From Software has finally begun giving us more information on their upcoming new game Elden Ring, and a recent Official Playstation Magazine article has given us a lot of information on how much Elden Ring’s open world will increase player freedom like never before without making the game feel bloated, according to Jason Killingsworth, author of “You Died: The Dark Souls Companion“.
“Even the more remarkable open-world games could feel bloated and meandering. Previous From Software games have offered game designers a masterclass in how to balance freeform exploration and tightly sculpted level design.
While previous From Software games haven’t really not been open world, being a place where you could travel to any number of areas, Elden Ring really feels like an open-world game. Along with the six main dungeons players will visit during the plot to reforge the Elden Ring, players will also find a variety of other areas to explore and challenge across Elden Ring’s open world.
Along with new mechanics, however, Elden Ring will also be including a number of throwbacks to older games. Weapon Arts from Dark Souls 3 will be making a return, and players will still be able to get their Sekiro on with actual stealth mechanics that will help you get an ambush or avoid encounters entirely, according to Killingsworth.
“The idea of creeping up to this grim parade, maintaining a stealth position in the tall grass as nightfall offers the additional cover of darkness, sets my imagination reeling.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Elden Ring’s open world will be empty aside from you and enemies, either. Multiplayer and summoning will still be a thing like in the Soulsborne games, as part of the community that has built up around such things over the studio’s history, according to Killingsworth.
“Online play in a game you love offers a sort of passport stamp to spend another several months in a game world you adore and don’t want to leave.”
Elden Ring is still a ways off, but we’ll be able to explore its world when the game releases on Xbox One, Playstation 4, Xbox Series X, Playstation 5, and PC on January 21 of next year.