After the massive success of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at From Software are gearing up to release the next major title, Elden Ring. This RPG is next in From Software's long line of challenging and engaging RPGs that have gained quite a following over the years. Typically, whenever From Software ventures into a different IP (like moving to Sekiro from Dark Souls), the inspiration and genre change.
However, From Software's upcoming title is very fantasy-driven much like Dark Souls is, which begs the question: how will it set itself apart from Dark Souls? From what has been revealed so far, there are some key differences that will make this new IP quite a stand-out from anything From Software has done so far.
A Deep, Rich Narrative and Character Development
Arguably the biggest and most shocking thing about Elden Ring is that George R. R. Martin, writer of the famous A Song of Ice and Fire book series, collaborated with Miyazaki to create this new IP. Martin grew in popularity in recent years thanks to the HBO adaptation of his novels, Game of Thrones. This partnership between Miyazaki and Martin means several things, and all of them are great. Miyazaki has a history of making creating fantastic lore and intense worlds for players to unravel throughout his games, and with Martin collaborating on the writing, it could mean great things for the game's narrative and characters.
Miyazaki is a master at atmospheric storytelling, and it's clear that Elden Ring will be similar to Dark Souls in that regard. However, there is a good chance that the narrative will be more rich and focused than anything Miyazaki and his team have put out before. A Song of Ice and Fire masterfully weaves dozens of independent, character-driven narratives together over the course of the ongoing series. With the scope and size of Elden Ring that has been discussed in interviews so far, fans can expect not only the narrative to be a key focus, but also the character development and writing as well.
Generally, Miyazaki's games have a large focus on the world and sometimes that means character stories fall to the wayside (though there are definitely some standouts among his games), but here's hoping that with Martin's collaboration comes a whole new level of storytelling that will make Elden Ring a fantastic new IP for From Software.
Vibrant and Dense Open World
For those who have not had the luxury of playing through From Software's catalog, the general map structure for these games is that the player wanders large segments of the world, opening shortcuts along the way to make the journey easier when the player returns. The map segments usually incentivizes exploration and doubling back to find new paths, though they can hardly be described as open-world.
However, Elden Ring evolves from Dark Souls' map design by adding new mechanics, larger layouts, and more, to find during gameplay. While there are few details about the game out right now, Miyazaki has gone on record saying that the environments in Elden Ring are much more vast and open than previous titles, though it will still feature epic boss fights and dungeon-like areas.
While From Software has yet to show any gameplay from Elden Ring, From Software has stated that Elden Ring is the largest From Software title to date, meaning that there is plenty to do in this new game. Players may not have to double back on themselves in this title compared to previous games, and some fans are sure to enjoy a vast world to explore. If done correctly, it could be a title that takes a long time to beat - especially if it features the signature From Software difficulty when it comes to combat. Of course, some of this is speculation based on interviews done with Miyazaki, so fans will have to wait and see just how big and rich Elden Ring's open world really is.
Leaning Into the RPG
From Software has experimented with different levels of RPG elements in its titles, though most follow the same general format. Players can usually spend some sort of in-game currency (whether it be Blood Echoes in Bloodborne or Souls in Dark Souls) to increase various stats and upgrade equipment. While From Software has yet to confirm if this type of mechanic is coming back in Elden Ring, Miyazaki has confirmed that Elden Ring will feature more RPG elements than Dark Souls.
Miyazaki noted that he wanted to do things in Elden Ring that he and his team could not do in Dark Souls, and while this is a bit ambiguous, he did note that there will be more choice when it comes to approaching combat. Whether this also means that there will be NPC social interactions remains to be seen, but that is typically not a feature in most From Software games. However, Elden Ring is shaping up to be unlike anything else From Software has put out so it may perhaps still be on the table.
Elden Ring is perhaps From Software's most ambitious IP yet, and for good reason. From the collaboration with George R. R. Martin to the introduction of a more open world, Elden Ring has the potential to be be the most unique title From Software has ever put out. While it is still in the fantasy genre like Dark Souls, there are some clear differences between the two IPs that are sure to set the games apart. Thankfully, if rumors are to be believed, fans may not have much longer to wait before Elden Ring launches, so they can find out for themselves.
Elden Ring is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.