Fans of the Game of Thrones books routinely express dismay that author George R R Martin spends so much time on side projects rather than finishing the long-awaited next entry in the series.
But after playing Elden Ring, the new video game that Martin helped write, those fans are advised to reconsider. Perhaps he should do all the side projects he wants.
Expectations are sky high for Elden Ring, which was unveiled in 2019 as a crossover between From Software and Martin, then went radio silent before re-emerging with a marketing blitz last year.
Trailers for the game have received tens of millions of YouTube views and it was nominated for Most Anticipated Game at the annual Video Game Awards show in 2020 and 2021.
From Software has been operating since 1986 but didn’t draw much global attention until 2011 with hit fantasy action game Dark Souls, which became beloved for its brilliant level design and challenging gameplay.
Players appreciated that the game respected their intelligence and refused to hold their hand. Follow-ups included two sequels and Bloodborne, a similarly crafted game set in an H P Lovecraft-inspired world. All are among the highest-rated games ever.
Elden Ring is more accessible than those other titles. Set in a fantasy world full of ancient ruins and menacing demons, the game pushes players to pick a direction and wander until they find something interesting.
Whereas previous From Software games eschewed basic features like an in-game map in favour of player immersion, Elden Ring is more accommodating. There’s a compass, a fast-travel option that lets you teleport between rest points across the world and, yes, a map. None of these features take away from the game’s exhilarating sense of tension.
Fans of the Souls games will be pleased to hear that there’s no shortage of esoteric lore. Anyone who bounced off From Software’s other games, or found them too intimidating, should give this one a chance.
It’s designed to be more user-friendly than its predecessors. If you’re stuck on a particularly tough boss or dungeon, there are countless other places to go explore.
The story takes place in a monster-infested country called Lands Between. The player is a Tarnished, a sort of supernatural castaway, whose goal is to collect five Great Runes from hulking bosses, each occupying their own dungeon such as a labyrinthine castle or a magical academy.
The dungeons are as elaborate and intricate as any Souls game, full of devious traps and interlocking levels.
The best part of Elden Ring, though, is the open world. Exploring this game is sheer joy, leading to all sorts of discoveries both big and small.
There’s a small dungeon that ends in a fight with a giant cat. There’s a massive tree that will grant you a seed to mix and form powerful elixirs. There’s a teleporter that’ll send you halfway across the map, smack into the middle of a massive enemy encampment.
My mouth dropped about every 10 minutes — and that was before I discovered the mansion full of sentient floating hands.
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: Eghel De Pine, Pat Cosgrave (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Sheaar, Szczepan Mazur, Saeed Al Shamsi
6pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup (PA) Group 3 Dh500,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Torch, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,600m | Winner: Forjatt, Chris Hayes, Nicholas Bachalard
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup for Private Owners Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 1,400m | Winner: Hawafez, Connor Beasley, Ridha ben Attia
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Qader, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roaulle
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
