It can be said that in "Elden Ring," as long as you like soulslike games, you'll find quite a few easter eggs within the game.
For example, the Onion Knight-like armor set in Dark Souls, the Praise the Sun emblem.
The Chainsaw in Bloodborne, the Mortal Blade in Sekiro – these can all be found in the game.
On the lore side, the ruin of the Hishul people mirrors Lovecraftian myths. The Hishul discovered the Outer Gods, and their curiosity drove them to explore endlessly, delving deeper into the unknown, wanting to uncover the truth behind it all.
But because the Hishul and these Outer Gods were creatures from different dimensions, not only did they glimpse them, leading to madness, but they also brought disaster to the Lands Between.
Secondly, there's the game's excellent story design, character design, and level design.
In "Elden Ring," players can immediately feel that familiar "souls" vibe.
The game has stories that are incredibly oppressive and despairing, but also some warm ones. Even though the end result is likely to be despair, the Tarnished, who the player controls, still witnesses these stories.
Sorcerer Sellen, located in the basement of the Waypoint Ruins, served as the player's magic tutor in the early game and left a profound impression on the player.
She always cared for the Tarnished as her pupil and, even when trapped and wanting to escape, only asked her beloved disciple for help. Finally, after defeating the Full Moon Queen and returning to the Academy, Sellen made a promise to the Tarnished: "I only hope you remember that even if you become King, I am still your teacher, and you are still my beloved disciple. If you don't become King, come back to me. Don't worry, even if a disciple isn't up to par, there's still a place for him to stay."
Then there's Alexander, the Warrior Jar. When you first meet him, he's stuck in the ground on the Saintbridge in Limgrave, and he needs the player's help.
Later, the Warrior Jar will reunite with the Tarnished at Redmane Castle to attend Starscourage Radahn's funeral and collect the bodies of fallen warriors to grow stronger.
On their journey, the Warrior Jar Alexander, this honest and brave warrior, formed a deep friendship with the Tarnished, much like the Onion Knight in Dark Souls.
In the final encounter at Crumbling Farum Azula, Alexander asks the Tarnished for a battle – a true warrior's duel.
In this battle, Alexander's body is shattered, but he harbors no resentment, only a sense of regret.
"I still can't reach that realm. My current capacity simply can't contain it!"
"Thank you. You are truly the hero I recognized. This battle was magnificent. Please, take what I hold within me."
"Jars are destined to be broken. But I, Alexander, was a Warrior Jar to the very end! Carry me forward, warrior!"
After taking Alexander's belongings, the player goes to the Pot Village near Caria Manor and meets a small pot, one of Alexander's kin. It thanks the Tarnished for bringing news of Alexander and decides to embark on its own journey to become a new Warrior Jar.
There's also the Jellyfish Ashes that Rogier gives the player at the beginning. From fighting the Grafted Scion onwards, it stays by the player's side. Although its strength soon seems insufficient to help the Tarnished, it silently guards the player, until they reach the Mountaintop of the Giants and the Stargazer Ruins, where another Jellyfish named Curleb has been waiting.
It is here that the Tarnished learns the name of their own Jellyfish: Curleb.
This reunion, after countless years, is all thanks to the Tarnished. The two Jellyfish circle around the Tarnished happily, then bestow upon them a Glintstone Kris, one of the few heartwarming scenes in the game.
Besides these, there's Ranni, who makes the Tarnished willing to become a werewolf; the Turtle Priest at the Church of Vows who guides the player; and the Blacksmith who forged the Black Knives and, after burning the Erdtree, wanders in a daze, coexisting with the Roundtable Hold.
There are too many memorable moments in the game for the player.
However, there's one aspect where "Elden Ring" differs from Bloodborne and Dark Souls.
In Bloodborne and Dark Souls, two classic soulslike games, besides their obscure lore and vast worldviews, players argued so intensely about the endings that they nearly fought each other to death.
In Dark Souls, some believed linking the fire to continue Gwyn's Age of Fire was the right path, while others thought extinguishing the fire was the true future. There were also those who believed becoming the Lord of Hollows was the world's true development, leading to intense debates.
Bloodborne players weren't any better. Whether it was becoming a new squid-god or leaving Yharnam, players argued about which was the good ending.
As for Sekiro, most players had a preference, with the "Return by Death" ending being the one they desired most.
This is because in this ending, neither the Fire Keeper's Daughter, Emma, nor Sekiro, the young prince, nor the Divine Child die.
Finally, the young prince merges with the Divine Child's body, resulting in a dual soul – that's incredibly cool! The journey of Return by Death sounds so promising.
When it comes to "Elden Ring," there's absolutely no suspense regarding the endings.
The Despair ending, symbolizing the era of the Lord of Blood, is generally only pursued by players with very specific tastes or for curiosity and achievements.
As for the Lurker ending from Fia's questline, and the common Age of Decay, they're essentially no different from the Law ending.
If there were no other endings, most players would likely discuss the Lurker ending and the Law ending.
This is because these are two of the more controversial endings and represent different directions for the future of the Golden Order.
But the key is that this ending also includes two others that have captivated countless players.
The one with the highest popularity is clearly Ranni's Age of Stars.
And the players who consider this the best ending are clearly not experiencing it through the story.
You say Ranni is too scheming? But she called me King and held my hand!
You say Ranni's Age of Stars is bad? But she called me King and held my hand!
You say Ranni...? But she called me King and held my hand!
That's right, it's completely unreasonable. Who cares if Ranni held my hand and called me King?
As for the other Frenzied Flame ending, the players who choose this path don't necessarily believe world destruction is the truth. More often, they purely want to see Melina's tearful expression before the Frenzied Flame.
"You used to ignore me, Melina, but now you can't reach me! You told me not to touch the Frenzied Flame? Hah! I'll just burn it all!"
"You think just because you found me first, Tarnished, I'll follow you forever? You had your chance and you blew it!"
"Regretting it now? Too late! What were you doing before?"
"We're already in the sewers of Leyndell. This isn't your Melina's era anymore, understand?"
"Never mind Ranni, who has four hands and calls me King. Never mind Fia, who wants a hug. Even my Jellyfish, Curleb, can wipe you out!"
(End of chapter)