Recent reviews by Code

Note: Most of my gameplay (~80 hours) has been on the PS5 version. No real preference over PC, just more convenient for me.


Overall: Strong Recommendation. Elden Ring is the best From Software game, hands down. It's also one of the best action RPGs I've ever played. If you enjoy the combat mechanics of From Software games (Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, et. al.), then Elden Ring is simply a must purchase.

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Strengths:

* Incredibly rich, expansive, interesting open world to explore

* The combat and gameplay mechanics are refined to masterwork

* The variety of viable builds is incredible - do yourself a favor and DO NOT copy a meta build

* Far more accessible (i.e. easier) than previous From Software games

* So many bosses, quests, magic items, etc. to stumble upon away from the main path

* Given the modal nature of quests/choices in the game, NG+ offers genuinely new experiences.

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Weaknesses:

* It might actually be a little too easy for some - especially if you double down on strong weapons/synergies.

* The story and lore are still completely hidden and optional. With GRR on-board, I'd hoped to have a little more 'show, don't tell' storytelling. Sekiro got this balance right for me.

* Lack of enemy variety - for such a huge world, it's disappointing to see so many re-used enemies. In fairness, some of the recurring enemies are my least favorite. Poison Scions, Giant Hands, those dang tanky Runebears...


* Opaqueness of the combat system - types of damage, which enemies are resilient to/weak to certain types, etc. is really down to either Trial and Error, or Guide Reading. There are definitely consistencies (e.g. heavy armor is weak to magic, dragons resist fire) but often you'll go from one-shotting enemies to dealing near-zero damage. For a game that requires such investment into a single weapon and build, more emphasis/education on the counterplay of damage types would be welcome.