FROM SOFTWARE’s games have a reputation for being some of the toughest in the business, and for the most part, they’ve earned it.

With Elden Ring currently raking in massive review scores and large sales numbers, the post-launch hype is catching up with the pre-launch hype. Is Elden Ring for everyone? The answer is no.

Is Elden Ring more welcoming to newcomers than any other game from From Software. We already did a post about why Elden Ring might not be as tough as you expect, and so we believe the answer is most definitely YES.

The thing is, that it’s not just about difficulty – it’s also about approachability. Here are 5 reasons we think Elden Ring is way more welcoming to newcomers than previous From Software games:

1. The World is Beautiful

Elden Ring

Elden Ring might not have the full charm of a world like Skyrim or Breath of the Wild, but it’s still miles ahead of Dark Souls and Bloodborne in terms of beauty. Those games had amazing art and stunningly designed worlds, but they’re worlds of horror and decay. Elden Ring’s world is still a dangerous place, but it provides more than enough scenery to make you “oooh” and “aaah” while exploring the insanely large map. Sekiro wasn’t quite as “ugly” as Dark Souls, or straight up horrific as Bloodborne, and this leans a little more into that.

2. You don’t need to kill a foe to get your runes back, you just go pick them up.

Bloodborne

In games like Bloodborne and Dark Souls, if you die, your dropped souls or blood echoes get absorbed into the enemy that killed you (or one in the area), which you then have to defeat to get them back.

In Elden Ring, you can simply cruise back to where you were (often on your mount) and just pick em up and run for the hills. The difference is massive.

3. Various assist options that really make a difference.

Elden Ring

As noted in my article about the difficulty, there are a variety of assists to help you succeed in Elden Ring. Summoned companions, summoning real players to assist, items that make life harder for specific bosses and more mean that you’re never just stuck having to be plain ol’ good-enough to win.

4. You Can Fast-travel to Camps Whenever (well, mostly).

Dark Souls 3

One of the most terrifying things about a SoulsBorne game is the knowledge that you’ve now gotten yourself really deep into some new territory while carrying a ton of souls / blood echoes, and you know that if you don’t find a checkpoint soon, you’re gonna potentially die and lose everything.

Aside from a few scenarios in Elden Ring, you can quick-travel to any of your camps, pretty much whenever you feel like it – completely removing that difficulty and stress factor.

5. The Options of an Open World

Elden Ring

In Elden Ring, you can pretty much go where you want and do what you want. I mean, you might go somewhere that’s going to make very short work of you – but the point is that you really have the freedom to explore, discover and enjoy the world around you.

If you’re stuck on a tough boss, go somewhere else. If you are tired of the area you’re in, try a different one for a while. It’s quite a difference to the claustrophobic feelings provided by the previous games in the series.

There you have it. That’s why we think Elden Ring wants you to come and join in on the fun. It’s still tough, but it’s tough love.

Agree / Disagree? Follow @WhatsGoodCoZa on Twitter and let us know how you feel in the replies!

Also check out:

I’m Pissed With Dark Souls Fans

Is Elden Ring Hard Like Dark Souls?

Dark Souls III Review – A Game of Pwns

13 GIFs That Explain A Newbie’s Bloodborne Experience

Horror Is like Hot Sauce, Here’s Why

Bloodborne Review | PS4