Lately more information than ever has been coming out about Elden Ring, and it doesn't appear FromSoftware is stopping anytime soon. A new post shares some helpful tips and strategies for Elden Ring, some of which feel pretty familiar, and others not so much.
Last week Elden Ring received an extended gameplay presentation, the first shown by FromSoftware thus far. Before then, there were only a handful of trailers that featured snippets of gameplay, but was mostly edited for cinematic purposes, or did not convey a true sense of what the game would be like. The gameplay trailer showed what looks FromSoftware's most ambitious game to date, appearing like the amalgamation of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice's movement, Dark Souls' presentation, and Bloodborne's mystique and confidence. The game is still a few months away but lucky fans will get the chance to play it early as the Elden Ring closed network test starts later this week.
A new tweet from Elden Ring shares some tips that will prove useful for new and old players alike. FromSoftware includes four images each highlighting a different aspect of the game. Elden Ring is bringing back crouching from Sekiro, making it harder for enemies to detect the player, especially when done in tall grass, and giving them a damage boost on unsuspecting foes. The next image focuses on Grace's Guidance, a new mechanic to FromSoftware's games, where certain Sites of Grace—Elden Ring's equivalent of Dark Souls' bonfires—will cast a golden ray of light to direct the player towards their next objective.
Next up is stance-breaking, a critical mechanic dating back to the original Souls' games, where players could achieve a critical hit if they broke their enemy's stance. Importantly, FromSoftware writes, "Charge attacks and jump attacks make it particularly easy to break an enemy's stance," though players should keep in mind that these attacks leave themselves exposed for longer. A critical component of these games is bonfire placement especially in relation to bosses, as some runs can become much more difficult if there are too little rest areas. Elden Ring breaks the mold with the "Stakes of Marika," statues that players can respawn from if close to, but cannot be rested at.
Overall, this new post is pretty informative for new and returning players, it balancing insights on both new gameplay elements and those that have been around for a long time. For many, the first time jumping into a Souls-like game can be pretty overwhelming, from the litany of mechanics to learn, the often punishing difficulty, and wide range of player statistics and weapons. Hopefully FromSoftware continues these sorts of posts so that those who are interested in the game no matter the experience level can prepare themselves for what Elden Ring has in store.
Elden Ring releases February 25 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
