FromSoftware’s action role-playing title Elden Ring launched in February 2022 and immediately became one of the highest-reviewed video games of all time. In less than three weeks, Elden Ring had sold 12 million copies worldwide, and the Soulsborne game’s unprecedented success took even Game Director Hidetaki Miyazaki by surprise.
Although by May, Elden Ring’s concurrent player count had dropped from nearly a million to closer to 100,000, that decrease is attributed to people completing the 100-hour game and moving on to other things. Many fans are still going at it, however, replaying multiple times, maxing out their stats, and even creating impressive fan art. And of course, there are dedicated members of the Elden Ring community delving into every bit of the game’s incredible lore and sharing it with the world.
The lore seekers will soon have a helping hand in the form of the Elden Ring Official Complete Guide that releases in Japan on July 22. The tome, which contains 592 pages, is already available for preorder for approximately $24 USD, though it currently seems to only be available in Japanese. So far, there also seems to only be a physical copy up for grabs, but it can be hoped that both a digital and translated version of the official guide will be released eventually.
Even if the Elden Ring Official Complete Guide is only ever available in Japanese, some members of the game’s fan base will likely share the details online pretty swiftly. The book will contain a plethora of information for those eager to learn more about the rich world of Elden Ring. There will be maps of each dungeon, with the locations of items, equipment, and NPCs pinpointed, as well as guidance on each of the game’s endings and missable quests. This should prevent players from accidentally skipping some of Elden Ring’s more obscure NPCs and questlines, like Boc the Seamster, an essentially invisible character who is easy to stroll right past.
The quests and lore in Elden Ring can feel a bit convoluted at times, but the official guide will provide flow charts to help keep everything straight. There will also be in-depth explanations of status effects, paths to upgrading weapons and Ashes, and strategies for navigating Elden Ring’s slightly intimidating New Game Plus. As expected with any official guide, this one will also provide some assistance when it's time to face one of the over 100 bosses in Elden Ring, including details about their attack patterns, weaknesses, and different attributes.
Elden Ring is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Amazon Japan (via DualShockers)