Small Details You Missed In The Elden Ring Trailer

On June 10, 2021, after years of waiting and a general lack of news, gamers finally got their first glimpse of a substantial section of gameplay from "Elden Ring." This preview also came along with the game's official release date: January 21, 2022.

The new trailer was released at the end of the Summer Game Fest 2021 kickoff livestream and promptly set the gaming community into a frenzy. Fans finally got to see portions of the game's open world in action, meet some of their future foes, and get a taste of the lore that "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin has was hired to dream up for the game. Right off the bat, fans found plenty to appreciate, including a new larger-than-life female antagonist that may unseat Lady Dimitrescu as the new love of the internet.

While there was a lot to appreciate in the "Elden Ring" gameplay trailer right on the surface, this is a FromSoftware production, which means that there were also tons of references and hints hidden in the preview for fans to find. Here are the small details you may have missed in the "Elden Ring" trailer.

Gamers have known for a while that "Elden Ring" would present a much more expansive world than FromSoftware's famous "Dark Souls" series, complete with an open-world design and better opportunities for dynamic exploration. A larger world would naturally require better traversal mechanics, so the inclusion of a mount such as a horse was also expected.

However, few, if any, gamers were prepared for just how nimble their new equestrian friends would be – in the air. Not only do gamers get to see a horse hit some sort of magical launchpad and ascend vertically up a cliff face, but during a confrontation with a dragon, the player's mount appears to perform a second jump in midair. A classic double jump, some fans on Reddit have even said.

While the double jump ability has yet to be confirmed by FromSoftware, it does at least appear that the developers aren't letting player expectations (or physics) limit the ability of the game's mounts. Considering the fact that the game also prominently features multi-story lightning-wielding dragons, maybe an acrobatic horse will be just what players need to make it to the end.

Diehard FromSoftware fans are likely aware that "Berserk," a landmark manga and anime series depicting an ominous medieval fantasy world, has been a major influence on the studio's games. Fans have been compiling these references on Reddit for years, and one modder even took it into their own hands to make the connection official by adding the main character of "Berserk," Guts, to "Dark Souls."

It looks like "Elden Ring" is continuing to honor the revered manga, as fans on Reddit have already begun pointing out possible references and callbacks to the series. While fans identified some of those references from earlier promotional materials, such as the winged helmet glimpsed in the very first trailer, a few apparent Easter eggs were also identified on Twitter in the new trailer.

The first is seen in the giant golden tree that stretches out above the world, which appears similar to the World Spiral Tree from "Berserk." Next, fans spotted an ominous dark warrior who looks very similar to the Berserker armor that takes over Guts' personality in "Berserk." Finally, a figure intently studying some sort of documents has drawn comparisons to the Skull Knight from the manga.

Admittedly, some of those references, such as the World Spiral Tree, are inspired by mythology that predates "Berserk." However, the consistency of these references over the years make a convincing case for the manga's continued influence on FromSoftware's games.

Of course, there is more to "Elden Ring" than hypothetical flying horses and manga references. The new trailer did, after all, feature the first actual gameplay that fans have had a chance to see. While there is a lot that happens quite quickly, fans can glean some potential gameplay mechanics, choices, and opportunities from those brief glimpses.

First off, the trailer seemingly shows off multiple different player characters, each with different possible play styles. At least three distinct builds appear in the trailer, one warrior-like figure with bulky armor, a more nimble-looking blindfolded character, and one that seems more focused on ranged attacks. Fans on Reddit have found evidence that stealth could be a possibility in the game, which may open up new styles of combat not seen before in a FromSoftware title.

Also visible in the trailer is the power to summon allies to help in brutal battles. Also summonable, it seems, is your character's trusty, possibly airborne horse companion.