Elden Ring, to me, is not a video game. It is a true adventure.

At risk of sounding hyperbolic, I have to confess that this game utterly and completely surpassed my expectations. To call it Dark Souls 4 would be a gross and dramatic misnomer. Elden Ring seems to accomplish what (to me) no other game-- and certainly no other open world game-- has been able to accomplish. The game's world is so vibrant and beautifully designed, filled with danger and mystery at every turn. At nearly every point in my gameplay, which as of writing sits at just about 60 hours, I found myself frozen in awe at the sheer beauty of the natural vistas around me. So much care and time has been put into meticulously design every area, encounter, creature, item, etc. But the beauty of this game is far from its only positive feature. Indeed, every mechanic taken from previous FromSoftware games has been hammered down to its most refined form and the designers clearly put an incredible amount of thought into the combat and flow of gameplay. From my limited experience with Elden Ring, I've had so many wonderful and genuine moments of discovery and adventure. Every time I feel I've experienced everything the game had to offer, I discover a new weapon, a new item, a new area, a secret, a new boss, a new feature that I never knew existed.
A more thorough review would be necessary for a game like this, but unfortunately, I lack either the time or the skill of writing to do it proper justice. Please, if you respect FromSoftware and hold Miyazaki-san in high esteem as I do, try this game. I can guarantee with utmost certainty that you won't be disappointed. To the team behind Elden Ring, I thank you for your effort and care.

Elden Ring, to me, is not a video game. It is a true adventure. At risk of sounding hyperbolic, I have to confess that this game utterly and completely surpassed my expectations. To call it Dark Souls 4 would be a gross and dramatic misnomer. Elden Ring seems to accomplish what (to me) no other game-- and certainly no other open world game-- has been able to accomplish. The game's world is so vibrant and beautifully designed, filled with danger and mystery at every turn. At nearly every point in my gameplay, which as of writing sits at just about 60 hours, I found myself frozen in awe at the sheer beauty of the natural vistas around me. So much care and time has been put into meticulously design every area, encounter, creature, item, etc. But the beauty of this game is far from its only positive feature. Indeed, every mechanic taken from previous FromSoftware games has been hammered down to its most refined form and the designers clearly put an incredible amount of thought into the combat and flow of gameplay. From my limited experience with Elden Ring, I've had so many wonderful and genuine moments of discovery and adventure. Every time I feel I've experienced everything the game had to offer, I discover a new weapon, a new item, a new area, a secret, a new boss, a new feature that I never knew existed. A more thorough review would be necessary for a game like this, but unfortunately, I lack either the time or the skill of writing to do it proper justice. Please, if you respect FromSoftware and hold Miyazaki-san in high esteem as I do, try this game. I can guarantee with utmost certainty that you won't be disappointed. To the team behind Elden Ring, I thank you for your effort and care.