Fans of Soulsborne games have been patiently waiting for an update on Elden Ring, FromSoftware's upcoming action RPG in collaboration with George R.R. Martin, best known as the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy book series. Originally rumored for a June 2020 release, Elden Ring has been unexpectedly delayed due to development difficulties related to the COVID-19 pandemic and possibly for other Martin-related reasons.
While new information on Elden Ring has been hard to come by, that hasn't stopped fans from speculating what type of features Elden Ring could have and what similarities it may have to previous Soulsborne games. Based on the massive success of the Dark Souls series, Elden Ring may want to borrow a few design elements from the Souls games.
11 Item-Based Lore
Bringing Martin on board to help with world-building almost certainly indicates that Elden Ring will have a much less mysterious story than what Souls fans are used to, but that doesn't mean FromSoftware needs to sacrifice the vast amount of lore introduced by items and their descriptions. Much of the lore in Souls games comes from items, providing an unparalleled level of depth in world-building that is oftentimes left up to interpretation by the most hardcore Souls fans.
10 Customizable Equipment
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the latest Souls-like action game by FromSoftware released in March 2019, largely abandoned the RPG elements of the Souls series and instead focused on the pure action elements of the genre. For Elden Ring, FromSoftware should embrace the RPG elements of the Souls game and give players the options to upgrade weapons, armor, and other equipment as another source of progression. Elden Ring should also have the option to add special damage types to weapons, including elemental affinities like ice and fire.
9 Tough Boss Fights
This should go without saying, but one of the defining elements of Souls-like games is their tough-but-fair boss fights that force the players to learn and adapt. With each subsequent attempt (and if the bosses are hard enough, there should be quite a few), players should feel like they learned something and are getting closer to mastering the fight.
While not every boss in the game should be the Fume Knight or Ornstein and Smough, Elden Ring should have memorable, difficult boss fights like the Souls games that don't feel cheap and that give players a rewarding feeling after finally conquering them.
8 Multiplayer System
Another defining element of FromSoftware's Souls series is the multiplayer system, which allows players to randomly enter each other's worlds to wreak havoc in PvP invasions, or to call on a stranger (or friend using the password match system) to help by leaving a summoning sign near a bonfire or boss room. Multiplayer is arguably the key element that distinguishes the Souls games from other action RPGs and provides endless entertainment to the most devoted players even after their tenth playthrough. Elden Ring should adopt a similar multiplayer system that adds elements of depth and parity to an otherwise single player-focused game.
7 Interconnected Zones
Lauded by fans and critics for their interconnected level design in the original Dark Souls, FromSoftware should bring this element to Elden Ring. Being able to see soon-to-be or previously visited areas off in the distance really immersed players in the game's world. The world of Dark Souls 2 was less well-received than the original due to some puzzling design choices (the Earthen Peak-to-Iron Keep transition was admittedly rough). Thankfully, the developers at FromSoftware found their footing again with the DLCs and Dark Souls 3, so fans should expect a sprawling open world in Elden Ring.
6 Hidden Areas
Some of players' most fond memories in the Souls games are randomly stumbling upon the desolate but beautiful Ash Lake, solving the riddle to enter the Painted World of Ariamis, and meditating their way to Archdragon Peak. Among many others, these optional areas are some of the best levels the Souls series has to offer, and their hidden nature makes them that much more exciting to find and explore. Elden Ring is rumored to have the largest open-world by a FromSoftware game, so players should expect plenty of optional and hidden levels to discover and sink their teeth into.
5 Large, Story-Based DLC
Fans were hoping for a Sekiro DLC to hold them over before Elden Ring's release, but sadly FromSoftware recently squashed those dreams. The Artorias of the Abyss, Crown of the Old Iron King, and The Ringed City DLCs (not to mention the brilliant Bloodborne DLC, The Old Hunters) stand as some of the best DLCs in single-player gaming. As the de facto successor to the Souls series, Elden Ring deserves similar treatment with its own standalone DLC with all-new zones, boss fights, and equipment.
4 Death Penalties
Death is canonical in Souls games through hollowing, which makes the player weaker including reducing maximum health in Dark Souls 2. In addition, death means losing all souls and having to retrieve them again at the site of death, thus raising the stakes and the player's blood pressure as they travel further away from the safety of Bonfires.
While death may or may not be canon in Elden Ring depending on the world's premise, there should be some penalty for dying to keep players' adrenaline pumping during every encounter, big and small.
3 Unique Builds
Another aspect of the Souls games that Sekiro moved away from was the RPG elements in character building. Dark Souls had tons of different PvE and PvP-centric builds for players to try, including glass cannon, tank, and sorcery builds that were both spell and weapon focused. As an action RPG (emphasis on the latter), Elden Ring should enable players to play the game the way they want with different builds based on stat distribution and equipment. This would also encourage additional playthroughs (more on that in a bit).
2 Covenants
Covenants in the Souls games gave players another way to lean into their playstyle by aligning with Covenants that offered different perks and equipment. Players looking for an extra challenge could join the Company of Champions in Dark Souls 2, while more multiplayer-oriented players might join the Heirs of the Sun for online coop or Blue Sentinels to invade other players. Having a guild-like system such as Covenants makes the game feel fresh by allowing players to experiment with different playstyles, and allows fans to find other players with similar multiplayer interests.
1 New Game Plus
Whether it's to chase endgame-level equipment or to pursue multiple endings, Elden Ring should motivate players to want to hit the "New Game Plus" button as soon as the credits start rolling (other than the game hopefully being fantastic in its own right). Getting every item in the original Dark Souls required a minimum of 3 (2 and a half, really) playthroughs, and the first two Souls games had 2 endings each. Most recently, Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro upped the ante by offering 4 endings each with unique requirements, so fans should expect Elden Ring to follow a similar path.