Eye-Popping Elden Ring Gameplay Explores Castle Mourne and Liurnia of the Lakes

Idk it looks like souls In a open world which I’m excited for because I love soul games but the amount of overhype is kind of ridiculous. Technically it looks rough but like always it will get a pass that other games get absolutely raked over the coals for

@dark_knightmare2 Just look at that Pokémon game getting slaughtered over its visuals. But From are untouchable. The network test was jank personified and that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with it but the double standards are a bit silly from ‘hardcore gamers’.

Completely agree with the two above. As much as I love souls games. They are technically flawed, graphically dated, and should absolutely be critiqued objectively. Especially when you take into consideration the amount of enemy move sets/ai, assets and animations they reuse/copy and paste.

As better hardware becomes available, its insulting to some degree to see developers continue to milk dated visuals/engines and systems to maximize profit. Ubisoft does it and gets well deserved outcry for it, and so should From Soft. I've been playing From games since kingsfield and love many of them. However I'm not going to remain willfully ignorant to being sold the same thing with a few re-skins and item name changes, and the same jank, dated visuals, cumbersome 90s menus and ui, etc

"It does look a little rough around the edges technically, but that’s easy to forgive when the artstyle is this interesting and the gameplay is so slick"

Well it's always been about the ARTSTYLE fromSoftware.

@KundaliniRising333 Yeah maybe they should change the animations a bit. Sekiro looks different though. I think they get away with it because they're not churning out 1 million copy-pasted games a year like Ubisoft do. And their artstyle and uniqueness of pretty much everything gives them a pass.

@TheArt yes! That's what I was thinking right after I posted it is that the only reason they get away with it it's because there's such a huge gap between from soft games so they create like this demand as we saw with elden ring:

wanting news for years and then when it comes out and it turns out to be more of the the same thing but open-world,.... but hey we waited so long we're still hyped!!! Lol so we must continue to overhyped it lol. To justify our souls like addiction...

I give all these critiques Knowing damn well I'm still going to buy the game because of that not having something to fill the void 4 almost half a decade or more

Stable frame rates and high resolutions do seem to be more important than ever (a solid 60 fps does make a difference tbh)… so I’d imagine if Elden Ring does end up struggling in these regards that they will receive more blowback than they have previously.

I assume (which could end up being to my detriment) that the PS5 version at least will run at a solid 60fps with at least 1440p res though… as it’s essentially a last gen game. Even if it doesn’t though, I can’t honestly think that it’ll dampen my enjoyment too much.

The only thing that I’m ‘slightly’ concerned about is that there will be less of From Soft’s ingenious level design given that it’s open world (or open field as Miyazaki has described it). Let’s hope that there are enough dungeons with all the maze-like, short-cut ridden design that fans of From have come to love.

@colonelkilgore I’m really hoping that the section they chose in the network test isn’t indicative of the overall quality of the dungeons. They were very much ‘chalice dungeon’ rather than anything specifically designed. From what’s been shown off though, I worry that there’ll be areas like the castle that are ‘major areas’ which are designed properly like a full area from an older Souls game and then the map will be scattered with those rather puny chalice dungeon type deals. If that proves correct, it’s really not that far away from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’s million circular bandit camps. FromSoft typically deliver as a whole but there are always a few elements that aren’t quite up to scratch in every game they make, whether that’s Blighttown, the weird hollow system in Dark Souls 2 or whatever. If Elden Ring comes together then it could be the best one yet but the ambition so far does look a bit like it’s forcing them to make cuts in other departments.

@colonelkilgore I had that same worry about level design in an open world. I did feel better about it after the network test. Going into the dungeon/caves brought that maze like level design back. Hopefully that holds true for the rest of the game. It is the first game I pre-ordered in a couple years.

I hate that they're recycling animations, sounds, enemies attack patterns. The graphics look ok for me. Everything else will be fine. It's probably another game of the gen game.

@nessisonett Ok but pokemon really looks bad. At least they could've made look like zelda. It's Pokemon. Why are you not investing in it Nintendo? I still would play it tho.

@KundaliniRising333 I did see A LOT of comments complaining about the graphics and that it looks like Dark Souls 4 tho. Miyazaki also said Demon Souls remake is pushing them to do better graphics. We'll probably see a change for their next game. I'm sure.

Watching the video again on my TV, I think it looks really impressive. I really noticed that the sounds were fantastic. The creeky elevator and the somber music all well done.

@nessisonett I know this game will be 100%, a Dark Souls 4 with a mount and a more open world. I expected that. I'm still very hyped for it.

Could be there a fatigue? Idk. When we see Ghost 3, Horizon 3, God of War 3, Spider-Man 3 and Last of Us 3... well we're seeing it right now. People calling sequels DLCs now.

Looking at Doom, what the hell are they going to do with the 3rd entry? The only way that game gets better is if it gets cutscenes which wouldn't make sense for that game or Doomguy reveals his angelic wings and the combat is airborne.

@colonelkilgore Every single FromSoft game has frame pacing issues, and Miyazaki has directly said that graphics aren’t the top priority so I’d expect the same here.

@KundaliniRising333 Stop crying about graphics God damn. We don't need games to look like the next Uncharted or God of War. Art style is much more important and that shows in Dark Souls, Sekiro, and BB. Reusing assets is a good thing as it allows them to focus on more important areas in the game.

I definitely don't need every single game I play to push the boundaries of realistic graphics - looking at some of the absolute dumpster fires that AAA publishers have been releasing the last two years, this looks absolutely fantastic and I am not even gud enough to play souls games.

Honestly, I love the way the game looks. It's the gameplay that's leaving me a bit whelmed. Take out the the horse and the jumping, and it's virtually indistinguishable from Dark Souls 3.
Whatever. I got it pre-ordered as a Hanukkah present so I'm going to play it, but only after I'm finished with Horizon.

@nessisonett couldn’t have said it any better

Eh, the gameplay is not impressing me that much to be honest. Having just wrapped up the Demon’s Souls remake late last year, I’m getting some heavy been-there-done-that vibes. It looks like an open-world Demon’s Souls.

I’m sure it’s going to be great like all Fromsoft games, but it’s not grabbing me like previous entries have. The horse skipping in the air and able to jump off cliffs is pretty cool though.

@Nepp67 i agree to a certain degree with you..so long as the game plays well then graphics are not a priority for me but when we have consoles as powerfull as the ps5 then frame rate needs to be a constant 60fps for these type of games..to be honest from what i've seen there is no reason this game shouldnt run at 4k and 60fps as whilst the graphics are very nice they are not pushing boundaries probably because its cross gen and the ps4 version has to be similar..i hope the performance is better than the network test (i didnt play it) so i've only got the say so to go off on how janky it was but it was a tester after all..i'm buying it day one and i hope its a stunner..

@Mega-Gazz yeah the console versions have always suffered frame pacing issues (dark souls 3 was much better and non existent on the ps5) probably due to the tech constraints..dark souls 1,2 and 3 had no issues on my pc and thats an old machine now so newer pc's shouldnt even break a sweat now..

I really find the horse jumping so silly,takes you out of immersion, doesn't seem to fit.

Gameplay over graphics always

@Northern_munkey I couldn't care less if it can't play at 4k or even 60fps. If it can play at a stable 30fps in frame rate I'll play it and I have a PS5.

@Nepp67 ok your personal preference is noted..

I'm so going to get ripped to shreds for saying this, but I want to get my opinions across. Why are people saying that it's "acceptable" when FromSoft games are janky or run poorly, yet others would get scrutinized? Seriously, I tried and I REALLY TRIED to see the appeal but it just isn't working for me. I can't stand a nonexistent story that is drip-fed through pretentious forms.
I know I sound like a broken record for constantly mentioning the Surge 2, but god that game is a masterpiece. It offers the same challenge as the Souls, but yet expands on it in so many ways. The story is quite powerful and there are many ways to play it.

Eye-popping? Those grey areas look like something from the PS3 era! I guess these visuals will have their moments...

@nessisonett well as much as I’d hope that were the case, I can’t imagine that the section that players were able to playthrough in the open-beta wouldn’t be what From Soft would consider a good example of what players can expect.

Well, hope is certainly not lost as from what I’ve seen a lot of the reactions to the open-beta were very positive. Given that these guys are generally overwhelmingly souls-like fans (as am I) it ‘could’ve’ been a case of them having a little of the old ‘Emperors New Clothes’ syndrome.

I have the game on order either way… and knowing how much I love the souls combat, art design and lore, I’m sure that I’ll love it but… I’m not ignorant of the fact that this move to open field ‘could’ detract a little from the experience.

@Mega-Gazz you may be right (at least with most of them) but (and I could be wrong) I’m sure the PS4 remasters of Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2: SotFS were very stable 60’s. Obviously they were essentially PS3 games running on a PS4… but the reason that I bring that up is that, I believe Elden Ring will essentially be a PS4 game running on PS5… so I’m still going in ‘expecting’ it to run well.

I will never understand the absolute circle jerk that from games get, but this is obviously something people are buzzing to play so hopefully it meets all your lofty expectations.

@Bartig I honestly think From Soft games (both in terms of visuals and gameplay… but this is in regards to your comment on the visuals) are a classic case of beauty lay in the eye of the beholder. I get that a lot of people just find them plain ugly… but to me they produce some of the most beautiful visuals in all of gaming. I’ve mentioned it many times previously… but I’ll spend literal hours circling the camera to watch the light glint of the various armour and shield combos that I have equipped. I also think that the enemy design is generally the most interesting (& beautiful in a macabre kinda way) industry wide.

I noticed (some) people who aren’t hyped or impressed are (often) quick to jump in the comments for some weird reason. I’m not hyped or impressed about Horizon 2 but I get it that fans are hyped and I’m not raining on the parade so to speak. Open your mind people. If the game is making people go nuts there’s a reason.
Yes very excited about this game. It looks incredible.
I’m going to enjoy reading the reviews and I couldn’t care less about random scores.
Great times for gamers.

@JJ2 I was somewhat guilty of the same with Horizon it just doesn’t appear my thing but if the exploration’s good I may buckle. This i’m all over, the colour pallet is really drawing me in in particular only returned to Demons Souls to finish it after months was stuck in the valley of defilement / sorrow etc that place bummed me out. Should be good to go

Erm,it kinda looks like a ps3 game,and whats with the empty world ,im sure it'll be great but its hardly eye popping is it.

@SystemAddict
Man just thinking this game is open world is blowing my mind haha
Going to explore every inch looking for good stuff and enjoy every second. 👍

@vapidwolf1 you want eye popping? You want garish. You want Horizon: Forbidden West

@Northern_munkey gotta agree with ya there. I really hope they manage 60fps I’m not a graphics junkie but finished up platinuming Bloodborne just recently and I’m so used to playing at performance mode on newer titles on PS5 I really noticed the frame rate drop.

This has never been an issue for me before but going back to Bloodborne was a real shock.

I don’t need the graphics in Elden Ring to be the greatest but really hope they get a consistent 60fps 🤞
The recent interview in Edge specifically addressed FromSofts attitudes to graphics. Gameplay, art direction and lore take precedence.

@Filth_Element
But Bloodborne is only 30fps (at its best) isn’t it? So this should be perform way better.

@JJ2 yeah that’s what I’m saying the frame rate drop made my eyes hurt a little something I really hadn’t noticed or experienced really up until that point. Before the PS5 30fps didn’t bother me at all. When I went back to Bloodborne after some time of playing just 60fps suddenly 30fps was horrible. I used to bemoan all these YouTubers moaning about frame rates but now I see lol

@Filth_Element I was always using smooth motion for game input on my TV anyway so 60fps isn’t quite the revelation to me. People say the graphics aren’t great, yet there’s something intensive in the detail there’s certain things that catch my eye in subtle yet broad colour range; tastefully done interesting detailed environs I will feel a little bit guilty shelling out full whack for like a PS3 build when entering next gen but it’s the new fromsoft what can you do.

@SystemAddict hmm I got a basic LG OLED and smooth motion or whatever LGs version is called doesn’t seem to make a difference but like I say it’s one of the base OLEDs.

So far I have been happy with the visuals I’ve seen on the trailers and beta. I’m a simple man to please it’s a new FromSoft game and wouldn’t have thought it a few years ago but it’s my jam!

I think the main reason FromSoft get a free pass so to speak when it comes to frame rate/graphics/reused animations etc is due largely to the quality of the content. From soft games are one of the last few AAA developers who aren’t putting content behind paywalls, tacking on endless dlc or even adding micro transactions! You get exactly what you pay for 10 fold with FromSoft games, I’m very excited to see what they do with an open world!

(people using the smoothing features on their tv - hoboy - people saying Elden Ring is overhyped and doesn't look good - people saying it looks like Dark Souls 4 like that's a BAD thing - I think I found the wrong comment section - I'm gonna go now)

Wow... there are sheep in the game, that has to be a first time for a From Software game ^_^
Thought i heard one at 00:47... o_O wtf? ... went back and found he just passed it at 00:44... nice detail!
Anyway, i like you can sneak past if you don't want a fight.... and the brute axe he's carrying.
I hope you can accelerate the ladder climb like in Bloodborne, they are moving rather slow here.
They added a lot of details in the game, i.e. at 02:06-02:12 in the open area, every piece of screen has something in it, trees, grass, fires burning, a lot corpses, broken wood, enemies praying, some beasty animals eating on the left side, a lot of hanging dead in the distance, a sort of bat winged enemy flapping on the ramparts in the upper left side, a few birds flying right above it... quite a change from the more barren DS 1...3 games.
Finally the new gen consoles power is showing up, and put to good use.
Only 4 weeks to go, cant wait to dig in!

@JJ2 It's the most pessimistic takes that are more vocal. Tlou2 got the most user goty awards. Guess that hating didn't work.

If anything, the fact they can keep people hype without the need to have sony level graphics tells how good they are. Over and over and over again.

@Filth_Element probs the same one the new LG don’t look as good. Too many silver accents also it’s a stand not a stand-out if you get me…

Weird thing about this graphics debate / justification of AAA prices I just copped Battlefront II for a measly €5 in the store. Weighing in at 100Gb; I knew something was up n sure enough a 2017 game looking more next-gen than anything haha

@SystemAddict well yeah, when the heading of the article describes it as such ,doesnt take away from the fact that it doesn't look that good and the game world in this particular video is bland ,brown and barren,if this was a 1st party game for any console it would be getting slaughtered.

@Medic_Alert I preordered the amazon launch edition for 49.99 ps5 ,you get a steel case and some other bumf ,art cards ,poster etc I like my bumf 😁

@Medic_Alert cool ,I might get it from there instead ,nice one 👍

I really couldn’t be more excited for this. I’m confident that From Software are working their tails off to deliver an exceptional experience that is a culmination of everything they’ve built since Demon’s Souls released thirteen years ago.

A fully open world alone is such a massive alteration to the ‘Souls’ formula that I truly cannot wrap my head around how this is being written off by some as merely Dark Souls 4. At the very least, it is a brilliant yet uncompromising solution to the difficulty conundrum by placing as many options in the player’s hands as possible, encouraging the creative exploitation of its systems in order to gain the upper hand of an impossible scenario. This is open world done right as far as I’m concerned; a grand and epic adventure made intimately personal.

These games demand something from the player: full engagement in its themes, systems and world. They teach perseverance, patience and discernment. From Software is tapping into the most carnal aspect of human intellect, curiosity, to reward the player with something that cannot be bought or counterfeited or faked, something that can only be earned: a true sense of accomplishment. Bring it on!

@vapidwolf1 so many shades of brown. There’s a monochromic quality about it , where the subtle deployment of actual colours really shines through. Much like life I suppose

@Filth_Element there are people who will say that games running in 30fps is not an issue for them and to that i say good for you..if it dosnt bother you then who am i to judge? Now there are these people who say that they cant tell the difference between a game running at 30fps and the same game running at 60fps and to that i say bs..either you need your eyes testing or you are deliberatly being an idiot..i have a mate who recently (a little over 2 weeks ago) purchased a ps5..he has been playing my copy of assassins creed odyssey for about a month on his ps4 and switched over to the ps5 (with the 60fps update) and he says its a game changer..there is no reason games these days cant cater to the 30fps brigade,the complete blind idiots out there and the 60fps converts..elden ring will be a great game regardless and i'll play it even if by some horrible stroke of bad ju-ju it runs at 30fps on my beloved ps5..

I’ll wait until after a couple of rounds of updates, all going well.

@Northern_munkey yep have to admit I was one who thought there was no difference but I’ve gone from base PS4 never upgraded to Pro up to PS5 and now I see the light I am converted. Clearly I just didn’t play very many 60fps before now…
Funny thing is when I bought my PS5 and started playing exclusively in performance mode I didn’t suddenly say wow 60fps is great I can’t say I even picked up on it. It was going back to Bloodborne where my eyes were now used to 60fps the drop back down to 30fps was horrid. I spent a few moment showing my wife astonished that I finally noticed the difference lol

I don’t know what they have to be worried about with graphics. I think this looks phenomenal.
Remember that article a few weeks ago when they said they had a lot to go against with Demon Souls? Psshhhh, this is looking snazzy, FromSoft… cannot WAIT for this!!

Just here to echo some of the sentiments expressed above re: gameplay and art direction taking precedence over graphics. My favorite game of all time, the one I've sunk more hours into than practically all others combined, is Breath of the Wild. That game struggled to maintain 30 FPS, and took every single graphical shortcut it could, but even now remains the most immersive and consistently beautiful game I've ever played. Don't get me wrong, I love it when a game blows me away with its visuals (I'm looking - gawping - at you, TLOU2), but at the end of the day, and also the beginning and the middle of the day and all through the night, it's the gameplay, design, and art direction that matter most.

I will wait for patches. I just know I must. And then I'll play.

@Nepp67 but you are wrong and your are missing the point if you think I'm only decrying reused visuals. The actual boss and minor enemy move patterns are being copy and pasted with different textures and models as well.

So don't fanboy a bunch of nonsense about design and art style taking precedent. The very notion of reusing these practices in new IP game creation points toward a lack of innovative design. Also, if you don't think dated visuals also take away from art style and immersion, you are simply choosing willfully to be ignorant.

@KundaliniRising333 Bloodborne 2 by the end of 2023 - calling it now LOL

@viktorcode I see what you did there LOL

@KundaliniRising333 Once again, reusing assets is not a bad thing if they're developing new content which they are. Maybe take a closer look at the Network Test gameplay since your eyes are super foggy. Also about tell that to Destiny 1 and 2 buddy those have dated visuals but they manage to make it look impressive due to its art style and how they design around that. Same with Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3, effing Breath of the Wild that is on the Switch. Piss off kid.

I am not complaining about the graphics any more, but what are those silly enemies in the first video. I laughed a bit to be honest. Rolling Alien-head gnoms I don´t know if I like this.

@KundaliniRising333 you are right dude. I because of this all I will not buy day one and wait for a sale. The overhype o this game is just because of From Software producing it. It will be game of the year of course . Think about it... thats just ridiculous.

@lolwhatno secret ending

@lolwhatno Jk. Devs made gifs

@lolwhatno ***** the oscars lol