Although From Software's various Soulslikes aren't really a series or even a franchise, the developer's loyal fan community may be one of the most steadfast fanbases for a currently active game studio. As the release date for its latest dark fantasy Soulslike offering, Elden Ring, draws closer, tension continues to build in the fan community. A recent post from the developers showcasing a brief glimpse of Elden Ring's gameplay showcases this rising excitement.

Elden Ring is planned to be the closest to an open-world Soulslike that From Software has ever created. There's already plenty of Elden Ring gameplay footage showcasing players wandering across some of the game's sprawling environments.

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The verified official Elden Ring Twitter account shared a short post with an accompanying 15-second-long gameplay video embedded in it. The post appears to be related to the number of options players will encounter in Elden Ring--namely, it addresses the fact that the Tarnished will have many paths before them. As with George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones franchise, not all of these choices will lead to "paths of valor." In the video, a player character is shown seated at the edge of what seems to be a carved stone monument as the camera slowly pulls back, revealing an increasingly barren forest beneath them.

Elden Ring's world and mythos were created by George R.R. Martin, who is exceptionally well-known for his ability to craft dysfunctional medieval dynasties, and its story will be directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, who was at the helm of most of From Software's Soulslike titles. With these two in charge of the game's story and setting, it's not exactly a surprise to learn that Elden Ring will feature options for players to be less than heroic. Many previous From Software games gave players multiple endings to choose from, but Elden Ring's apparent emphasis on journeys rather than outcomes may imply that it will feature a more complex branching narrative.

As of writing, it appears that fans are excited about the possibilities suggested by this post. Several users replied with memes declaring their intent to lose themselves in Elden Ring's lore as soon as possible, while others celebrated the fact that a new tweet had been posted by the account. One user declared that a photo mode would be a welcome addition to the game, possibly spurred on by the gorgeous but unsettling view shown off in the video.

Elden Ring releases on February 25, 2022, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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