The short verdict
Elden Ring nails the feeling Skyrim made famous — see a strange tower on the horizon, ride to it, find something nobody told you about. It wraps that open-world wonder in FromSoftware's demanding combat, so the power curve is earned rather than given. It is the best pick for Skyrim players who wish the fights mattered more.
Elden Ring and Skyrim at a glance
| Elden Ring | Skyrim SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Steam rating | 93% · Very Positive Steam | 92% · Very Positive Steam |
| Metacritic | 94 MC | 74 MC |
| Critics (OpenCritic) | 95 · Mighty OC | 81 · Strong OC |
| Platforms | PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 |
| Steam Deck | Steam Deck Verified | Steam Deck Verified |
| Mods on Nexus | 7,863 Nexus | 141,888 Nexus |
| Steam release | Feb 24, 2022 | Oct 27, 2016 |
| Developer | FromSoftware, Inc. | Bethesda Game Studios |
| Co-op | Online | None (single-player) |
| Perspective | Third-person | First & third-person |
Ratings, dates, developers, co-op modes and Steam Deck status from the official Steam store; critic scores and platforms from OpenCritic; mod counts from Nexus Mods. Refreshed automatically.
What feels like Skyrim
- A huge open world where almost anything you can see, you can reach.
- Free-form builds: mix sorcery, incantations, heavy armor and stealth however you like.
- Optional caves, catacombs and ruins scattered everywhere off the beaten path.
What is different
- Third-person Souls-style combat — punishing, pattern-based and boss-driven.
- No quest log in the traditional sense; NPC storylines are easy to miss.
- Progress saves at checkpoints (Sites of Grace); dying costs you your carried runes.
- The story is told through environment and item text rather than dialogue-heavy quests.
Skip Elden Ring if…
You want towns, shops, houses and factions to role-play a citizen of the world.
Is Elden Ring a good alternative to Skyrim?
On our five-trait comparison, Elden Ring scores 60% similar to Skyrim(close) and ranks #2 of 13 on ouralternative Skyrim list. A huge open world where almost anything you can see, you can reach. The biggest adjustment for Skyrim players: third-person Souls-style combat — punishing, pattern-based and boss-driven.
Elden Ring trailers & video reviews
Official trailer
Video reviewWhat critics say about Elden Ring
- Critics recommend
- 97%
- OpenCritic rating
- Mighty
- Top critic reviews
- 139
Source: OpenCritic · verified October 14, 2026
- PC Gamer90/100
“An open world action RPG from FromSoftware that reaches new heights, but spends too much time in the familiar.”
Tyler ColpFeb 23, 2022
Read the full review - IGN10/10
“Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path.”
Mitchell SaltzmanFeb 23, 2022
Read the full review - EurogamerEssential
“Grandiose, mysterious, but now a touch more welcoming, Elden Ring tweaks the FromSoft formula to open up its world.”
Aoife WilsonFeb 23, 2022
Read the full review - Rock, Paper, ShotgunUnscored
“Elden Ring is an action-RPG with an open world that's not only incredibly rich, but encouraging too. This game will be the talk of the Blighttown for years to come.”
Ed ThornFeb 23, 2022
Read the full review - GameSpot10/10
“From Software's latest is a masterpiece of open-world design that places exploration and player agency at the heart of the experience.”
Tamoor HussainMar 16, 2022
Read the full review - GamesRadar+5/5 stars
“Elden Ring is both a refinement and evolution of the Dark Souls formula, presenting an expansive world that's as hostile as it is inviting. Despite the occasional excess, suffering has never been as much fun as this.”
Joel FraneyFeb 23, 2022
Read the full review
Excerpts and scores as published by each outlet for Elden Ring, collected via OpenCritic OpenCritic.
Where to play Elden Ring — price, Steam Deck & players
Steam Deck & PC
Steam Deck Verified
Windows · Controller: full support
Valve compatibility rating Steam
How long is Elden Ring?
Playtimes vary hugely with how much you explore. See community-submitted completion times on HowLongToBeat.
Elden Ring PC system requirements
Minimum
- OS
- Windows 10
- Processor
- INTEL CORE I5-8400 or AMD RYZEN 3 3300X
- Memory
- 12 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD RADEON RX 580 4 GB
- DirectX
- Version 12
- Storage
- 60 GB available space
- Sound Card
- Windows Compatible Audio Device
Recommended
- OS
- Windows 10/11
- Processor
- INTEL CORE I7-8700K or AMD RYZEN 5 3600X
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 8 GB or AMD RADEON RX VEGA 56 8 GB
- DirectX
- Version 12
- Storage
- 60 GB available space
- Sound Card
- Windows Compatible Audio Device
From the official Steam store page · verified October 14, 2026
Latest official Elden Ring news
STARSCOURGE RADAHN JOINS THE ELDEN RING FIGUARTS MINI SERIES
The roar of the Red Lion echoes to the heavens. He built his might out of love and loyalty, an unstoppable force that bade the stars to halt at the cry of a true champion. And in the Wailing Dunes, the loyalty he shared…
New Elden Ring Mini Replicas Arrive: Malenia, Messmer & Wylder
Tarnished, collectors, and champions of the Lands Between, we're excited to unveil a new lineup of premium 1/3 Scale Mini Replicas inspired by some of the most iconic designs from the Elden Ring universe and crafted by…
ELDEN RING - Community Quests
In celebration of the recently released ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch and the Tarnished Pack available, we encourage all Tarnished to return to the lands between and rise together in shared quests to…
ELDEN RING - Tarnished Pack DLC is available now
Go forth, Tarnished, and claim the Elden Throne. [img src=" The ELDEN RING Tarnished Pack grants additional content including 2 new starting classes, new armor, and a new Torrent appearance customization feature which…
Official announcements from the developer’s Steam news hub, updated automatically.
Elden Ring mods & community
Community links are fan-run spaces; opinions there are players’ own, not ours.
Community
What Skyrim players say about Elden Ring
Reviews from players on this site, answering the questions Skyrim fans actually ask. Published instantly, moderated afterwards.
No player reviews yet
Played Elden Ring? Be the first Skyrim fan to tell others whether it scratches the itch.
Elden Ring FAQ
Is Elden Ring like Skyrim?
Partly — we rate it 60% similar to Skyrim. A huge open world where almost anything you can see, you can reach. The biggest difference: third-person Souls-style combat — punishing, pattern-based and boss-driven.
Is Elden Ring on PS5 or Xbox?
Yes. Besides PC, OpenCritic lists Elden Ring on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4.
Does Elden Ring work on Steam Deck?
Valve rates it Steam Deck Verified, according to its Steam store page.
Does Elden Ring have co-op?
Yes — its Steam store page lists online co-op. Skyrim itself has no official co-op.
Does Elden Ring have mods?
Yes. Nexus Mods hosts 7,863 mods for Elden Ring, downloaded 62,457,028 times.
Is Elden Ring worth playing?
critics give it a Top Critic Average of 95 on OpenCritic (97% recommend it), and Steam players rate it 93% positive (“Very Positive”) from 1,158,756 reviews. Skip it if: you want towns, shops, houses and factions to role-play a citizen of the world.
How long does it take to beat Elden Ring?
It depends heavily on how much side content you do. See community-reported completion times on HowLongToBeat.
