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To start playing Elden Ring, get the base game for your platform, choose a class for its starting gear and play style, then use your first sessions to learn movement, attacks, defense, and exploration. Your class is a starting point, not a permanent limit. You do not need Shadow of the Erdtree to begin the main game.
What kind of game is Elden Ring?
Elden Ring is a fantasy action RPG set in the Lands Between. Bandai Namco describes a broad world of landscapes and interconnected dungeons where you develop a character with weapons, magic, and skills. You can approach combat directly, use stealth, or call allies for help. That range of approaches is useful to keep in mind: the game is not asking every character to fight every enemy in the same way.
The publisher’s official game page outlines the world and its combat options. If a fight is blocking you, changing your approach or exploring elsewhere is a valid response, rather than assuming that grinding levels is the only solution.
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What should you do first?
- Choose the right platform and base game. Confirm which console or PC you will use and select a listing that includes the base game. Edition names and availability vary by region and store, so check the product contents before purchase.
- Pick a class by its opening equipment and style. Think of class choice as a way to shape the beginning, not a decision that permanently dictates your character.
- Learn the controls in the game. Spend time getting comfortable with movement, the interface, attacks, and defense. Bandai Namco’s beginner guide covers basic actions and controller settings; its button labels date from the guide’s publication period, so check the current in-game settings if they do not match your layout.
- Explore and experiment. Try different weapons, skills, and approaches as you learn what suits you. If a challenge feels overwhelming, consider another route or a different tactic before treating more levels as the sole answer.
- Use Torrent when it helps. The mount is useful for travel and field combat, especially against large enemies, but mounted play is not required for every fight. The official tips note that you can summon Torrent again after the mount falls, at the cost of a Crimson Flask.
Which class should you choose?
Choose based on the equipment and combat style you want to try early on. For example, the Samurai, Astrologer, Vagabond, and Wretch offer different starting experiences; the current class list also includes Heavy Knight and Idus Knight origins. No class is universally best for a new player, and the choice does not lock you into one eventual build. Bandai Namco’s class overview describes class as “a starting point.”
#1 Best Overall
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
If you already have a preferred way to play, use that as your guide: look for the opening equipment and style that sound appealing rather than trying to select a supposedly perfect class before you understand the game.
What to do when an enemy is too difficult
Do not assume that every difficulty wall is solved by gaining more levels. The publisher’s beginner tips recommend trying another approach or developing a different aspect of your character. Since the world supports exploration beyond an encounter, you can leave a difficult challenge and return later. That does not mean every encounter can be skipped; it means you have more than one response to a setback.
Rank #2
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
Which Elden Ring edition should you buy in 2026?
Bandai Namco lists the game for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. Its 28 August 2026 announcement says Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is available for Nintendo Switch 2 and bundles the original game with Shadow of the Erdtree. The announcement also describes new content for existing players on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC via Steam; the companion guide calls it the Tarnished Pack. Check your regional platform store for current availability and exact contents.
| What you want | What to check |
|---|---|
| Start the main game | Choose a base-game listing for your platform. The expansion is additional content, not a prerequisite for beginning. |
| Get the game and expansion together | The official store lists a Shadow of the Erdtree Edition containing the game and expansion. Confirm the regional listing’s contents. |
| Buy expansion content only | Check carefully whether the listing includes the base game; expansion-only products do not necessarily include it. |
| Play on Nintendo Switch 2 | The August 2026 announcement identifies Tarnished Edition as the Switch 2 bundle of the original game and Shadow of the Erdtree. Verify the local store listing. |
The official store offers physical and digital formats. Prices, stock, regional names, and upgrade terms can change. A 2021 Bandai Namco starter article described a free PS5 upgrade for PS4 purchases and Xbox Smart Delivery, but those purchase terms should be verified with the current platform store rather than assumed.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
![Elden Ring - Standard Edition [PlayStation 5] (German Version)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ye3mnByQL._SL160_.jpg)
- Jetzt ELDEN RING vorbestellen und Zugang zu Folgendem erhalten: Digitales Adventure Guide und Bonusgeste “Der Ring”
- Reisen Sie durch das Zwischenland – eine neue Fantasywelt aus der Feder von Hidetaka Miyazaki, dem Schöpfer der einflussreichen DARK SOULS-Videospielreihe, und George R. R. Martin, dem Autor der Fantasy-Bestsellerreihe „A Song of Ice and Fire“ (Das Lied von Eis und Feuer)
- ELDEN RING lockt mit gigantischen Fantasy-Landschaften und düsteren, komplexen Dungeons, die nahtlos ineinander übergehen
- Ein kostenloses Upgrade auf die PlayStation 5-Version wird für Spieler verfügbar sein, die ELDEN RING für die PlayStation 4 kaufen, und SmartDelivery wird auf der Xbox One und der Xbox Series X|S unterstützt
Rank #3
- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
Official beginner resources
- Beginner guide for interface, controller settings, basic actions, and combat fundamentals.
- Beginner tips for approaches to difficult encounters and using Torrent.
- Official game page for the game overview and listed platforms.
- Official store for edition and format listings.
- Tarnished Edition announcement for the dated Switch 2 bundle and new content information.
- Tarnished Pack guide for the add-on content described for existing players.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
