Summary
While few expect a FromSoftware title to sell badly at this point,Elden Ringhas surpassed even the Soulsborne community’s expectations. Selling over 20 million copies in its first year,Elden Ringis the greatest breakout success thatDark SoulsandArmored Coredeveloper FromSoftware has ever seen. Given that it’s practically the length of anotherDark Soulstrilogy, it’s not hard to see why. With all of FromSoftware’s combat and narrative experience spread across 80+ hours of open-world RPG exploration,Elden Ringis a feat for the humble Japanese developer.
It isn’t over yet, either. A paid expansion titled Shadow of the Erdtree will hitElden Ringin the near future, potentially in early 2024. Even as the game approaches its second anniversary,Elden Ringstill has plenty of players, and it’s renewed FromSoftware’s status as the Soulslike genre’s face all over again. The game did everything right, and even players who can’t reach its end still enjoy journeying across its landscape. One could even make the argument thatElden Ring’s world proves a particular aesthetic is a core part of the Soulslike genre, both in the range of experiences it allows and in how it captures players with its otherworldly beauty.
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Elden Ring Embraces Soulslikes' Fantasy Aspects
Thanks to the stylings of backstory writer George R. R. Martin, co-director Hidetaka Miyazaki, and FromSoftware’s long-term relationship with the genre,Elden Ringis dripping with fantasy aesthetics. From the word go, players can become an undying medieval knight, receive a magical spirit horse from a mysterious maiden, and ride into a swamp to slay a fire-breathing dragon.Elden Ringmay be the most traditional Western fantasy title FromSoftware has produced sinceDemon’s Souls, which itself was roughly as traditional as a few of FromSoftware’s prior games.
FromSoftware’s History With Fantasy RPGs
Fantasy has been a part of FromSoftware’s DNA ever since the studio got its start in game development with the first threeKing’s Fieldgames. The similarities between said titles and the eventual third-person Soulslikes have become well-known, and the fantasy genre was in use throughout the projects separating them. From traditional Western fantasy settings inFromSoftware games likeLost KingdomsandEternal Ringto the Japanese mythology used inOtogiandShadow Assault: Tenchu, FromSoftware has experimented thoroughly with the genre. EvenBloodborne’s mishmash of Victorian technology, gothic horror, and cosmic horror was preceded by the even more anachronistic guns and magic ofShadow Tower: Abyss.
Fantasy Will Remain A Core Part of the Soulslike Genre
It makes sense that long-time fantasy developers would imbue their own line of action-RPGs with consistent fantasy elements. The effect this has had on the wider Soulslike genre is already apparent, with games likeHollow Knight,Salt and Sanctuary,Lords of the Fallen, andMortal Shellall sharing some form of fantasy aesthetic alongside their Soulslike trappings. WithElden Ringachieving the success it has, it feels like this established part of FromSoftware’s identity has become the default look of the Soulslike formula.
FromSoftware certainly isn’t abandoning fantasy anytime soon. Besides its upcomingElden Ringexpansion, a rumor for the studio’s next title that’s been building steam indicates it could be FromSoftware’s most high fantasy game yet. Said to be titledSpellbound, this action-RPG will supposedly emphasize the magic systems from the Soulslike games even more thanElden Ringdid. Regardless of whether this is true, the twin genres of fantasy and mech-focused science-fiction aredeeply intertwined with FromSoftware’s work, and any games emulating its style will inevitably have to adapt or remove the genres that come with it.
