Elden Ring has been out for a hot minute now, and fans are still uncovering all sorts of cool stuff about it. And guess what? It looks like Hidetaka Miyazaki, the genius behind the Soulsborne series, might have taken a page out of his book when it comes to the game.
We’re not talking about the Souls games here, even though you can definitely see their influence in Miyazaki’s latest epic. Nope, we’re talking about Bloodborne, another one of Miyazaki’s masterpieces, which seems to have inspired the ending of his most recent game.
Elden Ring and Bloodborne Share a Very Big Element
There’s a striking similarity between Elden Ring’s ending sequence and a secret ending from Bloodborne that you might not have noticed. Very big spoiler warning for both games.
In Elden Ring, as the final boss, players have to face off against the Elden Beast, the true form of the Elden Ring, acting as the vassal of the Greater Will. This monstrous entity resembles something straight out of a cosmic horror nightmare, and is not an optional boss fight; it’s the final showdown, appearing immediately after defeating Radagon of the Golden Order.
What’s intriguing is its eerie resemblance to the otherworldly entities found in Bloodborne and a particular ending from the game.
In Bloodborne, if you fight and defeat Gehrman, you’ll meet the Moon Presence, a mysterious and otherworldly alien-like being. Normally, this results in the player becoming the new keeper of the Hunter’s Dream, bound to it forever.
However, meeting certain criteria unlocks a different outcome: a battle against the Moon Presence. Afterward, the player ascends to the status of a Great One, a god-like being in the BB universe, and takes the Moon Presence’s place.
The parallels between these endings are uncanny. Both feature encounters with cosmic horror-type entities, evoking a sense of existential dread and otherworldly power.
Plus, both endings offer players the chance to transcend their mortal limitations and become something greater, whether it’s inheriting the mantle of a god-like being or taking control of a mystical realm.
Miyazaki Loves His Eldritch Horror
It’s no surprise that Miyazaki would draw from his previous works when crafting the endings for Elden Ring. Throughout the Soulsborne games, he’s demonstrated a penchant for weaving intricate narratives and themes of existentialism, rising above adversity, and the nature of humanity, among many others.
Bloodborne went especially hard on exploring humanity’s greed and expertly integrated that with eldritch horror, the latter of which was a huge plot twist that many players did not see coming.
There are many reasons to love this game; its gothic aesthetics, incredible lore, brilliant parry system combined with the introduction of trick weapons, and fun-yet-challenging bosses are just a few.
If you’re looking for another Soulsborne to sink your time into whilst you wait for Shadow of the Erdtree, Bloodborne is undoubtedly the right choice.
Will you be trying it out or have you played it already? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments below!
