I am an RPG fan. I have loved them since I was a kid. From my days playing Pokemon Fire Red on my best friend's Game Boy, to the hundreds of hours across platforms in the world of the NUSA and Night City, I love the sense of immersion playing as a different character in a whole other world. And in all my adventures, nothing comes even remotely close to the awe and splendor of Elden Ring
OK, let's back up a bit. I was introduced to Miyazaki's games with later entries, as I started with Dark Souls 3. Over time, I came to appreciate that the main Souls franchise made me bash my head into a wall fairly regularly: it was refreshing to be a "hero" whose initial purpose is unknown with a world to explore to make their own.
This trend had been masterfully crafted since Miyazaki's initial implementation of the modern Souls-like formula with Demon's Souls, a PS3 exclusive that was lauded for it's brutal difficulty but extremely immersive and rewarding world.
When Elden Ring was first announced in 2019, I was drawn in by it's high fantasy setting and combat that looked familiar, but and somehow both lighter and heavier. On top of that, knowing that the legendary George R.R. Martin was involved in the world building and story telling, and I was already hype, ready to experience it.
When I first got to play the game, it felt familiar, the entry into the world being fairly standard for a Souls-like journey: make your character, be brought through a tutorial dungeon of sorts, face a boss that you can either beat or die to. No matter the result of that fight, you are then thrust into the world that you will then be exploring. And typically, this would then lead into a very bleak, gothic setting.
What I didn't expect, however, was the golden picturesque world of The Lands Between. The moment I was free of the starting cave/dungeon, I let my hands of the keyboard, and admired it all. The golden fields that spanned the map. The ruins far ahead of me, enemies roaming in between. And the greatest sight of all, a gigantic glowing tree I later found out was called the Erdtree.
I was left sitting in my chair, breath taken away by the beauty of the world Miyazaki and Martin had crafted. A world that, while beautiful, also felt very mysterious in it's own right. It took me a few minutes to gather myself, and to venture forth into the world.
The game then continued to do so. With every new biome, I stopped for a minute or two, to stare at each and every environment. From the Gatefront Ruins, their splendor holding despite it's mangled state, to the majesty of the Raya Lucaria Academy, to even the unwelcoming likes of the Lake of Rot. All these locations, and plenty more, gave me pause, as I had to take them in with all their splendor.
When all was said and done, Elden Ring was my first true experience with being left breathless. Each encounter, each biome brought a host of experiences, and gave me insight into the mind of Miyazaki. It is an experience I don't think I will ever really truly forget. Now, if you need me, I will continue to explore the Lands Between, as there is always something to explore.
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