Elden Ring

 PC
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 60 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 60
  3. Negative: 0 out of 60
  1. Cubed3
    Aug 29, 2022
    70
    Elden Ring is an experience that will not be forgotten in a hurry. It's a tremendous, hulking, massive achievement but because it is tremendous, hulking and massive, it is one that comes with many caveats. The shelves in CeX and conversations with people who stopped playing at Stormveil castle can certainly attest to some of those caveats. Much like any FromSoftware title, it's not going to be for everybody, but paradoxically it is one of their hardest and one of their most accessible to date. It offers huge value in one package, and perhaps is a little too much value, only becoming clearer when nearing the endgame. Don't be mistaken by the criticism, though. This is a phenomenal achievement with a moment-to-moment that is incredibly engaging and immersive. No doubt it will be deserving of the end-of-year accolades it will inevitably receive. One pushes through Elden Ring as one pushes through life, with all the highs and the lows that it brings.
  2. PCMag
    Mar 3, 2022
    70
    Elden Ring is a wonderful action-RPG that features thrilling combat, an amazing open world, and tons of replay value. Unfortunately, its PC performance needs work.
  3. Siliconera
    Feb 28, 2022
    70
    Elden Ring is a potentially great game that is hindered by massive performance issues. It doesn’t do anything particularly genre-defining, as it mostly sticks to what FromSoftware always does. It will no doubt please fans of the Dark Souls series. But its lack of accessibility options and somewhat restrictive multiplayer may leave some wanting. Ultimately, I think it will potentially offer a better experience down the line, as the day-one patch has already changed some fundamentals of the game. With no real improvement regarding its performance on PC, Elden Ring is a hard game to recommend until a more stable version is available.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Feb 23, 2022
    That's the thing about Elden Ring, its open world has your back, in its own - often painful - way. Souls has always been about inching through claustrophobic corridors and bashing your skull against whatever's in the way. You compare foreheads with friends, "Look at this bruise Barry, that's me five hours in". And Barry would probably peel his hair back and reveal the exact same bruise. Adventures in past Souls games tend to line up, as you're all wandering down the same pathways. But that's not the case with Elden Ring. You might show your bruise to Barry and he'll peel his hair back to reveal a scar or a massive indent or a tattoo of a mouse tustling with a skeleton. Both of may be five hours in but you'll be on totally different trajectories. No matter how hostile the game's world may be, it pushes you to succeed and carve out your own adventures. It is, by far, the most encouraging Souls yet. [RPS Bestest Bests]
  2. The Verge
    Feb 23, 2022
    While this is probably the most accessible game the studio has made, it’s still incredibly demanding. It remains hard as hell, but now you have more options for dealing with the frustrating moments. And not only does it demand your focus and attention in a way few other games do, but now, because it’s so large, it demands much of your time as well. After 40 hours of exploring, I don’t think I’m even close to finishing the game; sometimes, it feels like I’m just getting started. Elden Ring isn’t a game you pop on for an hour a night. It’s a game that consumes you. For me, it’s becoming a lifestyle, something I still think about when I set the controller down.
  3. Vice
    Feb 23, 2022
    Twenty-five hours in, I still have no idea what I’ll see next. It's a testament to Elden Ring that I'm so excited at the possibilities that remain, but it's also a problem that after all this time, I feel like it needs to show me more than it has so far.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2022
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2022

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 5812 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,862 out of 5812
  2. Mixed: 414 out of 5812
  3. Negative: 1,536 out of 5812
  1. JackPlack
    Mar 29, 2022
    3
    ------------------ after more hours - it wasnt more attractive
    Its not hard and challenging. Its just dumb. Let me explain how is this ****    ------------------ after more hours - it wasnt more attractive
    Its not hard and challenging. Its just dumb. Let me explain how is this **** in can masterpiece"
    My first defeated boss. Walked down to canyon by some dumb Mario Bros shortcut (horse only, climbing is to difficult for programmers). Found crypt with stone goblins and boss. Read a lot of spoilers "look left etc". Skyrim is scarier. Tried to kill goblin ahead, targeting button is locking one on sealing, cant change target.... Found some ground button to unlock door. I dont see something - why mount door open button so far away. So complicated mechanism and no door key. Ive killed few times goblins to spend runes for next level. Why i cant spend runes for 0.7 part of level? Thats why i feel little like in MMO kill mobs until level up and next kill boss...
    Killing boss wasnt easy a specially when not killed goblins and just run to the boss room. 2 problems - goblin heads in magic boss door and summoned wolves attacking them without effect.
    3-rd problem dumb fight style with bosses - hundrets of non physical dodges, wrong collisions, and not many options with weapon and shield, little dumb counters. More logic would be some aikido/judo movements with so much mass difference or just big cannon, physical huge companion/minion/army,... Next part after killing goblins and boss i've won. Lot of stones "i did it" etc but for what? I didnt saw any loot. Weaker goblin had more attractive but also dumb stone head helmet.
    No satisfactions. Same thing with killing large trolls.
    My opinion was 5/10 now i could only give less. 3/10

    ----------------earlier review
    Maybe too early for review, but just boring, not intriguing. Bigger overhype than CP77. How its possible to get so many possitives before release?
    - optimization 3/10
    - story 2/10 (fingers, rings, witches, some boring ideas)
    - graphics and nice atmospheric lightning 7/10
    - menu and shortcuts with keyboard 2/10
    - physics and fighting 5/10
    - open world i don't feel consistance, reason to go further. Its so chaotic and claustrophobic in design.
    - tutorial 2/10 - i hate this text stones. I dont know why i cannot summon spirits. Ive found after hours how to run and lock target.
    - fighting - u die very often but painless. It would be easy when u find weak points, preferred weapon sets and know how to run, but its too old style. Not much physics, cant undecide to do some move. Illogical counter, block, break system or animations. Only left right attack axis. I dont want to enable enemy lock to move backwards. Tps camera lock would be better for me.
    -level up system 4/10 (good are small changes between levels but i prefer training level up style than some collecting runes)

    Overall: 5/10 - only because i hope next part of the game would be maybe more interesting.    … Full Review »
  2. Badgamesarebad_
    Feb 26, 2022
    1
    "Ubisoft needs to innovate", but when it's "Souls" game, then "Innovation is overrated, it's okay that it has worst controls of all time, it's"Ubisoft needs to innovate", but when it's "Souls" game, then "Innovation is overrated, it's okay that it has worst controls of all time, it's okay it has 2014 graphics, it's okay that...". Finest hypocrisy i have ever seen. I agree, Far Cry 6 is extremely outdated, but so is Elden Ring. Same animations, worse controls than any Ubisoft game. If Fromsoft doesn't innovate and gets 97 on Metacritic, why do you think Ubisoft would even care to innovate at this point? Even if they try, these Hypocrites still sht on them and praise this unfinished trash (Elden Ring) as next generation of open world games. Gaming is dying and believe it or not, it's not thanks to Ubisoft. It's dying thanks to games like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. Both overhyped, both underdelivered.… Full Review »
  3. deadirons
    Feb 26, 2022
    0
    There is absolutely no excuse for a game releasing in 2022 to be totally gimped like what From has done with Elden Ring on PC. The PC port isThere is absolutely no excuse for a game releasing in 2022 to be totally gimped like what From has done with Elden Ring on PC. The PC port is truly atrocious. No ultrawide support (in fact it appears it was intentionally removed, with multiple people saying it works, then soon after is replaced by black bars), FOV messed up, no porting over of Playstation button icons, poor performance, fps capped at 60. This was pure and simple lazy developing with the aim of making as much money as possible, while screwing over people who paid $60 expecting a competent product. Inexcusable, and 0/10.… Full Review »
See all user reviews »