The Souls series has always thrived on its intriguing beginnings and darkly poetic narrative arcs, and FromSoftware's Elden Ring is no exception. As players uncover the layers of this enigmatic world, it's fascinating to ponder the 'what ifs' — especially when it comes to how the game might have kicked off your journey through the Lands Between.
Elden Ring's opening sequence could have been quite different, as recent findings by data miner Sekiro Dubi have revealed. The original starting point after your formidable encounter with the Grafted Scion was not the Stranded Graveyard as we know it, but a seemingly more logical beach in Limgrave, casting the player ashore after a presumed deathly fall into the ocean. This alternate location, while more realistic, diverged significantly from what was ultimately chosen.
Despite this discovery, there seems to be a collective appreciation for the opening that made it into the final version. The final spawn point, within the confines of an inland cavern, serves several distinct purposes. It orients players within a controlled environment, subtly guiding them toward the critical mechanics of the game and leading up to a memorable and breathtaking introduction to the vast expanse of Limgrave. This, combined with the game's penchant for enigmatic storytelling, makes the current starting location a fitting beginning.
What's more, the Stranded Graveyard's emergence into Limgrave offers a seminal moment for gamers — one marked with awe and potential. Starting on an open beach might have likely led to confusion and diluted the profound impact of the game's introduction. In this sense, the decision by FromSoftware to change the starting location might have been a calculated move to preserve the game's allure and imbue it with a sense of mystery and guidance for newcomers.
In conclusion, Elden Ring's alternate beachside starting point offers an intriguing glimpse into the game's development process, but the Stranded Graveyard opening seems to be more in line with the atmospheric storytelling gamers have come to expect from FromSoftware. In the balance of logic and surrealism, Elden Ring tips towards the latter, proving that sometimes, the path less traveled — or, in this case, not traveled at al l — makes for a richer journey.