souls, however, there might not have been as much negative commentary about Elden Ring's graphics. Because Demon's Souls is a PS5 exclusive and probably isn't releasing on current-gen consoles, Bluepoint was able to push graphical boundaries in a way that Elden Ring can't. It's easy to see how Elden Ring could feel like a step backward.
Elden Ring was met with overwhelmingly positive reception, but there's no denying that it does look like an older game when compared to Demon's Souls. Being originally made by the same developer and possessing similar aesthetics, it's impossible not to compare the two. Elden Ring has an open environment and offers a lot more opportunities for exploration and creativity than Demon's Souls, so the game world is going to be a lot bigger, but there is more detail in the Demon's Souls remake.
The differences are definitely noticeable, with some players saying that Elden Ring barely even passes for current-gen. That's probably a bit harsh, but next-gen graphics are at the forefront of gamers' minds right now. Forza Horizon 5's mind-blowing graphics made it the most-anticipated game of E3, and while players are still coming down from the high of finally seeing Elden Ring in action, the graphics aren't anything to write home about.
If not for Demon's Souls, Elden Ring's graphics probably wouldn't be judged so harshly. If Elden Ring didn't look so similar to entries in the Souls series, it also might not be getting so much criticism. But when comparing the graphics in Elden Ring to those in Demon's Souls, the latter is going to come out on top as next-gen while the former falls behind.
Elden Ring's Graphics Might Look Better When It Launches
Most developers like to put their best foot forward when it comes to reveal trailers, showcasing the game in its most ideal form. Sometimes, this doesn't work out in players' favor. The most current example is Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk's trailers looked incredible and had gorgeous graphics, but CD Projekt Red only showed footage recorded on a high-end PC, completely neglecting to show players what the game looked like on current-gen consoles. This resulted in a lot of console players being disappointed with the game as a whole, and CDPR is still recovering from that.
Some players have pointed out that while Elden Ring might not look graphically amazing in the trailer, at least FromSoftware can't be faulted with making the game look better than it actually is. A lot of the footage from the trailer was also from actual gameplay rather than CGI rendered cutscenes. The graphics may not be up to par with Demon's Souls, but they're definitely respectable and there's time for improvement.
It's also possible that Elden Ring will look even better when it actually launches. The trailer didn't disclose how the footage was captured, and there are bound to be some graphical differences between current and next-gen versions of the game. FromSoftware also has until the January release date to finish Elden Ring, so it's possible that some of the finer details haven't been finalized yet.
Graphics Should Be More Than Pixels and Resolution
Even if Elden Ring's graphics look slightly dated when compared to exclusively next-gen games like Demon's Souls, it's important to remember that textures, the amount of detail, and the overall screen resolution aren't all there is to graphics. The game industry has fallen in love with photo-realistic characters and landscapes because the technology is now capable of accomplishing that, but photorealism can only go so far without a strong art direction.
Regardless of graphics, Elden Ring has that strong art direction. Fans who watch the trailer know exactly what kind of game they're going to get, and the bosses and environments are more vast and intimidating than ever. There's a ton of creativity that went into designing each monstrous creature in Elden Ring, and even if it's not as good as Demon's Souls, there's definitely enough there to create an epic experience.
Even though the graphics were a little bit of a let-down for some, Elden Ring looks like it will blow players away where story, gameplay, and exploration are concerned. Graphics certainly contribute to the overall experience, but it takes a lot more than that to make a great game. Elden Ring clearly has a strong visual identity and nothing is designed without purpose, and at the end of the day, that will have a larger impact on the game than the textures and resolution.
Elden Ring launches January 21, 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.