Elden Ring: plan a first expedition you can actually finish
Choose a reachable destination, learn what your weapon can safely do, and return with useful progress before one difficult fight takes over the evening.
Read storyAction RPG · released
Elden Ring
Explore the Lands Between at your own pace, shape a character around weapons and magic, and learn demanding fights one opening at a time.
Player rating / 10—
GV interest94
GV interest reflects our editorial ordering. Player ratings appear below.
- Release
- Feb 25, 2022
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Publisher
- Bandai Namco Entertainment / FromSoftware
- Platforms
- PC · PS4 · PS5 · Xbox One · Xbox Series X|S · Switch 2
01
About Elden Ring
How it plays, who it suits and where to start.
A world that lets you change direction
Elden Ring follows a Tarnished through the Lands Between, a fractured kingdom where the route to becoming Elden Lord passes through ruins, underground spaces, and formidable opponents. FromSoftware pairs its deliberate combat with a world broad enough to offer several useful destinations when one fight stops your progress. A locked door, distant tower, or cave entrance can become the evening's objective without a quest marker spelling out every step.
The practical consequence is freedom to leave. A mounted enemy near the starting area does not have to become your first victory. Another route can supply upgrade materials, a weapon, or simply experience reading attacks. Returning later with a clearer plan is part of the game, rather than evidence that a playthrough has gone wrong.
The character is more than the starting class
Classes provide initial equipment and attributes. The longer-term decisions involve weapon requirements, survivability, equipment weight, and the sort of combat you enjoy repeating. A sword-and-shield character asks different questions from a spellcaster, but both need to recognize recovery windows and preserve resources for the next exchange.
Weapon upgrades and a comfortable moveset deserve attention alongside level gains. A large damage number has limited value when every attack leaves you exposed. Exploring with a familiar weapon also makes unfamiliar enemies easier to read because fewer things change at once.
How to approach a first playthrough
Plan around discoveries and reachable checkpoints rather than a perfect completion route. Keep small notes on places you cannot enter, characters who ask for something, and fights worth revisiting. The map becomes more useful when those notes reflect your own unfinished business.
The base adventure has its own beginning and conclusion. Shadow of the Erdtree is an expansion, while Elden Ring Nightreign is a separate game; a guide for one should not be treated as instructions for the others. On Switch 2, the game is sold as Tarnished Edition. Check the contents of the edition you own before following equipment or expansion advice.
Sources
Official game and editions, publisher's early-game advice, and Switch 2 release announcement.
02
Stories and guides
1 story about Elden Ring.
03
Player reviews
Read what other players think, or sign in to share your own rating and review.
Share your experienceWhat did you enjoy? What fell short?
Sign in to reviewSign in to add a rating or review. Other readers can see it on this page.
No player reviews yet.Played it? Sign in and tell other readers what to expect.