Why You Should Start Over in 2025

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home March 20, 2025 34 Views 7 Min Read
Why You Should Start Over in 2025



Few video games in recent memory have been as celebrated as Elden Ring, a release that many consider FromSoftware’s magnum opus. The world of Elden Ring, created in collaboration with Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, has proven endlessly intriguing, enduring in the hearts and minds of players in the years following the game’s launch, and last year’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC only strengthened this narrative heft.

But even those who neglect its opaque lore have found plenty to enjoy in Elden Ring‘s gameplay. Open-world exploration that places an emphasis on organic, player-driven discovery is the backbone of Elden Ring‘s gameplay loop, but the tried-and-true Souls combat is also polished to a brilliant shine, making the experience a must-play for action-RPG enthusiasts. This is especially true for those who like to experiment with new builds and stat-tweaking, as Elden Ring‘s build variety is rich and meaty. That said, many of these robust in-game elements don’t fully reveal themselves until subsequent playthroughs, which is exactly why Elden Ring fans should consider diving back into The Lands Between in the coming months.

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Dark Souls Trilogy: Why You Should Start Over in 2025

The Dark Souls franchise might seem quaint in the wake of Elden Ring, but it’s still worth replaying in 2025 for a number of reasons.

Elden Ring: Why It’s Worth Revisiting

Elden Ring Isn’t Meant To Be Played Just Once

When it comes to replay value, Elden Ring is an interesting example when compared to the rest of FromSoftware’s oeuvre. On the one hand, its vast and expansive open-world is never as exciting to explore a second or third time around, and revisiting far-flung locales can even feel tedious on repeat playthroughs. Indeed, the linearity of something like Dark Souls 3 or Bloodborne may make for a more quaint initial experience, but a far more streamlined second, third, or tenth playthrough.

At the same time, Elden Ring has the most extensive build variety and richest combat of all FromSoftware’s games. The sprawling assortment of different weapons, spells, Ashes of War, and talismans allows for nearly infinite combinations, and players will no doubt still be discovering novel, nuanced builds for years to come. It’s quite literally impossible to fully realize every build in a single playthrough, as upgrade resources are limited, so a NG+ run is more or less essential for those looking to experiment. Upon such experimentation, the entire Elden Ring experience is thus transformed; it can feel like a whole new game.

One can’t overlook the various different Elden Ring endings as well, each of which carry fundamentally distinct narrative connotations. For a more complete experience, players should replay the game multiple times to achieve these unique finales.

It Might Be Wise To Revisit Elden Ring Ahead of Nightreign

As Elden Ring fans are already aware, the IP is set to be expanded later this year with Elden Ring Nightreign, a cooperative roguelike releasing at the end of May. The spin-off will be set in Limveld, a region that gets procedurally generated for each new run, and players must choose from an assortment of predetermined character archetypes, each with established skills and stats. In short, it’s shaping up to be a very different Elden Ring experience, but one that will likely benefit from some familiarity with the base game’s mechanics, not to mention FromSoftware’s often bizarre design tendencies.

Since launch, some Elden Ring detractors have emerged, arguing that it’s not as strong, wholesale, as FromSoftware’s previous works. While it’s fair to criticize Elden Ring for, say, its recycled mini-bosses, the game as a whole is an undeniable triumph, and time will likely illustrate just how significant an impact it has had on gaming as a whole. Now, three years away from its initial release, players the world over are still discovering new things to love about the game, and with Nightreign on the way, it’s as good a time as any to saddle up Torrent and get back into The Lands Between.

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