Elden Ring

Elden Ring is the culmination of the FromSoftware ethos established almost 30 years ago with the original King’s Field. But despite being the company’s biggest game to date, both in terms of scale and popularity, it also knows how to get out of its own way. While Souls newcomers may struggle with Elden Ring’s vague goals and overall challenge, every minor frustration serves to make its environmental storytelling and moments of triumph all the more compelling. Elden Ring is not a game that gently caresses your tired shoulders but one that latches onto your back like a demonic monkey, an obsession made all the more difficult to shake by its copious checkpoints and the ease with which it allows you to drop in for a quick adventure, and then jet. If you previously wanted to get into the Souls series but bounced off its lengthy dungeons and backtracking, Elden Ring may just be the FromSoftware game that finally gets you over that hump.

Playable On: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Rough Average Playtime: 77 hours