The extra areas intrigue me the most
Out of nowhere, amid a fairly uneventful E3,we got word thatElden Ringwas coming in just seven short months, and we were treated to a heap of gameplay for the first time. It’s a shocker! I’m still reeling from it.Now thanks to a new IGN interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki,we have an idea of just how expansiveElden Ringis going to be.
Interestingly, Miyazaki is framingElden Ringsimilarly to the rest of theSoulsseries in that it’s open world, but it will take a distinctly different tact. Now there are six regions, all of which are connected to the main map. Each area will host a protector/main boss, and sport its own dungeon-like layout. Miyazaki even teases that there is an “order” he has in mind for players to actually tackle these, but you aren’t bound to it. There’s even a tease of a Firelink Shrine connector zone that will be accessible “later in the game.”
The best part? The main world map will have extra areas that aren’t even necessarily tied to each hub. So it’s still going to feel like a properSoulsgame, with a huge focus on exploration. In short, Miyazaki seems to be marrying the zone-by-zone concept ofDemon’s Soulswith the rest of the series proper. On paper, it sounds like the perfect union.
Granular details onElden Ringare still sparse, but it’s probably for the best. The trailer was more than enough for mostSoulsfans, who will no doubt relish the chance to jump intoElden Ringcompletely blind. I know I am!
