The press embargo for Elden Ring has been lifted and the first reviews have appeared. Those who checked the interim status on Metacritic might have rubbed their eyes. Critics are overflowing with praise, crowning the game as one of the best of all time.
On Metacritic, the popular review aggregation site, Elden Ring currently has a score of up to 97. This makes FromSoftware’s action RPG one of the best games of all time – it currently sits at number 8 on the Metacritic Hall of Fame.
- On the PS4 and PS5, the game has a rating of 97 with currently 37 reviews (via Metacritic)
- On the Xbox, the game has a rating of 95 with currently 8 reviews (via Metacritic)
- On PC, the game has a rating of 95 with currently 33 reviews (via Metacritic)
Even though these numbers may change over the days and weeks, it is an impressive success for Elden Ring.
Even in the MeinMMO editorial team, the game is received excellently:
The reviews of Elden Ring at a glance
These are the scores for Elden Ring: In the following overview, you will find several publications from around the world and their ratings (via Twitter).
- GamePro 94
- GameStar 91
- IGN 10
- Destructoid 10
- TheSixthAxis 10
- Gaming Nexus 10
- GamesRadar+ 5/5
- VGC 5/5
- WindowsCentral 5/5
- Eurogamer ‘Essential’
- Game Informer 10
- PCGamesN 10
- Fextralife 10
- The Guardian 5/5
- Kinda Funny 5/5
- VG247 5/5
- Easy Allies 9.5
- Press Start 9.5
- RPG Site 9
Currently, there is no review that gives less than a 9 (or an equivalent rating). This is unusual.
What do critics say in their reviews?
Critics express their enthusiasm not just in numbers.
In particular, the open world is highly praised. Most reviews describe it as at least equal to that of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The combat system is also said to be, as expected, excellent. Additionally, the game shines with higher accessibility compared to other FromSoftware games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro.
The colleagues from GameStar give the game the second-best grade they have ever given in their history. You can see their test in the video here:
Michael Obermeier from GameStar writes:
For me, Elden Ring opens not only the once niche genre of Soulsborne games to a whole new audience but also shows the assembled competition what makes a good open world. And that hopefully sets a precedent.
Michael Obermeier in the GameStar review
Jason Schreier from Bloomberg also writes, for example:
Elden Ring is one of the best games I’ve ever played. It combines the wonder of Breath of the Wild with the intricate design of Dark Souls. It is more accessible than previous FromSoftware games, but just as thrilling, challenging, and haunting. An enormous achievement.
Jason Schreier on Twitter
There is hardly any criticism. Only the PC performance is widely criticized, but the Day 1 patch is expected to bring improvements. Occasionally, poorly explained mechanics are also seen as a negative point.
Among Steam players, Elden Ring is not quite as well received. They mostly complain about technical issues with the PC version. However, PS5 players are also voicing criticism. Developer FromSoftware has already issued a statement and provides insight into upcoming patches.
Since Friday, February 25, the interim land has been open to every player on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S.
If you are still unsure whether Elden Ring might be too difficult for you despite this media buzz, we recommend the following article:
The difficulty of Elden Ring: How hard is the action RPG really?
