Does Mending The Elden Ring End The Game? The simple answer is yes, mending the Elden Ring triggers the end credits and concludes your current playthrough. However, there’s more to this than meets the eye in FromSoftware’s sprawling epic. Let’s delve deeper into what “ending” truly means in Elden Ring.
Understanding the Elden Ring’s Ending Mechanics
Choosing to mend the Elden Ring is one of several possible endings to your journey. It’s the most straightforward conclusion and often seen as the “standard” ending. This act signifies the restoration of order to the Lands Between and the establishment of a new age governed by the Greater Will. While this might sound definitive, Elden Ring, like other FromSoftware titles, plays with the concept of cycles and renewal.
What Happens After Mending the Elden Ring?
After you choose to mend the Elden Ring, you’ll witness a unique cutscene depicting your chosen ending, followed by the credits. Once the credits roll, you’re given the option to begin Journey 2, New Game Plus, allowing you to replay the game with increased difficulty and your current character’s stats and equipment. The world remains largely the same, with enemies tougher and rewarding greater runes. This cyclical nature allows players to explore different builds, strategies, and even alternative endings.
Is Mending the Elden Ring the “True” Ending?
The notion of a “true” ending is subjective in Elden Ring. While mending the Elden Ring is the default conclusion, other endings exist, each with its own implications for the Lands Between and its inhabitants. These alternative endings often involve challenging the Greater Will and forging a different path, sometimes with the help of other characters you meet along the way.
Exploring Alternative Endings in Elden Ring
Beyond mending the Elden Ring, several other endings offer unique perspectives on the game’s narrative and lore. These endings are often tied to completing specific questlines and making crucial choices throughout your journey. They can range from seemingly benevolent reigns to those shrouded in chaos and destruction. Each provides a different interpretation of what restoring order truly means.
Unlocking Different Endings
Accessing these alternative endings requires fulfilling specific conditions, often involving complex questlines and hidden interactions. Some require finding specific items or completing challenging boss fights. They add layers of replayability and encourage players to explore every nook and cranny of the Lands Between.
Elden Ring Alternative Ending Choices
Comparing the Endings: Mending vs. Others
Choosing to mend the Elden Ring leads to a relatively stable outcome, though the specific details remain open to interpretation. Other endings offer more radical deviations, potentially leading to dramatically different futures for the Lands Between. Each ending has its own unique cutscene and trophy/achievement, offering a tangible reward for your efforts.
“Each ending in Elden Ring represents a different philosophy, a different approach to the problems plaguing the Lands Between,” explains renowned Soulsborne scholar, Dr. Amelia Blackwood. “Mending the Elden Ring is simply one option among many, each with its own merits and drawbacks.”
Does Mending the Elden Ring Lock You Out of Content?
A common concern among players is whether mending the Elden Ring locks them out of content. The answer is no. As mentioned earlier, the game transitions seamlessly into New Game Plus, allowing you to continue exploring the world, fighting tougher enemies, and collecting missed items. This system ensures players can experience all the game has to offer without restarting from scratch.
Preparing for Journey 2
Knowing that you can carry over your progress into New Game Plus, players can focus on experiencing the story and exploring the world in their initial playthrough without worrying about missing out. Journey 2 provides a new challenge for veteran Tarnished, allowing them to refine their builds and strategies.
The Cycle Continues: What Mending the Elden Ring Truly Represents
Mending the Elden Ring is less an ending and more a turning point in the ongoing cycle of the Lands Between. It represents the completion of one journey and the beginning of another. The choice to mend, like all choices in Elden Ring, has consequences, but it’s not a finality. It’s an invitation to delve deeper into the game’s lore, mechanics, and the myriad possibilities that lie within.
“Mending the Elden Ring isn’t about achieving a perfect ending, it’s about understanding the cyclical nature of the world and embracing the challenges that lie ahead,” says game designer and Elden Ring enthusiast, Hiro Ito.
Conclusion
So, does mending the Elden Ring end the game? Yes, in a sense. It concludes the initial narrative arc and triggers the credits. However, the journey doesn’t truly end there. Mending the Elden Ring is a step towards a new beginning, a new cycle in the ever-turning wheel of the Lands Between. It opens the door to New Game Plus and the opportunity to experience the game with renewed vigor and explore the various alternative endings. Whether you choose to mend the Elden Ring or forge a different path, the true ending lies in the journey itself.
FAQ
- Can I go back and explore the world after mending the Elden Ring? Yes, you can explore the world in New Game Plus after the credits roll.
- Are there other endings besides mending the Elden Ring? Yes, there are several alternative endings, each with its own requirements and consequences.
- Does mending the Elden Ring lock me out of any content? No, you can still access all content in New Game Plus.
- What happens in New Game Plus? Enemies are tougher, rewards are greater, and the challenge is amplified.
- Is mending the Elden Ring considered the “best” ending? There is no “best” ending, as each offers a unique perspective on the game’s narrative.
- How do I unlock the other endings? Completing specific questlines and making key choices throughout the game will unlock alternative endings.
- Can I choose a different ending in New Game Plus? Yes, New Game Plus allows you to pursue different endings if you wish.
