Elden Ring is filled with quests, lore, bosses, and everything that defines a dark fantasy RPG. This work, made in collaboration by George R. R. Martin and FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, is already being hailed as Game of the Year, and this year isn’t even halfway over yet. For fans of both Martin’s library of novels and Miyazaki’s collection of games, Elden Ring is a good culmination of the two's particular brands of storytelling.
Of course, the big question for many is how much of the game is Martin and how much is Miyazaki. Some have jokingly believed Elden Ring's Turtle Pope was made by Martin, while many players have pointed out how his initials appear throughout the game with characters like Godfrey, Ranni, and Morgott (although Martin claims he was not involved with this.) Yet, early on, a pretty clear line was drawn: Martin did a lot of worldbuilding but was not directly involved with things like item descriptions. The rest can mostly be contributed to Miyazaki, though Martin’s worldbuilding clearly involved some character creation too.
Prior to release, Miyazaki said he believed Martin would be surprised with something of the things he and FromSoftware did with some of George R. R. Martin’s Elden Ring characters. This makes it fun to look at all the characters and bosses to see which characters seem more like one than the other, no matter if the truth is ever learned. Yet, if there is one character who screams collaboration between Martin and Miyazaki, then it’s Godfrey—the first Elden Lord.
The Role of Godfrey in Elden Ring
Lore-wise, Godfrey is the first Elden Lord and husband of Queen Marika, with the latter being directly responsible for the events of Elden Ring. She caused The Shattering and is the reason The Lands Between are the way they are now. Even before then, Marika protected her lineage from Destined Death by removing the Death Rune from the Elden Ring. Disregarding Marika, though, Godfrey is a very powerful legend in the world of Elden Ring. His prowess didn't come from his demi-god lineage, a curse, or anything like that. He was as human as the playable character.
Marika and Godfrey’s children and those related to them play a huge role in the Shattering and the state of the world after it. These impacts are evident throughout the game, like how Godwyn’s death played a role led to Marika shattering the Elden Ring and Godrick's wanting to live up to his other family members in terms of power and respectability. Yet, he’s also the first of Elden Ring’s Tarnished. After he defeated The Storm Lord and the Fire Giants, it is said his warrior spirit diminished, and he was made Tarnished by Marika.
He would become the chieftain of the Badlands' warriors, taking the name Hoarah Loux. It's unclear what he accomplished here, but it stands to reason that becoming a chieftain was not so simple. In service of the Greater Will and the Golden Order, Godfrey eventually returns to the Lands Between and aims to take back the title of Elden Lord. Players will technically face him twice during the events of the game. The first time is the spirit of Godfrey, whereas the second time, it’s just before the final boss of Elden Ring.
This second time, it’s clear his Warrior Spirit is manifested in the Lion spirit that clings to him. Godfrey is every bit as impressive as his lore, and in his second phase, players will also experience the ferocity of Hoarah Loux. It’s a fun, impressive fight, and both Martin and Miyazaki shine through.
How Godfrey is a Perfect Example of Martin and Miyazaki’s Work
It’s hard to say how much of Godfrey is Martin and how much is Miyazaki, but it seems they both have some input on this character. With his regal stature, the war against the giants, and sheer battle prowess that is second to none, Godfrey’s core worldbuilding elements and characters seem right out of Martin. Indeed, it would not be surprising to see Godfrey walking around A Song of Ice and Fire’s Westeros or Essos.
Bringing that warrior spirit to life, the darker elements of his tale, his general downfall, his items and their descriptions, and obviously how all of this is realized in terms of gameplay in his boss fight scream Miyazaki. Obviously, Godfrey is not the only character where all of this came to life between Martin and Miyazaki, but all of it combined feels like the best of both worlds. All players learn about Godfrey and how all of it ties into the world of Elden Ring they made together shows how deep this collaboration went.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.