Recent reviews by Valvaryess

Beauty, discovery, choice and challenge.

The obvious game to compare to is Skyrim, because Elden Ring is a straight upgrade in graphics, combat, open world experience and range of challenges available. Elden Ring delivers something that feels honestly like its fusing parts of the some of the best games I've ever played: discovery experiences of peak Morrowind exploration, moments of Zelda-lite puzzling and platforming, the beautifully dark ambience and weighty world physics of Shadows of the Colossus, and the tactical skill in space, vision and timing in Tenchu and of course Dark Souls.

I recommend you play blind, prepared to learn organically. "Don't look stuff up, you're spoiling it for yourself" has, at least for me, never been truer. While lighter on the depth and detail of its plotting, as a narrative From Software have opted for mystery and "show, don't tell". This is a personal design choice that serves the design ethos - it's all there for you to find, or not. You'll do it either by fate or because you went looking: exposition isn't automatic any more than the path you take is. Nothing is served to you easy, though you can always learn to make things easy, because you always know there is probably some other way. A sense of repetition does come at times later in the game with re-use of assets, but by the point I'm noticing this I've already sank countless hours enjoying the game.

Elden Ring deserves to be the hit it is, a genre-defining RPG and surely game of the decade.

A game all its own, steep learning curve, fantastic depth. Will break the bank, although it isn't as pay-to-win as it first seems.

Fairly unique, an evolution and stream-lining of Pox Nora. The ability to have something like 30 infinite-turn-timer games on go is like flexitime strategy gaming. Good stuff.