The game industry is often driven by hype, with blockbuster games stirring up excitement because they inch toward release. While many anticipated games release to global acclaim (like the recent Resident Evil 4 remake), equally many — or maybe more — apparently disappoint, like Cyberpunk 2077. One game that was able to meet its impossibly lofty expectations may be the beloved Elden Ring Items, which recently celebrated the very first anniversary of that release. But in the existing landscape of disappointing releases, what made Elden Ring so special, and the way did it surpass the hype?

A lot of eagerly anticipated games frequently launch with bugs along with other issues that get them feel unpolished. It seems like no game — in spite of the developer’s prowess — is very bug-free, nevertheless, the severity can differ immensely.

Even the mighty Rockstar Games wasn’t immune because of this, the way it released the now infamous GTA Trilogy remaster with wild bugs overall. But Elden Ring, however, was polished instantly, with few bugs and issues before it starts.

Most of the game’s technical issues were incredibly rare — and quickly fixed. During our 100+ hour playthrough, the sole issues we've experienced were minor frame rate dips on rare occasions, that have been widely addressed ever since then. Given Elden Ring’s sheer size and ambitious design, it’s surprising precisely how well it worked right out of the gate.

It seems fans are actually burned lots of times with unpolished games. The most famous example is Cyberpunk 2077, which has been utilized the better component of a decade before releasing mixed reviews. The technical issues were absurd, including game-breaking bugs, and wild visual points that were downright horrifying. It was so bad the game was pulled through the PlayStation Store temporarily.

It’s clear developer FromSoftware prioritizes function and high quality. This is highly apparent in Elden Ring, and that is partly why it became one of the most beloved games available.

Even when a game has literally zero bugs, its success is dependent on its design. Is the action fun? Is the gameplay loop rewarding? Not only did Elden Ring nail the fun factor, but for many players, it exceeded expectations.

elden ring items were FromSoftware’s work for balance creating a massive open world, that may have diminished the general quality of the game. It’s straightforward for open-world adventures to feel repetitive and bloated, but that wasn’t the way it is with Elden Ring. The world felt just like a natural evolution of FromSoftware’s beloved action RPG formula, giving players a good amount of things to see and do. Nearly every encounter feels hand-crafted and unique, offering an outstanding amount of variety. Some areas are completely optional and can include bits of story sprinkled throughout, while other people are labyrinthian while keeping focused more on action and challenge. No matter what, each area feels interesting.

The whole world of Elden Ring is awe-inspiring and packed to the brim with surprises. It’s almost unbelievable who exists, especially in the staggering scale of that world. Exploring The Lands Between provides a sense of dread, but excitement too, causing guessing when you make your solution to a new destination. Will the cave ahead be the place to find a gargantuan beast that can you out in a fell swoop? Or can you stumble upon a merchant who sells powerful items?

For the vast majority of Elden Ring, it’s never entirely clear just how much geography there is certainly to explore. There’s a second just before the conclusion on the third area called Liurnia that appears like it could be the end of the game. Depending on how things unfold, it can be 30 to 40 hours when you finish Liurnia, so it’s reasonable to trust the game could summarize here. But then, you make it to the beautiful Atlas Plateau area, which is a sprawling section leading to major POIs in different directions you appear. It’s at this time that you realize the absurd size of this game — a sense that is simultaneously daunting and thrilling.

FromSoftware isn’t finished yet. Elden Ring had been overflowing with content, these days, fans have a different DLC expansion to check forward to. Beyond that, Elden Ring has become a slew of meaningful updates since its launch, including a fun PvP mode that really tests your abilities.