20 Games Nobody Thought Could Live Up To The Hype
9. Elden Ring
After directing Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Hidetaka Miyazaki cemented his status as a gaming auteur. After supposedly perfecting the Soulsborne formula, he and his FromSoftware team collaborated with legendary fantasy writer, George R. R. Martin, for Elden Ring, which was touted as his magnum opus.
Simply put, every factor in Elden Ring was balanced to a tee. The game was astonishingly accessible, yet still proved to be immensely challenging. Players had a diverse range of strategies against every obstacle, so brawls and quests rarely felt repetitive.
Replacing the mostly-linear progression system of its forebearers with an open-world approach was a welcome change, since it offered more freedom. Having players stumble upon hidden dungeons, bosses, and quests at their own pace made the gameplay more organic and reactionary.
As expected from the Game of Thrones' author, Martin enriched the lore, fleshing out its characters, history, and factions. The result was a world that felt ancient, complex, and intriguing.
Although Soulslikes tend to be for a certain demographic, Elden Ring sold 30 million units, making it a staggering success, as well as one of the most critically acclaimed games in recent memory.