In the closed network test, the player explores a small part of Limgrave and Stormveil. When I got to the game, all of Limgrave and Stormveil were open to me, including the haunting Weeping Penosystem to the south. But north of Stormveil lies another realm, a biome with an entirely different aesthetic. Each kingdom in the Elden Ring has its own set of creatures, plants, animals, and more. Stormveil’s grand master, Godrick the Grafted, does not need to be defeated before moving to the kingdom to the north, as a lightly hidden mountain path can lead the player into the area without even stepping foot inside. Dangerous castle dungeon.
This is the home of the magic academy Raya Lucaria, and instead of the pastoral and field green of Limgrave, it is dressed in different shades of blue. I had the least amount of time in this area for my demo and was only allowed to adventure here for a brief 30 minutes. The game’s half-hour in Elden Ring feels like seconds, so I sped up on Torrent, hoping to get in as much as I can in my short time. Crystals adorn everything from the environment to enemies, and a mist of dust hovering over the shallows interferes with movement very slightly. The deeper into the area, the deeper the water, and players must cross the tops of sunken buildings as they come closer and closer to the majestic, brightly lit Raya Lucaria.
New enemy types here include crystal snails, ferocious primates, and massive sea creatures including giant enemy crabs and lobsters. Different types of turtle warriors roam the water, and balloons hover over the landscape. We still explore caves to explore and some of the same exploration equipment, such as the artery candle that summons the ghosts that follow us, that we saw in Limgrave, but everything here is different. is different. It’s a whole new realm, something visually and in terms of gameplay – navigating any body of water is a truly varied experience, leaving me searching for solace in my pockets. . Clever, these “islands” also contain a lot of important things to look for and lead me to some incredible mysteries and discoveries.
Upon arrival, my first job was to locate a stele using a map. When you enter a new area in the Elden Ring, you won’t know where anything is on your trusty map – but by looking for clues at these steles, marked even at areas that you have not explored, you can fill in. in essential terrain in an area to help you explore. The map certainly never tells the whole story, but it can help you dig deeper into the discoveries as you guide your efforts. Sometimes it’s nice to just wander aimlessly in one direction to see what you can find, but maps help identify key lands and landmarks.
The trip to Raya Lucaria was stopped at the door leading to what was likely an old dungeon because I was missing an important key. However, having only examined the area for a short time, I was amazed that I had only really seen a unified view of the Limgrave/Stormveil area so far. While Limgrave has some interesting sites to explore, such as castles swarming with divine creatures, magical portals to eerie towers, and more, bold blues and The ocean feels almost calm but almost calm, but Raya Lucaria’s house is like a completely different world. If From Software brings an incredibly strong world feel to each definitive installment of The Lands Between, the journey through the Elden Ring will be something incredibly special. Check out the full story cover for more details on Raya Lucaria, the magical portal, the mysterious elevator, Castle Morne, and more!
