I'm Going To Hate The Next Decade Of Open World Games
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.
I have just two words to say on the matter: fuck me. I don’t like either of these games, and despite sensing that the genre needs to change, I love open world games. Where does this leave me? I’ve made my peace with Breath of the Wild 2 - I wrote last year that I hope I hate it, because I’d rather it stay true to its vision even if it leaves me out in the cold. And I’ve argued against Elden Ring being the greatest game of all time, due to all the issues I mentioned in the first paragraph. A good game, maybe even a great game? Sure. But greatest of all time? It’s not welcoming enough to new players and is having its critical consensus warped by the fact only series veterans have reviewed it.
Related: Don't Be Afraid To Start Elden Ring Over
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