Elden Ring

FromSoftware · Bandai Namco Entertainment

Elden Ring is FromSoftware's 2022 open-world action RPG, published by Bandai Namco, with worldbuilding contributed by fantasy author George R. R. Martin. You play as a Tarnished, an exile returning to the Lands Between to become Elden Lord after the shattering of the Elden Ring. It took the punishing, rewarding combat of the Souls games and placed it in a huge open world. You can ride your spectral horse Torrent across fields, ruins, castles and caves, and you are free to go almost anywhere. Tough bosses are everywhere, and if one is too hard, you can explore elsewhere, get stronger and come back later. Elden Ring has online multiplayer: you can summon other players to help you fight bosses, or invade other players' worlds. You can also summon Spirit Ashes, computer-controlled allies, to help with fights. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, released in 2024, adds a large new area and story. Is it good at a cafe? It is mostly single-player, but it is famous for being a shared experience. Friends watching someone fight a hard boss, offering advice and cheering when they finally win, is part of the fun. Online co-op works across neighbouring stations, too. Setup PS5 or a PC with a good GPU, and a controller. Elden Ring plays much better on a pad than a keyboard for most people. Rated M. First-session advice Explore before fighting big bosses; the open world is there to make you stronger. Use Spirit Ashes in boss fights once you get them. Level up Vigor (health) early. Learn enemy attack patterns before attacking; patience wins fights. Rest at Sites of Grace to save and level up. Time The game is long, 50 hours or more for the main story. A two-hour cafe session is enough to get through the opening area of Limgrave and maybe the first big boss. Who it suits Fans of challenging games, players who like exploration, and groups who enjoy taking turns against tough bosses.