Elden Ring is going to change the face of video games forever. While few will adopt the mega-tough boss battles or obtuse menu systems, and might not even be prepared to trust their playerbase enough with such a hands off approach to storytelling, Elden Ring’s influence will still be felt. After years of growing increasingly frustrated and bored with open world maps stuffed with quest markers, Breath of the Wild came along and offered more freedom than we’d seen before on such a grand scale. It’s why Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon Forbidden West, both great games in their own right, feel dated and played-out. While titles like Genshin Impact, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and even Forbidden West with its gliding and climbing have taken inspiration from Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring is the first to build on BOTW’s foundations, not just steal flowers from its garden. Given both are critical darlings, that means we’re going to feel their influence for the next decade or so.
