Elden Ring, an upcoming action role-playing game written and created by George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki, is all set to be released on 25th February 2022, after numerous delays. The entire gaming community has been eagerly waiting for this launch since its announcement back in June 2019.
But after watching the story and gameplay trailer of Elden Ring, everyone is wondering if it is a sequel or in any way connected to the legendary Dark Souls series, as its gloomy environment and gameplay look surprisingly similar to that of any Souls game.
The Elden Ring is neither a canonical sequel nor connected to the Dark Souls series in any manner, despite having the same feeling to it. It looks so similar to Dark Souls because it is created by the same director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, and developed by the same studio, FromSoftware.
The same director and developing studio are behind the games like Demon Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, all of which are set in the same ominous and eerie environment with similar third person RPG gameplay and combat style. Interestingly, all these titles have individual storylines and exist in separate universes.
In a 2019 interview with IGN, Hidetaka Miyazaki clearly referred to Elden Ring as being separate from Dark Souls but belonging to the same genre. The initial screen of the Elden Ring announcement trailer also refers to it as “a new world created by Miyazaki.” Even though it is not a direct sequel to the Dark Souls, it can still be called a spiritual sequel as both of them have so much in common.
How is Elden Ring different from Dark Souls?
Elden Ring is a fully explorable open-world game with added stealth and jumping mechanics, unlike Dark Souls. Its gameplay is not exactly similar to Dark Souls but a mixture of Skyrim, Sekiro, and other similar games.
In Elden Ring, players can use a horse/mount to travel and explore this new world’s ominous yet beautiful landscape. Players can even initiate combat while riding a horse and summon “familiars” to fight alongside them in battles.
The game has a day/night cycle and dynamic weather that changes continuously and affects areas differently, involving the spawn cycle and behavior of the mobs/enemies.
All of these exciting additions to the Elden Ring’s gameplay make it a new and unique experience. Still, the hand-to-hand combat style, magic, and classes in Elden Ring are almost the same as the Souls games.
Is Elden Ring easier than Dark Souls?
Elden Ring has only one difficulty mode, and it is as challenging as Dark Souls 3. Still, the game is relatively fairer as it provides various options to deal with the difficult content, unlike Dark Souls 3.
In a recent interview with a Japanese magazine Famitsu, Miyazaki described Elden Ring as a game that’s “very difficult, but it can be handled,” as it offers the players multiple ways to deal with the challenges.
The open world of Elden Ring ensures that players can always make a “strategic retreat” when taking on a formidable enemy and approach the same fight from various angles. On the other hand, in Dark Souls, players’ movements are always restricted by the cramped walls of dungeons and battle arenas. You can neither run nor hide.
The added stealth feature allows players to sneak past some of the most challenging but optional enemies. Also, with the ability to summon someone familiar to fight alongside, players will always have the number advantage when taking on a solo boss.
About Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a major title released by FromSoftware in 2022, the developers of Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls franchise. Set in the ‘Lands Between’, players are on a quest to repair the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a full-fledged expansion for Elden Ring added in June 2024. It is a whole new map with new Weapons, Sorceries, Ashes, and Craftables. It is a challenging DLC and as players continue to explore the map, they find surprises and easter eggs left by the developers every day.
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