“Elden Ring,” developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, has quickly become a fan favorite for its open-world exploration, rich lore, and brutal difficulty. As with previous FromSoftware games, Elden Ring is filled with hidden secrets, quests, and Easter eggs that can enhance your gaming experience. These secrets aren’t always easy to find, but unlocking them can provide you with valuable rewards, lore insights, and even gameplay advantages.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through some of the best ways to uncover the hidden gems that Elden Ring has to offer.
1. Explore Every Nook and Cranny
The vast world of Elden Ring is packed with secrets, and one of the most important things you can do to uncover them is to explore. The game rewards curiosity, and there’s always something new to find when you venture off the beaten path.
Tips for Exploration:
- Look for hidden caves and dungeons: Many of these areas contain rare items and sometimes bosses. You can find them by following odd environmental cues like unusual rock formations or hidden pathways.
- Check out the ruins: Throughout the world, there are crumbling ruins and buildings that might seem unimportant at first, but often hold hidden loot or passageways leading to even more exciting places.
- Use the horse: When exploring, try riding your horse, Torrent. Some areas are better navigated with Torrent’s ability to jump over obstacles, and you can access new areas that may be unreachable on foot.
2. Pay Attention to NPC Quests
Elden Ring includes a variety of non-playable characters (NPCs) that offer quests, many of which will lead to hidden secrets. These quests may provide lore, powerful rewards, or even change the outcome of the game. However, some of these NPCs have complicated and non-linear questlines, so if you’re not paying attention, you might miss them.
Key NPCs and Their Quests:
- Blaidd the Half-Wolf: You’ll encounter Blaidd early on, but his questline has multiple stages. He offers insight into the game’s lore, and completing his quest rewards you with the Raging Wolf Armor Set and the Flame of Frenzy incantation.
- Ranni the Witch: Her questline is one of the most complex and rewarding. It leads to multiple hidden locations and culminates in the opportunity to acquire The Dark Moon Ring, a powerful item that opens up one of the game’s secret endings.
- Seluvis: You’ll find Seluvis at his tower in the Liurnia of the Lakes region. His quest rewards you with valuable items, but you’ll need to complete a few tasks, including acquiring certain ingredients and speaking with other NPCs.
Tip: Make sure to check your journal for any NPCs you meet, as some quests are time-sensitive and require you to revisit specific locations at certain points in the story.
3. Search for Secret Bosses and Hidden Areas
While Elden Ring is already filled with plenty of tough bosses, some of the hardest and most rewarding ones are hidden throughout the game. These bosses are not essential to completing the main story, but defeating them will reward you with powerful items, rare materials, and extra lore.
Examples of Hidden Bosses:
- Astel, Naturalborn of the Void: This boss can be found in the Lake of Rot, which is part of the secret area accessed by a hidden path. Defeating him rewards you with unique gear and significant runes.
- Malenia, Blade of Miquella: Although she’s not technically a “hidden” boss, Malenia can be quite challenging to find as she’s tucked away in a difficult-to-reach area. Defeating her grants you one of the best rewards in the game, the Unalloyed Gold Needle and access to the “Miquella’s Needle,” which is part of a secret ending quest.
- The Dragonkin Soldier of Nokstella: Found in the Nokstella, Eternal City area, this hidden boss is tough but drops valuable items.
4. Look for Illusory Walls
As with other FromSoftware games, Elden Ring is filled with illusory walls—walls that are invisible and can be passed through by hitting them. These hidden walls often lead to secret rooms that contain additional loot, NPCs, or shortcuts.
How to Find Illusory Walls:
- Listen for unusual sounds: Sometimes, you’ll hear a faint, echoing sound when near an illusory wall.
- Look for subtle clues: Illusory walls often have faint visual cues, such as a slight texture change or lighting difference. Be vigilant when approaching any area that looks like it could hide a secret.
5. Seek Out the Hidden Endings
Elden Ring features multiple endings, including secret ones that are not immediately apparent. These hidden endings are unlocked through a combination of key quests, interactions with NPCs, and completing specific tasks in the game world.
Unlocking Secret Endings:
- Ranni’s Ending: This secret ending can be unlocked by progressing through Ranni’s questline. It allows you to become the new ruler of the Lands Between.
- Age of Stars Ending: A variation of Ranni’s ending that leads to a darker, more mysterious conclusion. It requires completing her quest, including acquiring the Dark Moon Ring and defeating certain bosses.
- The Frenzied Flame Ending: To unlock this ending, you need to ally with the Frenzied Flame, which is a chaotic faction within the game. This requires a series of steps, including defeating the Malenia boss and making certain choices during the final stages of the game.
6. Experiment with the New Game Plus (NG+)
Once you’ve completed the main story of Elden Ring, you unlock New Game Plus, a mode that allows you to start the game over with your current gear, character level, and skills. This mode is where you’ll find even more hidden secrets, as many NPCs and bosses will react differently, and new areas and items become accessible.
NG+ Features to Explore:
- Harder Bosses: Many bosses have increased difficulty in NG+, often with new attacks and patterns.
- New Areas: Certain locations open up only in NG+, so playing through the game again can unlock new secrets and surprises.
- Unique Items: NG+ also offers rare items that cannot be found in the first playthrough, giving you extra motivation to replay the game.
7. Join the Community
The Elden Ring community is filled with players who share secrets, tips, and tricks for uncovering hidden areas and completing difficult quests. Joining online forums or communities can help you stay updated on the latest discoveries and easter eggs. Reddit, Discord, and game-specific forums are great places to discuss the game with other players who may have already uncovered some secrets.
Conclusion
Unlocking the hidden secrets in Elden Ring is a rewarding journey that requires patience, curiosity, and a bit of detective work. From secret bosses to hidden endings, illusory walls, and NPC quests, there’s so much more to discover beyond the main storyline. By exploring every nook and cranny, completing NPC questlines, and keeping an eye out for unusual environmental cues, you’ll uncover some of the most rewarding and mysterious aspects of this epic game. Keep your wits about you and prepare for the surprises that await!