Elden Ring Summary
Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s 2022 open-world action-RPG masterpiece and winner of near-unanimous ‘Game of the Year’ acclaim. Directed by FromSoftware luminary and mastermind behind the Dark Souls series Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game also features story and worldbuilding from George R. R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame. Elden Ring‘s release in February 2022 for PC and modern consoles was a massive success. The title has gone on to sell more than 20 million units. This makes Elden Ring FromSoftware’s most successful single game by a large margin.
The title takes the DNA from the developer’s Dark Souls series and transforms it into an open-world setting. As a result, players have substantially more freedom in how they approach the game’s critical path and side activities. While the Dark Souls series and FromSoftware games, in general, are difficult, Elden Ring sidesteps some of this difficulty. By giving players more options in the game’s beginning it avoids shuttling them down a linear path of progression. Additionally, Elden Ring expands on many of the systems found in FromSoftware’s previous work. Many of these new systems make the game more accessible for new players.
It currently stands as one of the highest-rated titles on sites like Metacritic and Open Critic and is widely considered one of the best action role-playing games ever developed. FromSoftware is currently working on a massive expansion to the base game. This Shadow of the Erdtree DLC promises to expand upon the game’s massive map. Further, players can expect the expansion to add new bosses and lore to the base game.
Elden Ring Premise
Elden Ring is a third-person action role-playing game with a significant focus on combat and exploration. The title borrows heavily from the Dark Souls series in terms of its mechanics and interface but is the first game in that style to feature an open world. The game’s location of The Lands Between is split into 6 distinct biomes that each feature several dungeons and caves for players to explore. Players all begin in the region of Limgrave but are then free to explore as they choose and tackle areas in any order.
In addition to traveling on foot, players have the aid of their faithful spectral horse Torrent to traverse The Lands Between. Torrent can be summoned at-will and even used in the game’s boss battles to aid with mobility. Players can still attack while mounted from Torrent’s saddle, a first for the FromSoftware action RPGs. Much like in the other Souls games, interacting with NPCs and carefully reading item descriptions is key to discovering Elden Ring‘s esoteric lore.
When beginning the game, players select a starting class and appearance for their avatar but the starting class serves as a flexible template. Any play style is eventually available to the player through careful allocation of stat points and the right gear combination. As players defeat enemies and bosses they collect the game’s currency, Runes, which are used to level up and purchase items. When players are defeated, they drop all the Runes they are currently carrying. Runes are recoverable as long as players don’t suffer another defeat on their way to retrieve them.
Elden Ring Main Characters
The world of The Lands Between features a wide-ranging cast of important human and non-human characters. Many of the most important bosses and characters referenced in the game’s lore are all-powerful demi-gods. Several of these enemies are also part of a celestial lineage that players uncover the secrets of by digging into the game’s lore. The main characters in Elden Ring include:
- The Tarnished: The Tarnished is the player-created character and protagonist of Elden Ring. After being miraculously resurrected, the Tarnished is tasked with mending the Elden Ring and restoring balance to The Lands Between.
- Melina: Melina’s encounter with the Tarnished results in her choosing to act as the player’s maiden and allow for you to exchange Runes for improved strength. She grants the player Torrent as well as guiding them on their mission to mend the Elden Ring.
- Ranni: Ranni is a curious witch that the Tarnished will encounter during their quest and can choose to join their faction. Ranni wishes to overthrow the Greater Will (the deity of The Lands Between) and supplant it with the power of the Dark Moon.
- Morgott: Morgott guards the Erdtree, the barrier between the Lands Between and the resting place of Queen Marika. King Morgott is the first major foe that players must best in their mission to mend the Elden Ring.
- Queen Marika: Queen Marika is the eternal steward of the Elden Ring, the force that guides the fate of The Lands Between. She is a former human and Empyrean who ascends to godhood and, eventually, fractures the Elden Ring.
- Radagon: Radagon is Queen Marika’s second husband and the second Elden Lord. He is the father of Ranni as well as the other aspect inhabiting Queen Marika’s body. He is the penultimate foe players will face in their quest.
Games in the Elden Ring Series
Although the game carries much of the DNA of FromSoftware’s previous work, Elden Ring is a separate entity. The game is intended to mark the start of a new franchise for FromSoftware and is currently the developer’s greatest success. To date, games in the series include:
- Elden Ring (2022)
- Elden Ring – Shadow of the Erdtree DLC (In Development, expected 2024)
Elden Ring Cheats & Secrets
As is the case with most FromSoftware games, many players might be curious regarding whether Elden Ring has cheats to help with the game’s difficulty. Unfortunately, there are no official cheats that exist for players to enter in game. Similar to many other titles, the PC version can be modded and also has unofficial third-party cheats enabled by software. The console versions of Elden Ring do not feature any of these cheats, as it requires the downloading and installing of third party software only compatible with PC.
Elden Ring Cheats for PC
To download and install cheats for Elden Ring on PC, players must have the WeMod software installed. Once players have WeMod active on their PC, it’s possible to download the Trainer for Elden Ring, which contains a variety of game-affecting cheats. Please note that using cheats in Elden Ring is unsupported by the developer. As a result, using cheats may cause players to receive a ban and/or lose their profile. The safest way to avoid this is to make sure you only use cheats when playing offline. The trainer for Elden Ring can be found here and contains the following cheats:
Player Cheats
- God Mode/Ignore Hits
- Infinite HP
- Infinite FP
- Unlimited Stamina
- Zero Weight
- 100% Drop Rate
- Stealth Mode
- Defense Multiplier
- Immunity to All Negative Stat Effects
Enemy Cheats
- Super Damage/One-Hit Kills
- Damage Multiplier
Game Cheats
- Freeze Daytime
- Daytime +1 Hour
- Set Game Speed
- Enable Fly Mode
- Fly Up
- Fly Down
- Freeze Enemy Position
Inventory Cheats
- Edit Runes
- Runes Multiplier
- No Runes Lost On Death
- Unlimited Item Usage
Stats Cheats
- Edit Max HP
- Edit Max FP
- Edit Max Stamina
- Edit Level
- Edit Vigor
- Edit Mind
- Edit Endurance
- Edit Strength
- Edit Dexterity
- Edit Intelligence
- Edit Faith
- Edit Arcane
Elden Ring Cheat FAQs
Are there cheats in Elden Ring?
While no cheats exist for console and no official cheats exist for PC, there are mods and cheats available via third-party software. In addition to WeMod, there are Cheat Engine and Nexus Mods cheats available.
Is there a way to cheat Runes in Elden Ring?
Outside using a third party cheat or mod, there are several in-game areas where it’s easier to farm for Runes. Some of the best areas are nearby a Site of Grace, meaning players can safely farm Runes indefinitely.
Can you get banned for using Elden Ring cheats?
Yes — Bandai Namco (Elden Ring‘s publisher) employs anti-cheat software in the games servers that can detect any player using cheats. Because Elden Ring has a PvP component, this is likely to prevent cheating players having an unfair advantage. If players intend on using cheats or mods when playing the game, it’s best to play in Offline Mode.