Elden Ring

Elden Ring screenshot supplied for Just Press Start. ©Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. / ©FromSoftware, Inc.

Ride through misty lakes, climb toward vast castles and find stories tucked into the ruins of the Lands Between. Elden Ring pairs that sense of wonder with demanding real-time combat. This is our challenge destination, not a gentle first lesson: expect setbacks, experimentation and the satisfaction of learning something difficult.

You can explore elsewhere and return stronger.

For curious travelers ready for a steeper climb.

Open world
Dark fantasy
Challenging combat

At a glance

The adventure: An open-world action role-playing game: explore on foot or horseback, build your character and tackle formidable enemies.
Where to play: Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S. Tarnished Edition is also available on Nintendo Switch 2, not the original Switch.
The challenge: There is no easy-mode setting. Combat rewards timing and practice; equipment, magic, summons and exploring other areas give you ways to approach an obstacle.
Playing together: Play alone or summon help through online co-op. Online play has its own requirements and can involve hostile players; check the store details for your platform.
Content to expect: Dark fantasy, frightening creatures and intense combat. Rated Mature 17+ in the US for blood and gore, violence, language and suggestive themes.
Buying the right game: Start with Elden Ring. Shadow of the Erdtree is an expansion that requires the base game; Nightreign is a separate game. Check what your chosen edition includes.

Before you set off

Choose this when a challenge sounds enjoyable, not because you feel you should. A gentler destination is an equally good choice.
Opening the ordinary menu does not stop the action. Use the game’s quit option when you need to step away rather than relying on a pause button.
Expect to lose fights while you learn. Death drops your carried runes; dying again before recovering them loses those runes. Spend them thoughtfully rather than treating every setback as failure.
Spirit summons and online helpers can help with some encounters, but they do not remove the need to learn the controls. Online console play may require a separate subscription.
A notebook can help you remember characters, clues and places to revisit. The story does not always point you directly to the next task.

Your first hour

What to expect when you first press start.

Try the tutorial
Visit the Cave of Knowledge near the start. Practise movement, targeting, guarding and dodging before worrying about getting every move right.
Find your bearings
Look for Sites of Grace, the glowing resting places. Resting restores you, though many ordinary enemies return too. Learn the route back before venturing far.
Explore rather than rush
A powerful enemy in your path is not always a task you must complete now. Take another route, collect a map fragment and return when you feel better prepared.
Take one small win
After meeting Melina, you can begin spending runes to level up and travel with Torrent. A new resting place or a newly understood move is progress enough for one session.