Probably the best Dark Souls sequel. I say that because Elden Ring feels like a Dark Souls IV. And along the way, From Software somehow remembered the fun of being more experimental. They've finally become bored with just coasting on theatrical sword fights, once again embracing combat scenarios that risk isolating players.

The level of speed about matches Dark Souls III, but the important tactic of breaking your enemy's posture from Sekiro has been added to the mix. The scale is shockingly massive—like, imagine an even less linear Dark Souls. This is a game where the world is connected, there are several exploration paths to choose from, and everything manages to come back together at the end. Surprisingly, George R.R. Martin's influence can be felt throughout the game's story, which adds some zest to the medieval setting.

Unfortunately, because there's so much to see, Elden Ring lacks refinement in many key areas. Some of the bosses are poorly balanced, so expect ambiguous hitboxes; attacks with ridiculous range and tracking; and plenty of multi-enemy boss fights, which cheapens the otherwise well-balanced difficulty. Also, the in-game map lacks quality of life features that other developers made standard in their titles a long time ago.

But hey, it's still pretty great. Keep doing the weird shit, guys. From Software is at their best when they're doing the weird shit.