To say that Elden Ring has gone down well among players would be something of an understatement. As well as being one of the most anticipated video games of 2022, Metacritic currently has it at 96 on current-gen consoles and 95 on PC, making it one of the highest rated releases of all time. Its popularity comes from the developer's formula for making brutally punishing games that are challenging yet fun for players. However, while the aforementioned words "punishing" and "challenging" are how many would describe the game, there are few who would call it "adorable."
That's what a YouTuber called Flurdeh has attempted to do, though. A video uploaded a couple of days ago shows Elden Ring but from a different perspective. Using a tilt-shift method to alter the camera's perspective, the game takes on a unique look, making it seem like everything has been designed as miniature models, with tiny NPCs and enemies milling about the land. The result does in fact make the FromSoftware title look almost cute.
This is not the first time Flurdeh has done something like this. With mods, video games can be given an isometric perspective, and there are a number of titles, such as Cyberpunk 2077 and Skyrim, that can be made to look adorable using tilt-shifting. It's perhaps worth saying that Flurdeh's work is not the same as a fan creation. The games being run through a tilt-shift lens are the official releases that have just been modded with a new camera angle and a specific technique to give it this signature miniaturized look.
Although the game hasn't been out that long, there are already a bunch of Elden Ring mods available. Some of them improve the visuals, such as implementing a high-definition map or enhancing the moveset, and there's even one that simply allows players to pause the game.
On top of that, Elden Ring speedruns have been coming thick and fast. With the discovery of the "zip glitch," which allows players to skip whole chunks of the game, it's been possible for people to complete the whole thing at breakneck speeds. One of the latest records shows someone finishing the game in less than seven minutes. This feat alone shows just how dedicated the fan base is, especially given that Elden Ring itself is already quite challenging. While it's a pretty grim and dark title, it's interesting to see how perspective can change when looked at through Flurdeh's lens.
Elden Ring is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
