A new study based on search data has led to Elden Ring being labeled the "Most Confusing Game of 2022."
According to an analysis of Google search data by broadband company Uswitch, Elden Ring sits at the top of their list of games players sought help for online. Since the game's release in February 2022, there have been almost 171,840 searches combining the title of the game with keywords such as "tips," "walkthrough," "how to play" or "explained.
The runner-ups in the study were Metroid Dread and Resident Evil Village, though neither even came close to claiming Elden Ring's crown as the year's most mystifying game. Metroid saw 53,889 searches for help, while Resident Evil had 44,760, putting Elden Ring ahead by more than three times the next most searched game. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Far Cry 6 are the last two that complete the year's top 5 most confusing games, according to Uswitch. Fall Guys, Fortnite, Luigi's Mansion 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Deathloop take up the spots 6 through 10, respectively.
What Is Elden Ring?
Elden Ring is a sweeping fantasy epic made as a collaboration between A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin and Dark Souls game director Hidetaka Miyazaki. It combines the technical and skill-based combat of past FromSoftware titles such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne with a massive and fully explorable open-world. Elden Ring is a top nominee for 2022's Game of the Year, along with God of War Ragnarök.
For those familiar with FromSoft's previous work, the cryptic and understated delivery of Elden Ring's narrative should be expected. Key pieces of the world's lore get tucked away in item descriptions, the characters that provide the player with information that inform the main story are all driven by different agendas, and many important hints are only noticed by the keenest-eyed players. Given Elden Ring's mainstream success, it should come as no surprise that many players new to FromSoft games took to Google to help them parse the arcane and esoteric world of The Lands Between.
IGN rated the game a 10/10 when it was released, with many players hailing it as one of the greatest video games of all time. More traditional FromSoft fans complained about the number of recycled or recurring bosses in the game, though still praise Elden Ring's unique main-story bosses as some of the best in FromSoft's history.
Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, Elden Ring is currently available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S/
Source: Uswitch