It's Okay If Elden Ring Is Taking Forever To Complete
Some players may find that it's taking longer than usual to complete Elden Ring when compared to other games, but they shouldn't worry. FromSoftware's latest title is one of the studio's biggest, and is best savored rather than being rushed through. With breathtaking sights, plenty of bosses, and the addition of a huge open world, it only makes sense that Elden Ring's completion time would be longer than many other AAA titles.
Elden Ring takes a long time to beat, with the main story averaging 40-50 hours. The main gameplay loop also contributes to the game's length, with players being encouraged to explore the Lands Between if they're struggling with a particular boss, as they can return with stronger stats and more powerful weapons and armor. There are plenty of optional foes for players to test their mettle against, as well as side-quests that can fundamentally alter the conclusion of Elden Ring's story.
Elden Ring defies more recent video game trends, doing away with waypoints and icons and encouraging players to explore naturally through the use of visual landmarks. The open-ended nature of the game's discovery means that it may take longer for certain side-quests to wrap up, but arguably more interesting is that it makes each Tarnished's adventure unique. Piecing together the lore of Elden Ring's world, the Lands Between, has become a staple of the game's online community since launch, with FromSoftware providing plenty of reasons to indulge in exploration as opposed to rushing through the main story. Going off the beaten path will contribute to the game's lengthy completion time, but this isn't something to be anxious over. It may take a long time to reach the end, but it's the journey along the way that matters most.
Open world games generally take a long time to complete, but the open-ended nature of Elden Ring's means that it can take even longer than not only other Souls games, but also other open-world titles. There's plenty of secrets, Easter eggs, lore, and puzzles to keep a player occupied and it goes to great lengths to reward the effort of explorers. The main story is also epic in scale, requiring players to overcome great odds to reach any of Elden Ring's multiple endings, ranging from those that curse the Lands Between to others that bring it into a new Age of Stars. Elden Ring is FromSoftware's most ambitious release to date, and it shows in its scale. It may take longer to beat than other open world games, but it's a journey worth sticking with and savoring.