It's True. Elden Ring is a Masterpiece.

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An unforgettable story by George R. R. Martin. A too-good-to-be-true open world. And I'm only 50 hours in.

I am 50 hours into Elden Ring. While I was writing this review, all I wanted to do was play more Elden Ring. By now, you’ve already heard that FromSoftware's ultra-anticipated, open-world fantasy epic—with a story by Game of Thrones scribe George R. R. Martin, no less—is a masterpiece.

And it is. Mark my words: Elden Ring will join games such as Smash Bros., Breath of the Wild, Grand Theft Auto, and Dark Souls as points of comparison for every one of its imitators over the next decade. But you wont understand just how stunning Elden Ring is until you play it. So if you’re still reading this (instead of going to play the game by whatever means necessary), read on for a spoiler-free review of Elden Ring. Just know every moment you waste reading my silly little review is a moment you could be memorizing spells, or finding treasure, or getting your ass handed to you by one of the most horrific monstrosities you'll ever see.

In Elden Ring, you play as a “tarnished” (AKA a hero/warrior adventurer type, from what I could glean) who slays menacing foes in search of the Elden Ring, venturing through a strange world called the Lands Between. About that world? It's massive. While huge playgrounds are all the rage in the post-Breath of the Wild gaming sphere, nothing has felt as expansive as this one. It's full to the brim with lore, secrets, and so much more. I spent over 18 hours in the starting area. (Seriously.) Still, when returning to the location later in the game, I found caves, mini bosses, treasure, and even entire