I don't give a ton of 10's. I feel like it should be reserved for personal GOAT games. I wasn't sure if Elden Ring was a 9 or 10, because I do feel like it has some flaws. Mostly, the game can be remarkably convoluted and I imagine a lot of people will consult a website to help them know what to do next. If you don't want to just explore for the sake of exploring and you are more goal oriented, it can be frustrating to find that goal. I would likely still recommend DS1 or Bloodborne as someone's first FromSoft game.

But Elden Ring is a 10. It's the best souls mechanics. It's vast. It's complex. It's a game for people who LOVE From Software titles. And most of all, it engrossed me for an entire week. Like no life, remind myself to take a shower, ignore work levels of engrossed. Games that grasp me and hold that tight are so few and far between it must be respected. Elden ring is an all-timer.