Elden Ring is a huge game with many areas to explore. While you may start the game in Limgrave, you are free to explore different parts of the world, such as Caelid, Liurnia, and more.
8 Most Challenging Areas of Soul Love
Here are the most challenging areas in the Soulslike genre.
Of course, each of these regions or biomes comes with its fair share of difficulties. Some areas have very difficult enemies, while others feature difficult terrain that makes it difficult to traverse. Don’t start us in the river Siofra and the winds that can blow you up with their bows.
Knowing which of these regions in the Elden Ring is the best to explore may help you plan your route when you start the game.
15
The Abyssal Woods
Instant Kill
Deep beneath most of what you’ll see in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC are the Abyssal Woods. This is the home of madness, and where you will find the Lord of the Burning Flame – if you decide to go looking for Midra, that is.
This region inspires fear. It’s dark, it’s humid. It gives you a sense of danger lurking around every corner. That’s something FromSoftware has mastered when creating the level.
Unfortunately, the Abyssal Woods is like the Blightown of the Elden Ring. This region is easy to get lost in, has a lot of tough enemies, and Winter Lanterns that will kill you quickly if you let them see you. It’s not the most fun region to explore most of the time.
14
Ainsel River
Red rot
There are several underground regions to explore in the Elden Ring, one of the first being the Siofra River. Later in the game, you’ll come across the Ainsel River – the second major river flowing beneath the Lands Between.
Although the Ainsel River may seem like a good place at first, this changes quickly as you go deeper underground, as you will soon find yourself in the Lake of Rot, an unforgiving place covered in Scarlet Rot that will quickly drain your life if you contract, guaranteed without the right equipment.
This huge underground pool can spell the end of your run if you’re not careful, and to make matters worse, many enemies are hiding within the noxious smoke.
13
Root Depth
Lack of Things
Another place hidden in the depths of the Lands Between is the Deeproot Depths – a place that is not easily accessible, but offers great views.
The main reason you came here is to complete Fia’s questline, which ends with you fighting her champion in one of the game’s most unglamorous boss battles. After that, however, you get to go up against the Lichdragon Fortissax, which is one of the easiest warrior dragons to fight.
Overall, this area doesn’t have a ton to do, with a few boss fights and things you can frankly ignore unless you have a specific plot in mind. It’s much better than Ainsel River because you don’t have to worry about dying from Scarlet Rot twenty times.
12
Caelid
The Red Hell
The Caelid is one of those places you don’t want to accidentally fall into because it will be your easy death. You have to come prepared to this place, or you will have the worst time imaginable.
This is due to the many powerful enemies that roam the region, as well as the many natural hazards. Fortunately, this location helps by being home to some very memorable bosses, such as Commander O’Niel, Greyll, and Radahn.
Caelid is often referred to by the Souls community as the true Hell in the Elden Ring, and for good reason. It is very difficult to live in this region, and almost everything will kill you. There are traps, Scarlet Rot, giant dogs, many dungeons, and much more. You won’t find rest here, but that also means you’ll be constantly on the move and searching for your next Place of Grace.
Elden Ring: 10 Ways to Make Your Second Playthrough Different
Want to spice things up the next time you play Elden Ring? Here are 10 fun ways to make your next game different.
11
Jagged Peak
You are shocked, Bayle!
Jagged Peak is one of several regions in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and is possibly the most cinematic region in the entire Elden Ring. As you go to the top of this mountain, the lightning cracks, the wind howls, and you see a lot of dead dragons.
It’s amazing how cinematic FromSoftware was able to make this region of the game. Finally, you get to fight Bayle – the great dragon, and the epic battle in the Elden Ring.
Unfortunately, the reason this region is so low on the list is that it’s a one-note song. You see dragons, have a cool boss battle, and that’s it. There isn’t much to it, which makes it a little lacking compared to the amount of testing available in other regions.
10
The collapsing Farum Azula
Many Dragons
Dragons play a big role in the Elden Ring, appearing in many places throughout the game, but Crumbling Farum Azula is where you’ll find some of the best dragon battles. Of course, they are not as cinematic as the Bayle fight, but they come close.
Similar to Jagged Peak, this area is very cinematic, with a huge storm surrounding you at all times. Floating debris and crumbling buildings dot the sky, and it’s an amazing sight. Along with this, dragons encourage a wonderful experience, you need to avoid lightning sometimes.
Unfortunately, this area also feels more annoying than most, as you are expected to make a platform and avoid many difficult enemies. This makes it less exciting than other regions in the game.
9
Limgrave
A Basic Beginning
Limgrave is the first county you find yourself in whenever you wake up in the Midlands. It is here that you begin your long journey to become an Elden Lord.
Apart from this, the region feels empty. It’s a good place to start, with a small lake, some mines, and your basic needs. There are a few secrets to be found here, but they aren’t as big as some of the secrets hidden in later parts of the game.
While there’s nothing wrong with Limgrave, it’s just not outstanding enough to make it to the top of this list. Still, it’s better than the other regions in the game, especially since there’s a large castle to explore in the northern part of the region.
8
The Cerulean Coast
The Beautiful Sea
The Cerulean Coast is my personal favorite location in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, and this is because of the beautiful blue flowers you see everywhere. This, combined with floating tombs and mausoleum-like structures, brings a rugged beauty to the beach.
Of course, it’s easy to see that there isn’t as much to see on the Cerulean coast as there are other parts of the DLC, which puts it a bit further down the list. Apart from this, it is home to some of the best things, a huge dungeon that leads to the Putrescent Knight, and amazing views that you don’t see in other regions.
This region is one that feels like it should be a lot bigger than it is, and in the future, it would be nice to see FromSoftware explore making more regions with beautiful coastal views.
Top 10 Soul Masters of Many Categories, Ranked
FroomSoftware is brilliant at making you believe you’ve finally won when, in fact, the worst is yet to come.
7
Gravesite Plain
The Second Beginning
If you dare to enter the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, you are brought to the Gravesite Plain for the first time. This is another basic starting point in Elden Ring that introduces you to the DLC and helps you learn some of the missions.
Of course, the second is usually better than the first, and Gravesite Plain is more desirable than Limgrave. This is due to the large open world that stretches out in front of you, inviting you to run across the fields and find hidden secrets in the nearby forest, or try to take down a huge pyre enemy beyond your first ruins.
This region includes two large castles, one is the home of Rellana, and the other is the home of the Divine Dancing Lion boss. With so much to explore, it’s hard not to think of this region as one of the best places to start.
6
Liurnia of the Lakes
Magic Lake
Liurnia is usually the third or fourth region you’ll find in the Elden Ring, as you’ll usually make your way there after moving on to Stormveil Castle in Limgrave. Of course, you can always take a shortcut and take a quick trip to Liurnia – something I do quite often.
This region is wide, and has the huge center of Raya Lucaria located in the middle of the lake, giving you a nice central structure that can be viewed from many parts of the map.
One of the main reasons Liurnia stands out, however, is that it’s where the game starts to feel more open. It’s your entrance to the Altus Plateau, which contains many hidden secrets – with treacherous walls, giant crystal caves, and towers that can teleport you – and it’s where you go on many quests. Additionally, the circuit is well balanced for those who run here early or take their time.
