Of all games created by FromSoftware, Elden Ring might have left some of the strongest impressions on numerous players. From interesting NPCs and questlines to powerful and difficult boss fights, many aspects of this title are still discussed even today. Even the locales are noteworthy; an article from Famitsu details a survey in which players were asked to rank the areas in Elden Ring that left the most powerful impressions on them. While the amount of fun players had with these areas might be questionable, they were still designed well enough to stay in the minds of hundreds. With that in mind, some might be curious to know the 15 best Elden Ring areas according to players.
The Best Elden Ring Areas
These are the areas that left the greatest impressions on Elden Ring players:
- Caelid
- Limgrave
- Leyndell, Royal Capital
- Nokron, Eternal City
- Stormveil Castle
- Altus Plateau
- Lake of Rot
- Academy of Raya Lucaria
- Mohgwyn Palace
- Subterranean Shunning-Grounds
- Liurnia of the Lakes
- Miquella’s Haligtree
- Siofra River
- Volcano Manor
- Mountaintops of the Giants
1. Caelid
It’s not hard to guess why this area is the most well-known of them all. Seeing as how it’s possible to get trapped in this area early on, the rot-filled, mutated locales of Caelid are certain to leave an impression. The deadly foes encountered here are sure to drive fearful players away – or draw morbidly curious players towards certain death – in mere moments. Plus, it’s the home of Starscourge Radahn, one of the most beloved bosses in the game.
2. Limgrave
Taking the first steps out into Limgrave is perhaps a perfect start to any player’s Elden Ring experience. Though it acts as the starting area of the game, Limgrave provides an opportunity for players to truly grasp the massive scale of FromSoftware’s newest adventure. Chances are, the only reason it wasn’t ranked #1 was because most people already knew about it from official reveals, such as the official network test.
3. Leyndell, Royal Capital
Leyndell is where the golden grace of the Lands Between shines its brightest. The area acts as a massive Legacy Dungeon, containing many challenges and tough foes for players to battle. It sadly doesn’t last for the entire playthrough, so it’s no wonder that this place left such an impression on players. Anyone looking to achieve 100% completion their first time around will need to search every nook and cranny of Leyndell to make sure they didn’t miss anything.
4. Nokron, Eternal City
While Nokron contains some unique rewards that many fans adore, one of the most notable features of this location is how it introduces players to Elden Ring’s underground. While Siofra will likely be encountered first, Nokron is the player’s first true taste of the encounters underneath the Lands Between. The unique enemies and environments of Nokron set players up for even more strange, deadly encounters in future underground areas.
5. Stormveil Castle
The first Legacy Dungeon of Elden Ring, Stormveil Castle, is certainly one of the most memorable. Much like Nokron, it sets expectations for players’ future experiences in similar locations. Between the sprawling alternate paths, the dungeon’s massive size, and the mad demigod found at the end, Stormveil Castle’s status as one of the best areas in Elden Ring is hard to question.
6. Altus Plateau
While not as popular as the Legacy Dungeon found within, Altus Plateau still left a great impression on players. The golden environment and powerful foes are sure to stick with players for a long time, especially if they fought the beasts in the alternate path leading to this location.
7. Lake of Rot
Most fans of FromSoftware’s previous works might have expected a poisonous swamp in Elden Ring, but the Lake of Rot goes a little overboard with those expectations. It’s an oppressive area filled with the dangerous scarlet rot status effect, and the enemies there to hinder your journey are some of the toughest you’ll face. Players might not spend long in this area, but the sheer dread they must face when arriving to the Lake of Rot would certainly leave a lasting impression.
8. Academy of Raya Lucaria
The Academy of Raya Lucaria will likely end up as the second Legacy Dungeon encountered by players. It’s filled with unique traps and strange foes, and it happens to be the center of numerous NPC questlines. What players face here will not be found in many similar locations, but arriving to this place just after Stormveil can make the academy feel somewhat less impressive by comparison.
9. Mohgwyn Palace
Mohgwyn Palace is a secret area housing its own demigod. It’s meant to be visited at the end of the game, but it can actually be accessed very early on. Most players might not find much use out of this area the first time around, but it can also act as a player’s first taste of Elden Ring’s endgame content.
10. Subterranean Shunning-Grounds
While not exactly the prettiest area in Elden Ring, the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds are where players can find a path to an entirely new ending. The difficulty in following that path is sure to leave an impression on many players, as well as the challenges faced in reaching the Shunning-Grounds in the first place.
11. Liurnia of the Lakes
Liurnia of the Lakes is overshadowed in comparison to other areas. It’s meant to be accessed directly after Stormveil Castle, but it offers very little in the way of being unique. Sure, Liurnia is home to NPCs such as Ranni and Blaidd, and there are some other enemies that don’t appear very often in other places. But Liurnia might be remembered more for its denizens than its locales.
12. Miquella’s Haligtree
Miquella’s Haligtree is the player’s introduction to one of the toughest optional areas of the game. Travelling down this dark and branch-laden path is how you’ll find the bright lands of Elphael. The unique look of the environment is sure to leave impressions on many players, but the method of finding it in the first place might be too complicated for some.
13. Siofra River
Either by stumbling upon this area naturally or being told to enter it, you’ll discover Elden Ring’s map to be even larger than what was shown when reaching Siofra. This is when most players will first discover the underground of the Lands Between. Sadly, Siofra itself is quite small, so it’s easy to see why it didn’t leave as much of an impression on players as other locations.
14. Volcano Manor
Much like the Haligtree, Volcano Manor is an entirely optional area. Despite being a Legacy Dungeon complete with its own demigod, many players might simply have missed it on their first playthrough due to it not being required for the story. Joining the Manor is very worthwhile, however, as you’ll find many rewards that you never would have otherwise.
15. Mountaintops of the Giants
The Mountaintops of the Giants comprises some of the largest and most open areas in Elden Ring. Up to this point, however, players have encountered plenty of large and impressive areas that might have simply stuck with them more. Combine that with an area boss that players can easily cheese, and it’s plain to see why the Mountaintops of the Giants simply didn’t stick out in players’ minds as much as other areas.
Even with these rankings in mind, each player experiences Elden Ring differently. Players shouldn’t feel too left out if their favorite area didn’t make it on this list; after all, with how many places there are to explore, there were bound to be a few locations that couldn’t make the cut!
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
