From Software
Elden Ring DLC prepares the ultimate tribute to 'Berserk'.
The latest trailer for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree hints that the story will have similarities to a certain character from Berserk.
Elden Ring is about to open a new chapter in its market history. On June 21, Shadow of the Erdtree, the expansion that will bring players face to face with Messmer, a villain who, judging by the latest trailer, is going to be fierce. But that’s not the only tidbit of information the video revealed. Fans have not missed the numerous references to ‘Berserk’, the masterpiece of the late Kentaro Miura.
‘Berserk’ and ‘Elden Ring’ get closer and closer
The first few seconds of the trailer show Márika in her youth, weaving golden threads that seem to be the seeds of the pact she made with the gods. But she’s not just doing it anywhere. Thousands of corpses are piled on the ground, forming two huge columns with the remains of those who gave their lives to the ancient gods.
The reference is clear. Márika, as a character, follows a parallel path to what Griffith did in ‘Berserk’. The columns of corpses imprison each character in a prison of betrayal, from which they can only escape by making a pact with a higher being that completely changes their destiny. Griffith did the same with the demons; Márika, according to fan theories, made a similar gesture in front of Elden’s beast to conceive the Midlands and her future as ruler of a world that would soon descend into chaos.
The dialog in the video indicates that “seduction” and “betrayal” gave the encounter to the emergence of the golden. Reproduction in Elden Ring’s world is an ethereal thing, so Márika may have suffered a stab from those close to her after conceiving her children, one of them Messmer, hidden in the annals of history... until now.
The trailer itself emphasizes this idea in its official description: “The shadow of history can now be told. Learn the history of the Shadow Realm, the unseen land that will be revealed on June 21, 2024.″ It is known that the DLC will take us to an era before the Midlands adventure, a time jump that will shed light on many details. Those who have read Berserk will be able to smell some of the twists.
Its director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has never hidden his passion for Miura’s work. Demon’s Souls, the Dark Souls trilogy, and Bloodborne draw heavily from the manga, and references to Guts, Band of the Hawk, Casca, and Griffith are obvious. The homages are constant in their games, and all signs point to Elden Ring taking the nod one step further.