Elden

Unless you've been living under a rather large rock these past few weeks, you'll be aware that Elden Ring is out on Friday, February 25th. Well, ahead of its public launch, plenty of reviews are now out in the wild and things are looking incredibly positive.

Here's a selection of reviews we've seen so far, and a quick summary of each review:

IGN (10/10)

But the thing that’s most impressive about Elden Ring is that, in between all of this brilliant open world design, there are also a handful of Legacy Dungeons that still deliver those “wide linear” levels that Souls fans have come to expect. These are gigantic castles, forts, manors, underground labyrinths, and more that are packed with secret areas, challenging bosses, and multiple paths that are linked via one-way shortcut doors. If they were strung all together without being tied to an open world, they could probably exist on their own as Dark Souls 4.

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VG 24/7 (5/5)

The areas you explore, route you take, and enemies you face down along the way will differ depending on your approach – and FromSoftware appears to have built the game with divergent routes and deliberate sequence breaks in mind. Basically, speed-running strats and optimisation for this game are going to be delicious. The back third of the game feels a little more directed and features more mandatory bosses, but the world is still resolutely open.

Game Informer (10/10)

Once in a great while, a game comes along that seamlessly combines impeccable gameplay, a wondrous world, incredible tone-setting music, and unparalleled art direction. That game is From Software’s Elden Ring, an action RPG that channels the best aspects of the studio’s last decade of work into one enormous package. This absurdly ambitious open world captivated my curiosity, enticed me with puzzles, secrets, and mysteries, and served up unbelievably satisfying moments as I experienced one of the most extraordinary adventures of all time.

PCGamesN (10/10)

Your character sheet is crystal clear about what your strengths and weaknesses are, item descriptions aren’t needlessly obscured with esoteric lore snippets, and tutorial prompts explain every core mechanic in the game. Having the freedom to roam the world and go into your next battle with a stuffed inventory of consumables, all without having to grind for souls you’d rather spend on leveling up, is so refreshing.

COGconnected (98/100)

Compared to some recent games, Elden Ring is not a bleeding-edge showcase for the latest graphical effects. Nevertheless, its art direction is immaculate and spectacular. Every area is haunted by relics of a long-past age. It is always interesting to look at and often beautiful and awe-inspiring. New to the series is a day and night cycle that changes the monster population, lovely weather effects, and a head-spinning variety of architectural styles.

Shacknews (9/10)

It feels as though Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s original vision for the genre finally realized. Like all that came before were a series of stepping stones that the developers have been walking along in order to reach this point. Though the core gameplay on offer here is unchanged from the formula that was laid out with Demon’s Souls, it has been polished to a glistening sheen.

Push Square (Review-In-Progress)

Elden Ring feels like the definitive FromSoftware game. With a refined combat system packing new ideas and an open world perfect for exploration, it sets a new benchmark for titles of this ilk to strive for. While its technical faults and underwhelming side content may be sources of disappointment, what the core experience offers is spectacular. It won't suddenly convert those turned off by previous entries into fans, but FromSoftware lovers should probably consider Elden Ring an essential playthrough. We just need a bit more time to confirm those thoughts.

Well, Elden Ring is certainly shaping up to be one of Miyazaki's most beloved adventures yet. Currently, it holds a ridiculous 97 on Metacritic, from 42 reviews so far. We're hesitant to start calling GOTY contenders this early, but Elden Ring will surely be part of that conversation later this year.

How are your Elden Ring hype levels looking now? Let us know in the comments.