Elden Ring drops you into the shoes of the recently resurrected Tarnished, tasking you with the seemingly impossible mission of claiming the Elden Ring and becoming Elden Lord. While The Lands Between is certainly no cakewalk, Elden Ring offers perhaps the most accessible entry for new and returning adventurers to the Soulsborne series.

By now, you've certainly heard the hype and might be a bit put off by the task of "getting good," but luckily for you, Elden Ring isn't nearly as hostile toward new players as its predecessors. If you've had a friend badgering you to play, but keep wondering, "Is Elden Ring worth it?" rest assured, here's your answer.

Updated January 15th, 2024 by Andrew Scariati: We've updated the Cost section and added additional blurbs from fellow Tarnished to help you decide if Elden Ring is worth it for you. Read on to see just why Elden Ring is considered one of the most approachable games for newcomers to FromSoftware titles.

Review

Our Lead Features Editor, Jade King, gave Elden Ring a deserved glowing review, as FromSoftware's masterpiece is certainly befitting a crown.

Following the success of previous Souls games, Bloodborne and Sekiro, Elden Ring manages to draw upon the best elements of those titles while refining the gameplay to near perfection.

Jade highlights the unthinkable improvement, saying "FromSoftware has crafted an open-world adventure that somehow surpasses all conceivable expectations."

It combines Dark Souls’ natural sense of discovery with the foreboding atmosphere of Bloodborne while perfecting this combination with a combat system that feels equal parts Sekiro and Demon’s Souls. Elden Ring is an unflinching masterpiece and a marquee example of what this medium can achieve when it is willing to accept our investment without compromise.

It is no surprise that Elden Ring received five stars, setting a new bar for all future FromSoftware titles and Souls-like games to chase.

Jade's only knock on this immersive experience is that it eventually comes to an end, but you can always jump into New Game+ to do it all again.

Just make sure to complete every side quest that interests you and exchange all of your Remembrances for special boss weapons or spells/incantations.

Remembrances reset when you start New Game+, so you should acquire each boss item you prefer, and then can complete your collection on the second run-through.

Time Expenditure

The main story of Elden Ring should take about 42 hours to complete, provided you don't get utterly lost in the enthralling details along the way.

Assuming you're going to die a few times while you get your wits about you, it's more likely it will take closer to 65 hours if you detour into a few of the game's lengthy side quests. There's no shame in pulling up a guide to find your way through this massive world.

However, completionists had better strap in for the long haul as completing everything in the game will stretch out the experience to about 100 hours.

Aside from the main story experience, the PvP-oriented DLC, The Coliseum, adds endless hours of battles to engage in against fellow Tarnished.

In addition, the game's balance patches have opened the door to many new weapon choices to consider and warrant a new build.

If you want to find all the major talismans and complete all the achievements/trophies, be prepared to spread it out over several sessions. For those who simply can't get enough Elden Ring, you can sink dozens of more hours into completing a challenge run with a themed build to test your skills.

Cost

While some secondhand sites and specific retailers may offer discounts – particularly for used copies – Elden Ring's price is still holding strong on the Playstation, Steam, and Xbox stores.

While the prices remain consistent during most of the year, be sure to check again for discounts during events such as Steam sales, holiday promotions, and Black Friday.

The Deluxe Edition priced at $79.99, includes Elden Ring along with a digital art book and the Original Sound Track (OST).

The Collector's Edition will set you back $189.99 if purchased directly from BandaiNamco's site while supplies last. You may also find some available on the secondary market, though they will likely cost more than MSRP.

Regardless of how you choose to play or how much you pay, the question "Is Elden Ring worth it?" can be answered in a single word: Yes.

What Players Are Saying

Great For Newcomers, Fatiguing For Veterans – Charles Burgar

Now that I've had time to reflect on Elden Ring, I'm left conflicted about FromSoftware's latest Souls title. My first playthrough of this game was simply magical. Finding your way around The Lands Between and piecing together its history will forever be one of my favorite moments in any video game, full stop.

I haven't been so immersed in a setting since the original Dark Souls or Skyrim. If you've always felt intimidated by this subgenre, Elden Ring's non-linear structure and new game systems (notably Spirit Ashes) make this the definitive entry point for newcomers.

Yet for all this game's strengths, I have no desire to play Elden Ring again. The Lands Between is too big for its own good. Such a massive play space necessitates the reuse of certain enemies, bosses, and dungeon layouts. But I find FromSoftware went too far. Some bosses are reused six to seven times in a single playthrough. Side dungeon layouts become so repetitive that they remind me of Oblivion. NPC quests are so obscure that some are downright impossible to complete without the use of guides or a wiki.

I could forgive all of this if Elden Ring had some superb boss fights, but it doesn't. Out of the 165 bosses in this game, only 14 of them aren't reused in some form. And of those 14 fights, not a single one holds a candle to From's previous greats. I enjoyed fighting Godrick and Rennala, but they simply don't compare to the likes of Darkeater Midir, Gael, Sword Saint Isshin, Gehrman, Knight Artorias, or even DS2's Burnt Ivory King. For a studio revered for its impeccable boss design, Elden Ring dropped the ball. Hard. For Souls veterans, that leaves the open world as Elden Ring's main appeal, but once you've left no stone unturned, there's little reason to return to The Lands Between.

Yes, But With Guide – Branden Lizardi

Elden Ring has an in-depth and easy-to-understand combat system. There's a huge world full of creatively designed creatures and landscapes. And underneath it all lies a fascinating narrative you can uncover yourself. It also, however, likes to hide tremendously helpful items, characters, and mechanics in obtuse and hard-to-find places. If you want to enjoy it with minimal frustration, don't be afraid to look things up online.

The Culmination Of The Soulsborne Formula – Hilton Webster

It might sound cliché to say, but if you liked Dark Souls, you'll like Elden Ring. In many ways, it exemplifies every aspect of the Souls games, with multiple playstyles, difficult bosses, and charismatic NPCs. The open world is unlike any other, but also affords more flexibility and accessibility than previous Souls games too.

FromSoftware's Magnum Opus – Seth Parmer

Elden Ring is the culmination of FromSoftware's cryptic, challenging, and enchanting worlds, with perfect execution of open-world design that encourages exploration and experimentation. Every twist and turn will lead you to something new and surprising, and the boss encounters will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. This game seems like it should be impossible to exist, but that's just that FromSoft magic everyone has been screaming about for over a decade now taking center stage.

Absolutely Worth It – Sharnelle Earle

If you like fantasy RPGs, you need to try it. Don't feel intimidated by the fact that it's a FromSoftware game because I find it to be way more forgiving than Dark Souls, and I'm someone who can't play difficult games. Open-world, tons of content and amazing lore, multiplayer, mods available, what more could you want? You'd be missing out on a unique and amazing experience... Take me back to the first time I opened Elden Ring pls.