A still of Elden Ring’s Lands Between

Elden ring is a dark fantasy style action role-playing game. The game was developed by FromSoftware Inc. and released by Bandai Namco in February 2022.

Elden Ring takes place in the Lands Between, sometime after the destruction of the titular Elden Ring and the scattering of its shards, the Great Runes. Following the destruction of the Elden Ring, the realm is ruled by the demigod offspring of Queen Marika the Eternal. The player assumes a role as one of the Tarnished – exiles from the Lands Between who had lost the Ring’s grace and are summoned back after the Shattering (the destruction of the ring). Players must traverse the Lands Between to recover the Great Runes, restore the Elden Ring, and overthrow the demigod tyrants.

We discuss the design and implementation of Elden Ring’s soundtrack with regard to the following tracks:

At the outset of the game, players stroll on the grasslands of Limgraves. The scene depicts a pleasant atmosphere; birds are chirping and blooming flowers occupy the peripheral edges of the screen. The background music consists of a simple repetition of melody and a gentle, monophonic cello part.

Players then descend a hill and encounter the first of the demigod game bosses, Erdtree Knight. The Erdtree Knights Theme from this scene incorporates a fast-paced violin melody with piano accompaniment and an aria vocal. The aggressive nature of this track reflects the danger of the battle taking place. The pace of the theme mirrors the high-speed attacks of the Erdtree Knight, which furthers a player’s sense of danger and the overall intensity of the scene.  You will see how the music track designer make the connection between the two pieces of different tracks here smoothly.