A recent post on the Elden Ring subreddit stirred up quite a bit of discussion. The user expressed confusion about a scene from a trailer that wasn’t explained in the game’s narrative.
This led to a wave of responses from other players, many of whom speculated that this might be the poster’s first experience with a FromSoftware game. The discussion quickly evolved into a broader conversation about the game’s cryptic storytelling style, a hallmark of FromSoftware’s design.
The Mysteries of Elden Ring
On r/EldenRing, a user shared a clip from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC trailer. The clip focused on Marika, a central character in the game, and her role in the mysterious new content. The user asked why her actions in the clip weren’t explained in the game’s narrative, sparking a lively discussion among fans.
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The majority of responses revolved around the idea that this must have been the OP’s first FromSoftware game. Fans pointed out that FromSoftware games are known for their cryptic storytelling.
They don’t lay out the plot in a straightforward manner. Instead, they hide details within item and weapon descriptions, environmental clues, and vague NPC dialogues and questlines that most players will easily miss.
Players are encouraged to piece together the story themselves by exploring as much as they can, being active participants in the game, and making sense of the world and its history through exploration and careful observation.
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One user tried to decode the scene, suggesting that Marika’s actions in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer might symbolize her ascent to divinity, taking on the power of gold. They theorized that the location shown in the clip could be a place where an Empyrean undergoes a transformation.
Storytelling in FromSoftware Games
The discussion on Reddit highlighted a core aspect of FromSoftware games: their storytelling approach. Unlike many other games that provide explicit exposition and narrative through cutscenes or direct dialogue, FromSoftware games like Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne, use a far more subtle method.
The story is not told directly to them, instead, it’s scattered throughout the game world, waiting for players to discover and piece it together. Most of the big events in these games have already happened in the past, and the player deals with the aftermath.
This method of storytelling turns players into detectives, making them work to uncover the narrative, and put some actual work and effort into figuring out stuff.
FromSoftware’s style is immensely acclaimed, and everyone appreciates their level of innovation and how they’re doing things differently from the rest of the industry.
It’s a unique experience where finding a new item or discovering a hidden area can reveal a crucial part of the lore. This approach not only engages players more deeply but also encourages exploration and attention to detail. Every corner of the game world could hold a piece of the puzzle, making each discovery feel rewarding.
This type of game design has become a genre of its own, with hundreds of games following in its footsteps when it comes to either gameplay or narrative design, Elden Ring being the most acclaimed of them all.
Are you a fan of FromSoftware’s storytelling and narrative style? Let us know in the comments.
