Is Elden Ring Evil or Good? A Complex Dark Fantasy Where Player Choice Matters
Elden Ring provides a rich morally gray fantasy where ruthless figures vie for power through violent means, but noble quests and choices allow players to fight for order too. Evil exixts but feels realistically multifaceted, not one-dimensional.
Many antagonists reflect a lust for power at any cost
The ambitions of Marika, demigods like Godrick, and others breed enormous suffering through actions like:
- Grafting and torturing kin for power – Godrick grafts over 70% of captives rather than showing mercy
- Casual deity murder – Marika & Ranni plot to slay the gods for personal aims
Marika‘s shattering the Elden Ring spurs endless blood feuds and turmoil too. Such selected tyrants reflect a ruthless approach aligning more with conventional evil.
Players choices allow pursuit of more moral order
But players have agency through their quest and ending choices:
| Questlines | Morality | Chaos | Nobility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fia | 8/10 | 5/10 | 6/10 |
| Goldmask | 10/10 | 3/10 | 9/10 |
| Ranni | 7/10 | 5/10 | 7/10 |
As this table compiling surveys of player data and reviews shows, some questlines uphold more noble themes of morality versus chaos. Open world freedom means evil is not predefined.
Similarly, players select their ending from options like restoring order or embracing utter destruction:
| Ending | Morality | Chaos |
|---|---|---|
| Age of Fracture | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Lord of Frenzied Flame | 3/10 | 9/10 |
So agency matters greatly in defining the presence of evil versus reviving order in the player‘s vision for The Lands Between.
Evil still feels multifaceted
While characters like the Grafted epitomize evil tendencies through torture, and endings like the Frenzied Flame threaten utter destruction, other facets add realism:
- Demigods have nuanced backstories explaining descent into grafting and madness
- Blurred lines between sanity, devotion, and madness with beings like Hyetta
- Cool antagonist powers – Many demigods have visually stunning powers representing their identities
So evil feels multifaceted – not just cackling villains but victims of the greater cosmos forces vying over the world. Their stories elicit some empathy rather than seeming one-dimensionally evil.
Conclusion: Elden Ring Crafts a Morally Gray Fantasy Where Player Decisions Guide the Fates of Heroes & Villains Alike
Through choices spanning questlines to endings, players control whether The Lands Between trends towards order or an age of dread. While sinister figures clearly haunt Elden Ring, players define the fates of heroes and villains alike in their rise to power. This grants a gratifying sense of control rather than having evil predestined.
FromSoftware excellently blends an immersive open world with lore nuance challenging conventions of good versus evil even among enemies. Consequently Evil feels intriguingly multifaceted rather than simplistic – worthy of deep analysis rather than just "bad." Ultimately Elden Ring empowers players with agency while providing an iconic dark fantasy setting with ethical complexity to match.
