FromSoftware has risen to be one of the top developer teams in the last decade. The reason is simple; they've created compelling video games from Demon's Souls to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. After receiving an immense number of game of the year awards, the studio has gotten general gamers' attention. Now, everyone is dearly awaiting the next game from FromSoftware. The next game in line is titled Elden Ring, an open-world RPG.
While most players are excited about the game, many Souls fans would rather play another title in the franchise of Dark Souls. Let's take a look at some of the best reasons why we are hyped for either one of those.
10 Otherworldly Characters - Elden Ring
If there's one thing everybody praises about Miyazaki's games, it is the characters' amount of depth. Mostly, these are full of well-thought backstories with good writing. While Dark Souls have their fair share of amazing characters, they can easily be divided into chunks. Humans, dragons, gods, and undead (not counting the respawning enemies). So what Elden Ring brings to the table is more diversity, but not in the name of some agenda. The game features different species, probably aliens, and this is one exciting part of the game.
9 Familiar Combat - Dark Souls 4
While Elden Ring might be going in for a completely new gameplay style with its setting, nothing can beat the feel of playing Dark Souls. More specifically, it's amazingly satisfying combat that has continually been improved since the 2010 classic Demon's Souls. This is one thing that will innovate with Dark Souls IV and is surely going to be something a lot of people might miss in Elden Ring.
8 Different Lore - Elden Ring
Every time a Dark Souls title releases, it guarantees that it is coming packed with the best in class lore. From Demon's Souls to Dark Souls III, each game has it's own lore, making them similar yet different realities. The formula of souls is the same, yet the whole concept and reason are different.
But at the end of the day, it is still pretty much based on similar items and environments. This is where Elden Ring sparks the most, as it is set to bring completely new lore.
7 Good Old Souls Multiplayer - Dark Souls 4
One thing that many FromSoftware fans might miss in the Elden Ring universe is some jolly cooperation. While the game is labeled as a single-player experience, it is possible that eventually, it offers a multiplayer. However, how much of that multiplayer will be similar to Dark Souls is up for debate. Ideally, if the game is too massive and has a different gameplay style, chances are it won't offer the same Dark Souls online experience.
6 Unique Weaponry - Elden Ring
To anyone who has played the Souls series knows how the weapons work in the game. Since the games rely on timed blocking and attacking, most of the standard weapons are built to support that formula.
Although, Elden Ring is set to be the most ambitious game by FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki. So chances are it will offer weaponry that is not the usual swords and shields from Dark Souls. This is certainly something super exciting about the upcoming title.
5 Dungeon Crawling - Dark Souls 4
Here's an aspect of Dark Souls that many fans will miss compared to the ambitious Elden Ring. Dark Souls titles are set in tight-walled environments that follow a path. However, Elden Ring is supposed to be a full-fledged open-world game. While that aspect is just as enticing, it also hints that the game might be fairly massive. This means there isn't going to be the same feel or dungeon crawling experience as the older games.
4 Open World - Elden Ring
As hinted above, the open-world aspect of Elden Ring is pretty enticing. There's a lot of scope for gameplay improvements and additions that FromSoftware can execute here. It is possible that Elden Ring's free roam can provide a Witcher 3 kind of experience. The Witcher games also went from small shorter worlds to a full-blown open-world. It is also possible that the studio takes their upcoming game and adds a tinge of Breath Of The Wild.
3 Environment And Ambiance - Dark Souls 4
While the trailer of Elden Ring shows a pretty gritty and dark direction, it is possible that it might not come to the level of details in Dark Souls. The reason is simple; Souls games have evolved over the period of the past ten years. That is a lot of time for any development team to understand what they want to create perfectly. By understanding fan response and experimentation, FromSoftware delivered Dark Souls III with an extremely ambient and well-crafted world. And the fourth game in the series was bound to take this one step further.
2 Art Style And Gore - Elden Ring
Elden Ring offers another thing that is similar to Dark Souls yet eerie in its own way. The art direction, at least from the trailer, suggests a much more gritty and gore-filled experience. At the same time, it might totally end up promotional material and cinematic video. There is some chance that the Elden Ring will feature a similar level of gore to Capcom's Resident Evil 2 remake. In terms of visuals, the art style is dark yet nothing like we've seen in the Souls series.
1 Gameplay Elements - Dark Souls 4
There is a small chance that Elden Ring will provide a similar gameplay experience to the Souls series. This is also one final aspect of Dark Souls that would totally work in its favor. Many things have to be created in a particular way to make it feel like a Souls game. So while Elden Ring will totally be a different animal, the good-old gameplay elements of Dark Souls will be missed by the fans. For example, there are plenty of titles out there who try to emulate Dark Souls' experience, but most of them ultimately fail.