Elden Ring is an action role-playing game set in third-person perspective. It includes elements that are similar to those in other FromSoftware-developed games, such as the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The game is set in an open world; players can freely explore the Lands Between and its six main areas, which include Limgrave—an area of grassy plains and ancient ruins—and Caelid, a reddish wasteland home to undead monsters.[1] The open world is explored using the character's mount Torrent as the main mode of transportation, though players may use fast travel outside combat. Throughout the game, players encounter non-player characters (NPCs) and enemies, including demigods who rule each main area and serve as the game's main bosses.[2][3] Aside from the main areas, Elden Ring has hidden dungeons, catacombs, tunnels, and caves where players can fight bosses and gather helpful items.[4]
The story of Elden Ring is fragmented and told non-linearly. Besides the introducing cinematic which speaks in riddles, the player must find the rest of the story through dialogue and interactions with NPCs, item descriptions, the details in the environment, and sometimes within the game's code itself. This would lead the player needing to look for clues and coming to their own assumptions of the full story. The world history is constantly theorized among players and the synopsis setting is subject to change due to varying interpretations.