We finally have more Elden Rings news! A 15 minute hands-off preview footage of the game was released in Gamescom. While there is no video footage available yet, we have a lot of new information on Elden Ring. Here are some of the details.

The Lands Between

When the trailer for the Elden Ring premiered in E3, it was highlighted that this will be an open world experience.

Unlike previous FromSoft games, in Elden Ring the Lands Between offers the players a true open world experience with vast area to explore. You will also have access to a map which gets updated as you unlock map fragments scattered throughout the land, also obtainable by killing enemies.

The bonfires in Elden Ring, now called ‘Sites of Lost Grace’ also act as a marker that point the players to the recommended path, this is completely optional as you are free to explore other areas as well. The players will also encounter different types of enemies in these open fields, one notable instance was a dragon swooping down to attack a pack of hollows as the Tarnished gets closer to them which prompts into an epic boss battle with the dragon.

In order to navigate the plains players can call upon the Spirit Steed. This was earlier showcased in the E3 trailer where the mount was able to scale cliffs and make great leaps. It is now highlighted in the preview footage that the Spirit Steed will be able to use special platforms to leap over cliffs. It is also possible to use the Spirit Steed in combat.

The Dungeons

Underneath the overworld of The Lands Between lie subterranean labyrinths. Unlike the procedurally generated dungeons from other FromSoft games, the Legacy Dungeons in Elden Ring are bigger and is handcrafted.

One of the dungeons showcased in the preview was Stormveil Castle. Players can choose to take a stealthier approach to the dungeon through a secret passageway or enter through the main gates of the castle and fight your way to the very top. Either option has it’s own set of advantages and dangers. At the end of the Stormveil Castle, you are greeted with the many-armed boss from the initial Elden Ring trailer.

More Combat Options

The demo showcased the player fighting on horseback and switching to on-foot during combat. The combat itself appears to be a mix of Dark Souls where you are able to parry incoming attacks, and much like Sekiro you are able to break enemies’ stance by repeatedly striking the same area.

The skills in Elden Ring are not tied to a specific weapon. In an interview with Eurogamer the devs say “we have the skill system but skills are not tied to a particular weapon—you’re free to swap them between a number of weapons, and you do this while sitting at a Site of Lost Grace.”

Much like Sekiro, Tarnished will be able to hide his presence from the enemies by utilizing tall grass. Players will also be able to utilize non-lethal weapons such as sleeping arrows to neutralize an enemy.

The Tarnished will also be able to summon NPCs by using specific items that can be discovered throughout the overworld. These NPCs can only be summoned in the single player mode. According to FromSoft each of these summons will have a variety of abilities that can be utilized in many interesting ways.

The Firekeeper

We now know the name of the hooded ‘firekeeper’ from the E3 trailer. Unlike the previous versions, Melina will not only act as a companion who is helping you level-up, she also plays an important role in the story with her own aspirations.

According to FromSoft “Melina has got her own ambitions and her own big place in the story, so we hope you enjoy that aspect of it.” Popular Soulsborne YouTuber Vaati describes Melina as an S-Tier maiden.

Elden Rings appears to take inspiration from both Dark Souls and Sekiro while adding more interesting mechanics to the mix. Much to our demise, it looks like swamp area is also coming back as reported by Polygon.

Elden Ring comes to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on January 21, 2022.

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