Elden Ring Features Strange George R.R. Martin Influences | Den of Geek

For instance, Fextralife noted that the beginning of Elden Ring, especially its opening cutscene, is much more straightforward than similar intros in previous FromSoftware Soulsborne games. Audiences are used to piecing together the stories of FromSoftware titles, but Elden Ring’s first cinematic clearly spells out the main character’s mission, which is most likely the result of Martin’s handiwork. Moreover, according to GameSpot, Great Runes are also crucial to Elden Ring’s story, as they are part of the world’s mythos (which Martin created/contributed to). While regular Runes are used as currency/experience in classic Soulsborne fashion, Great Runes are powerful, equipable items that provide unique advantages. Every time a player finds a Great Rune, it seems like they may be able to thank Martin for conceptualizing the equipment.

However, the bulk of Martin’s apparent creative contributions most likely reside in the game’s roster of NPCs. As previously stated, some of the characters he created will serve as Elden Ring’s terrifying bosses, but some early preview testers found potential glimpses of his influence in other characters. For example, one NPC in the game’s hub world, Fia, asks to “lie” with the main character while they sleep. That isn’t a euphemism or anything; Fia cuddles with the protagonist in a professional capacity and gives a consumable buff in exchange. The staff at Easy Allies suspects that Fia might have been translated from Martin’s work with few alterations. Eurogamer’s testers found another potential example: the NPC named Kenneth Haight. Kenneth claims to be a member of a royal family driven from his home and promises riches in exchange for reclaiming it. The site’s previewer found the character “a little off,” and it seems like a fair bet that Kenneth is the lovechild of Martin’s own Ramsay Snow and Dark Souls’ “Trusty” Patches lineage

Admittedly, nobody really knows how much of George R.R. Martin’s work will make it into the final product, but with any luck, he will play the game and tell us himself. Of course, we’ll all get the chance to play Elden Ring for ourselves when the game launches on February 25.