FromSoftware titles are renowned for their striking opening sequences. The initial Undead Asylum in Dark Souls sets a high bar, plunging players into a captivating world. Dark Souls 2 follows suit with the memorable Majula reveal. With Elden Ring, FromSoftware continues this tradition with a grand opening.
Players in Elden Ring face a challenging boss battle, only to awaken in a mysterious cavern. As they navigate through this environment, mastering combat basics, a monumental door opens, unveiling the vast expanse of Elden Ring's open world. This pivotal moment, known for its impact, almost took a different turn, as revealed by a recent datamine.
Deciphering Elden Ring's Alternate Beginning
A dataminer named Sekiro Dubi recently shared a video titled "Elden Ring - New Melina and Torrent Cutscene Restored," unearthing an alternate version of the game's opening sequence. This discovery includes unused dialogue, offering a fresh perspective on Elden Ring's inception. Notably, the datamine suggests that Elden Ring's opening was initially planned to unfold on a beach instead of within a Limgrave cave.
In the finalized version of Elden Ring, players find themselves in a dark cavern after facing defeat. A cinematic introduction introduces characters Melina and Torrent in a compelling manner. However, the datamined footage by Sekiro Dubi portrays the player-character landing on a beach near the Seaside Ruins, encountering Melina and Torrent in this unique setting.
By correlating Elden Ring's cutscene file names with locations from the game's network test version, Sekiro Dubi uncovered this beach scenario. The dataminer explains the significance of file naming conventions, shedding light on the game's development process.
Exploring Dialogue Variances
Comparing the dialogue from the datamined version to the final release reveals intriguing disparities. Melina's lines in the datamined sequence emphasize the concept of a chosen one, diverging slightly from the narrative in the official opening. These subtle differences in dialogue offer players a glimpse into alternate storylines and thematic interpretations.
The dialogue nuances between versions hint at diverging narrative paths and underlying lore elements. This comparison showcases the intricate storytelling techniques employed by FromSoftware, adding depth to Elden Ring's narrative landscape.