Supplementing the vague trailer shown of Elden Ring in previous Square Enix presentation, Hidetaka Miyazaki sheds light on certain details. Of which includes revelations on the game’s maps and each section’s corresponding boss.
Two years of active development has finally paid off as FromSoftware’s developing title graced its presence. Being in development by the same studio that gave life to the Souls series, the video showed gameplay elements that are familiar to audiences today. However, this does not make it easily decipherable from the outset, especially at the background perspective.
Understanding where the viewers were coming from, director Miyazaki takes center stage to clarify what make be unclear.
The Land of Elden Ring
One of the veteran director’s reveal involves the actual name of the world where the game is taking place. Which, drawing from an interview with IGN, is called The Land Between. The moniker apparently came from project collaborator and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin himself.
Six Dungeons, Six Demigods
Knowing the name of the land is but one thing about Elden Ring’s understanding at this point, however. Another important aspect to it is the structure that makes up the entire space. As it appears, it will comprise of six dungeons, each of which having a Demigod ruling over them.
Although a linear game, it seems also that the game highlights both freedom on adventure as well as flexibility. This is, particularly, referring to which among six dungeons the player will tackle one after another towards total completion. But Miyazaki claims that not all dungeons are accessible from the start. Although, he also states that there are multiple ways in how each area can be gotten into.
Familiar Concept
The idea is not necessarily a new concept and is something we’ve seen in older games, like Mega Man, essentially. The only difference is that in said game, basic boss levels were pre-unlocked, which players can choose from at the beginning. What makes it special is in its giving of leeway for players to decide how to approach their game.
Possibly FromSoftware’s biggest project to date, the creative director suggests of the game’s magnitude as simply very big. One can imagine this easily as like any Souls title, only set at a wider landscape where roaming’s an option. But with a lot of grounds to cover, Elden Ring is also shown to compensate by featuring horseback riding. This meant an easier and faster transport for players than doing so on foot.
Image used courtesy of BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe/YouTube Screenshot