Elden Ring Symphonic Adventure review: A gripping showcase of the game's most exciting moments

Created by the legendary FromSoftware company responsible for games such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne, Elden Ring is an action role-playing game directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki and featuring world-building from Game of Thrones author George RR Martin.

The game takes place in the Lands Between, a region plunged into chaos due to the shattering of the mysterious Elden Ring. You, the player, are a Tarnished, an outcast who seeks to restore the Elden Ring and bring harmony to the land. On your journey, you will encounter and battle demigods, as well as explore a variety of kingdoms in your quest.

The date of the Elden Ring Symphonic Adventure was clearly well-planned as it was almost two months before the release of the new Elden Ring DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which is coming out on 21st June 2024.

The crowd was clearly feeling excited for the release of the new DLC, and two months gives plenty of time to replay Elden Ring before diving into the expanded world. As if the tension couldn't get any higher, the Symphonic Adventure began with a trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree.

And then the journey began.

Considering that much of the individual's story in Elden Ring is determined by the choices they make and no two players will experience the game in the same way, at first glance creating a narrative orchestral experience relatable to all seems like an impossible task. But make no mistake: the team behind the production more than delivered.

The Elden Ring Symphonic Adventure began as all good stories do: at the beginning. A narrator recalls the shattering of the Elden Ring and the chaos that ensued over the first cutscene of the game. All the intricate storytelling and game design are celebrated thanks to this narration and stills of the gaming landscape.

From there, the intricate story of Elden Ring is retold through the showcasing of key moments throughout the game. The narrative orchestral journey takes us through the Lands Between, mostly by way of boss battles.

From Limgrave to Liurnia to Caelid to Leyndell, we experience the Tarnished battling some of the biggest names in the game, including Malenia and the Serpent King. The intricate gameplay combined with custom camera angles and a thrilling live interpretation of the score had every audience member on the edge of their seat.

The notable focus on boss battles makes sense as these are some of the most exciting elements of Kitamura's score; however, this does mean that the Symphonic Adventure has a slightly different pace than playing the game itself, as much of the game is spent wandering through unknown lands and collecting items.

Experiencing the boss battles as a spectator rather than a player means that you can experience and appreciate the game in a whole new light. Audience members had the chance to sit back and take in the intricate gameplay and awe-inspiring soundtrack, something that's difficult to do when you're quite literally fighting for your life.

Speaking of experiencing things in a new light, the inclusion of several of the optional boss battles means that even if you’ve beaten the game multiple times, there’s still the opportunity to witness gameplay that you haven’t seen before.

Occasional commentary from characters and gameplay sounds peppered the audio, but the main focus was on the music.

So much of the beauty of Elden Ring lies in its soundtrack: great symphonic landscapes which highlight the beauty of the game itself thanks to the soaring strings, intense brass and timpani, and majestic choral arrangements.

Emboldened by the flame of ambition, conductor Adrián Ronda-Sampayo expertly led the orchestra and choir through the epic highs and emotional resonance of Yuka Kitamura's score.

This experience felt like so much more than an orchestra reading and performing the sheet music in front of them. Everything from the colour-changing lighting to the occasional gameplay sounds came together to create a truly immersive experience.

There was something so special about being among a crowd of passionate fans experiencing something they love in a brand new way. And this was clearly a show made for the fans, with nods to in-jokes popular in the Elden Ring community, with a particular highlight being the appearance of recurring FromSoftware character Patches, who "returned to his world”.

The good nature and collective experience of the audience was really shown in an unexpected moment, when a minor tech glitch got a laugh from the crowd.

It's uncertain whether or not Elden Ring: Live in Concert will come back to the UK capital again, but based on an almost sold-out double run of shows and the excited responses of the crowd, it would certainly be another smash success.

This is a must-see for Elden Ring and FromSoftware fans, but be warned: you’ll almost certainly be inspired to play Elden Ring all over again.

We've rounded up everything you need to know about the new Elden Ring mobile game rumours, as well as the release date for Shadow of the Erdtree.

Where to buy Elden Ring?

If you're feeling inspired to pick up Elden Ring from the beginning, there are plenty of retailers ready to help you out.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree UK release date

Eager fans will be happy to know that the new Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree will be hitting the shelves on 21st June 2024.

This time, players will move from the Lands Between to the Lands of Shadow, a dark place full of mystery, dungeons and brand-new enemies.

Pre-order Shadow of the Erdtree (PlayStation 5) for £69.99 £54.95 (save £15.04 or 21%) at Amazon

Pre-order Shadow of the Erdtree (Xbox Series X) for £69.99 £54.95 (save £15.04 or 21%) at Amazon

Pre-order Shadow of the Erdtree Collector's Edition (PlayStation 5) for £249.99 at GAME

For more comment pieces, check out our review of Avatar: The Last Airbender Live in Concert and Stranger Things: The First Shadow review.