Elden Ring is one of the most popular released games of the year, if not the decade, and its popularity has spread around the world. In fact, it has sold over 16 million copies to date, and that number keeps growing.
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco are now expanding Elden Ring's influence through other media. Comic Walker , the Japanese site and magazine specializing in seinen, has just offered Elden Ring its own manga.
Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree
" Aseo, a poor, lackluster, finds himself thrown back into Necrolimbo, naked, penniless, hopeless, and without a servant. His only hope in his harsh and unforgiving new homeland is a mysterious woman named Melina. She encourages him to follow Lost Graces to the Erdtree which dominates the Underworld. But the road will not be easy; a string of colorful characters awaits Aseo on his way: Patches the Landless, Blaidd the Half-Wolf, Margit the Fallen, Godrick the Grafted, and of course, Ranni the Witch... With only a loincloth separating Aseo of certain death, he heads for the first stage of his quest: the Château de Vent-Hurlant. Will he make it, or will his journey end before it even begins? »
The manga is hosted on ComicWalker, where you can already read the first two chapters for free. It is directed by Nikiichi Tobita , an artist known for his comedic medieval fantasy/adventure manga, often adapted from video games. In very bold type, the manga makes sure you are well aware: "This is a comic manga". The first chapter is even called "You thought it would be serious, didn't you?".
The tone is set: the color pages are magnificent, and the drawings are clearly made with care and love, the story is indeed based on that of Elden Ring, but... We are here to laugh (something that we wouldn't necessarily expect the game, let's say).
Why a comic manga and not a Berserk like?
Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree is what is called a " gag manga ", ie the story is not necessarily 100% faithful to that of the game, but the events take place in the places that we have explored and that the characters are those that we have met.
Nobody knows why FromSoftware opted for a comic adaptation for their most popular title, when their previous games had been treated to manga or comic adaptations in the same tone of the basic material: serious, even horrifying for Bloodborne, for example. example.
However, despite the fidelity in terms of tone, these previous adaptations failed to convince the public and convey the very special feeling that one gets when playing the game, with the possible exception of the adaptation of Sekiro.
In any case, the advantage of this kind of media lies in accessibility. Players and fans of Elden Ring, like those who haven't touched the game, will be able to find themselves there and have a good time. An interesting choice, therefore, from From Software.
After long months of silence, CD Projekt Red has just announced a special episode of Night City Wire. On the program: the Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime, and the content to come on the game, whether patches or DLC, or even on the extension. Find the information available here.
