After a long time, I met "an interesting game that appeals to my instincts" ─ "Elden Ring" review: A miracle caused by "death game" x "open world" [no spoilers]

　"Elden Ring" is a masterpiece. It's no wonder that it's already the best game (GOTY) released this year. The author, Jini, bought this game at his own expense on the first day of its release, but he forgot to eat and sleep for 10 hours on the first day, and was immersed in the same game. It's going to drive you crazy.

　The reason why this work is a masterpiece is simply that it has reached a completely different dimension as an open world. After nearly 20 years of use, Elden Ring has reimagined the genre from a completely original point of view, creating the most adventurous and insanely entertaining experience ever. is. "Let's be clear." This work is the shock since "The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild".

Then, what is another dimension of "Elden Ring" as an open world? In order to discuss this, it is necessary to keep in mind that this work, like Fromm's previous works, is an extremely difficult game, in other words, a "death game".

Sentence / Jini

Click here for the "Elden Ring" official website Click here for the "Elden Ring" PS5 version Amazon sales page Click here for the "Elden Ring" PS4 version Amazon sales page , When evaluating "Elden Ring" and past Fromm works, there are always refraining opinions such as "It's a little difficult game even if you don't like it" and "It's a little bit of a game to die". It's true that from games are difficult, and "Elden Ring" is no doubt difficult because the author who experienced the series dies at a pace of once every five minutes, but I avoid from games just because it's difficult. I think it's a waste.

　This is what Mr. Kitao of From Software and Mr. Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of FromSoftware, said when they appeared in a space hosted by Denfa Minico Gamer the other day, but From's works are often called "dead games". While it tends to be talked about in terms of impressions, it doesn't mean that it's interesting because it's a game to death. Rather, the aspect of a "death game" is a prerequisite for bringing out the diversity of game design in this work.

Specifically, Mr. Miyazaki answered as follows in an interview with the magazine SWITCH.

　In order to understand Mr. Miyazaki's thoughts, you should think about it in terms of a normal game. Today, many major games are designed so that as many players as possible can enjoy them without stress. The difficulty level is also designed to be low, and it is not uncommon for works that can be cleared by dying two or three times while playing the game.

　This "stress-free design" seems kind at first glance, but from the creator's point of view, it is not possible to introduce tricks or enemies that can easily kill the player, in other words, it "narrows the range of game design". rephrased. The more you try to reduce stress, the narrower the design options you can use, so you end up with a lot of similar gimmicks.

On the other hand, Fromm's work has many tricks and enemies that will kill you in one hit, as the "death game" says. For example, even in the castle 1 of "Demon's Souls" alone, an iron ball that tries to crush the player, hidden enemy soldiers that surround the player, powerful enemies called "red eyes" and "blue eyes", gunpowder traps, and more. It's already full of gimmicks to kill the player, such as wyvern flames, and the player will die every time.

　However, in other words, it can be said that the diversity of game design is much higher than that of a regular blockbuster because of the premise of endless deaths. You won't see wyvern flames or gag-like gigantic iron balls in other games.

So, although Fromm's work is difficult, it's not just about stress. This is because, in addition to being "difficult", there are also "surprises" for gimmicks and enemies that have never been encountered before, and those "surprises" turn into "inspirations" that make the player think of new moves. That's why, in Fromm's work, players can always be excited, and even if despair awaits them, they won't be able to stop.

　In contrast to recent major works that have lost the diversity of game design as a result of trying to reduce stress, Fromm's work has achieved overwhelming diversity in game design by accepting stress as a premise. -ing

Similarly, the difference between "simply difficult and not very interesting games" such as successors like "Soul-like", which has increased in recent years, and Fromm's work is also the diversity of game design and its The point is that it lacks the "surprise" and "inspiration" that accompany it.

　In most of Fromm's works, a boss battle equivalent to a losing event is prepared in the tutorial. Of course, the player dies, but at this point, the player is prepared to enjoy "waiting ahead, unreasonable, but game design that has never been seen before". This tutorial is a rite of passage, and a contract to "in exchange for killing you, I will give you a more wonderful experience."

Miracle caused by "Death Game" x "Open World" = "Elden Ring"

　The above theory of "Death Game" is a theme that is generally common to all Fromm's works. From "Demon's Souls" to "SEKIRO", the variety of enemies, gimmicks, and level design that was consistently opened up because it was a "death game" was the charm of the work.

　The new "Elden Ring" also follows the system and game design of the Soul series. Most of the foundations of action RPGs have been inherited from the "DARK SOULS" series, and even the world view and storytelling know-how have been inherited. Therefore, it goes without saying that "Elden Ring" is interesting even though it is a game to die.

It's still the same as suddenly throwing in shameless dirty jokes

　The only change in "Elden Ring" is the adoption of an open world (officially, an open field). Although Fromm's works so far have been seamless, areas are basically connected by narrow roads, and the order of capture was generally chosen from 2 or 3 options (although it was still quite free). However, in this work, the map is completely flat, and there are an incredible number of areas that can be challenged from the beginning.

However, if you regard this work as an open world work, you will notice that "that function" that is found in any open world work is missing. "That's right, there are no subquests."

Usually, when it comes to open-world works, sub-quests are indispensable. For example, let's say you find a large town while exploring the map and enter it. There are a lot of troubled residents there, some say, "I can't trade because there are monsters in the east," while others say, "There's a cave in the west, but I'm too scared to explore it." . Players took on all such requests one by one, and their task lists were filled with irreversible subquests...any gamer would have had such an experience.

　I dislike this subquest. Their request is polite, but it's practically like asking them to buy yakisoba bread at a convenience store. Generally speaking, the real pleasure of an open world should be to freely explore a vast world. What makes it so sad, and I get angry that I have to decide the next destination with the copy-paste NPC Pasiri.

　This subquest does not exist in "Elden Ring". In other words, there are only a handful of sane people in this work, and their requests are highly anticipated. "Of course, ignoring their stories won't hurt the adventure." So players can freely explore the map, and of course, they won't get tired of hearing social commentary from copy-paste-faced NPCs.

However, with normal open world works, subquests are not introduced just to increase the volume. The true purpose of the subquest is to "guide the open world". For example, just throwing the player into a vast world can leave the player at a loss as to where to go. Therefore, we will create a destination on the map in the form of a subquest, and guide you to "If you get lost, head here." That's what the subquest is for.

Therefore, even if subquests are deleted from open-world works, there is a risk that the player will get lost as to where to go next.

　The well-known masterpiece "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" dealt with this risk extremely cleverly. From the beginning, this work gives Link tools that can be used for various movements (especially the ability to climb hills using the Fubari Gauge), and by creating elevation differences and impressive terrain in the level, you can visually see where you should go next. , Structurally succeeded in guiding the player very naturally.

　However, "Elden Ring" introduced a mechanism that could only be created in a "death game" into this "Zelda"-like open world structure.

The Caligula effect seen in "Elden Ring"

For example, immediately after finishing the tutorial, let's take a look at the vicinity of the "Landing Cemetery", which is the starting point of the open world. It seems to be the beginning of the game, and the whole area is an extremely tranquil plain, where birds and sheep live peacefully. Oh, this is what an open world looks like. However, at one point, I feel a sense of incongruity.

　It was less than 50m away. A gigantic knight, perhaps 3m tall, was wearing a dazzling golden heavy armor and riding a horse also wearing horse armor, walking around like a raoh. A heavy thump, thump can be heard all the way here, scouting the surroundings with a gaze that seems to kill everyone who approaches. Any player who sees this will think so.

"Huh?"

　"Ah, this is definitely a bad guy"

　But you must have thought this too.

"Okay, let's pick a fight"

Huh? He's clearly a jerk, isn't he? He's absolutely fucking strong, isn't he? Why sell fights? I may have thought. However, human beings are strange things, and it is obvious that they are interested in "bad guys" and pick fights. This is generally known as the "caligula effect", which is psychologically proven as "psychological reactance", which is the actual human psychology that makes you want to push the emergency bell button so much that you are told not to push it. That's it.

　This "clearly dangerous guy" and "clearly dangerous place" are already everywhere in the open world of this work. For example, a suspension bridge that looks like it might collapse, a mysterious highland where lightning strikes 24/7, and a lake where a nearby NPC old man says, "Don't go there! Don't go there because there will be dragons!" The ostrich club?), it is full of "dangerousness" that is rarely seen in ordinary open world works, inciting fear and curiosity.

　The ability to visually create this "dangerousness" that can be understood at a glance is probably unique to "Elden Ring", a "death game" based on the premise of "death". Plains, mountains, forests, and caves. Although it is a scenery that we have seen many times in open world works, in this work it appears as a completely different and distorted shape due to the "yabasa". That is exactly the scenery that appeals to human instincts to “want to go”.

　This is exactly the kind of open world that can only be created in a "dead game". Not only the Caligula effect, but also because it is based on the premise of "death" in the first place, the diversity of the scenery of the open world is an order of magnitude greater than that of ordinary open world works. Ordinary open-world works only show beautiful natural scenery that says, "This is really safe." I will draw a scene that says.

　Even if you are a gamer who has touched open world works many times and remembered the pattern of safe scenery, or who has completely forgotten the excitement of adventure, "Elden Ring" is something you have never seen before. Scenery that you don't see, scenery that you want to go to, continues forever.

　That's why "Elden Ring" is overwhelmingly exciting among the many open worlds. To be honest, I think it's because of this work that I remembered the excitement of adventuring in an open world for the first time in 15 years. (Although ``Zelda BotW'', ``Metro Exodus'', ``Outer Wilds'', and ``RDR2'' were also filled with excitement, I think this work is the best when it comes to touching the open world purely.)

Exploring an open world that begins with setbacks

　In this way, without relying on simple indicators such as subquests, the ``dangerousness'' unique to ``Shini game'' is created throughout the open world. In terms of constructing a diverse open world full of tension and excitement that has never been seen in other works, the open world of "Elden Ring" invites "adventurous desire" beyond the standard.

However, of course, as long as it is a "dead game", the adventure is more than just fun and amusing. Even with the golden knight (named Treeguard) I introduced earlier, I was kicked out with horseshoes dozens of times because I actually picked a fight, and before I knew it, I had spent an hour and a half there. It was. Of course, while I was being kicked out, I was irritated to the point of headbutting the display, and above all, while I was fighting him, naturally I wasn't adventuring in the vast world.

　At first, I thought, ``Isn't mortal games and open worlds incompatible?'' If it's a Fromm work so far, it basically follows a single path, so even if you stumble in a difficult place and try again and again, there's no sense of discomfort. However, I think that the structure of an open world adventure in a vast world and the structure of a death game that continues to challenge strong enemies are contradictory.

　But then I noticed. This golden knight, who had fought for an hour and a half and didn't seem to be able to defeat him at all, was really "not an opponent I could beat". No, strictly speaking, it's not impossible, but from my experience playing all the Soul series, I finally realized that this is an enemy that should be challenged later rather than at the beginning. In the first place, his physical strength is too much, and no matter how many times he slashes, he will not die at all.

　I decided to withdraw honor. It had already clenched his fist in frustration and turned away from the knight with a broken heart. However, the world apart from the knight was much wider than I had imagined. In the north there is a castle where fierce men wait, and in the east there is a vast forest, where there are countless powerful items, equipment, huge experience points, and strong enemies who protect them. Among them, the weaker enemies were defeated one by one, and the character's equipment and the player's skill were gradually strengthened. And when he returned to being that knight again, he defeated him in just one attempt, to the extent that he wondered what his previous challenges had been.

; , Although the players who were attracted by the "dangerous guys" are (naturally) beaten up, their defeat and setbacks become an extremely powerful motivation for adventure, "I want to become stronger", and the player is pushed into the corner of the open world. It will let you explore. Then, after exhausting the adventure, he once again challenges and defeats the formidable foe he had been frustrated with. This sense of accomplishment.

　First of all, they aroused the player's curiosity with the dangerous guys, and after killing them according to the player's equipment and proficiency, he greedily adventured the world with the frustration of that time, and returned to the dangerous guys. going back to This is the role of the "open world" in Elden Ring.

　As a result, the open world of this work is unbelievable and shakes the player's emotions and spirit. Arouse your instincts. Just like returning to a wild beast, run with instinct, fight, and run again. No wonder, 10 hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Hidetaka Miyazaki became a god

　"Elden Ring" is a masterpiece. It's not just a masterpiece either. It's a masterpiece that comes once every ten years, or more. To put it bluntly, it was a fact that was clear even before I wrote or even read this criticism. However, I wrote criticism as a medium for objective discussion, for those who could not help being skeptical.

　I bought this work on the first day at my own expense and wrote this article after playing it for 10 hours, but honestly I thought even that was pointless. This is because the true charm of "Elden Ring" was drawn out 100% at the time of the tree guard battle at the beginning of the example. In other words, within 30 minutes of playing, I was 99% sure, "Oh, this is a masterpiece." I tried to dispel the remaining 1% doubts with the remaining 9 and a half hours, but the excitement of the first 30 minutes increased exponentially, so I wrote an article in a hurry before I collapsed from playing too much.

As I have already explained what a masterpiece is, in short, the "open world" that has emerged as a major game trend for 20 years and has continued to stagnate will be released in 2022. It's a masterpiece in that it's pretty much the only game I've ever managed to open up.

　Completely exhausted. I've exhausted all my ideas. In such a genre, there can be works that are completely new, interesting, and the adventure is just so exciting that it can't be helped. What can I say without saying that it is already a miracle, a work of God.

So, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of this work, is a god. No, he was already an infinite god at the time of "DARK SOULS 3" and "SEKIRO", but it could be said that he avoided a direct confrontation with foreign giants by making it somewhat minimalist. .

　However, this work "Elden Ring" sees through the stalemate in the structure of "open world", which is challenged by both domestic and foreign famous companies, and creates "exciting things" that no one has been able to create for a long time. An open world experience” was realized in a form that only Fromm could create. In the face of this fact, evaluations such as how many copies this work has sold and how much it has received on Metascore will only come naturally.

I hope that as many people as possible will play this work. A masterpiece is just in front of you.

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