Summary
Elden Ringwas a groundbreaking FromSoftware title in many ways, including being the first open-world Souslike from the developer who established the genre in the first place. As a part of this new design philosophy for an open-world Soulslike,Elden Ringintroduces mechanics that encourage exploration and challenge players to tackle trials littered throughout the Lands Between. One of the most interesting elements ofElden Ring’s open world is the presence of the Walking Mausoleums, which serve an important gameplay purpose on top of adding an imposing aspect to the environments ofElden Ring.
AlthoughElden Ringfans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, it’s likely FromSoftware is also in the process of developing their next Soulslike title. While it’s unclear if this game will beElden Ring 2,Bloodborne 2, or a completely original IP, the success ofElden Ringmeans it will likely influence whatever FromSoftware’s next project is. One aspect this next game needs to borrow fromElden Ringis the concept of the Walking Mausoleum, an enemy that acts as both a set piece and an important source of powerful upgrades.
The Walking Mausoleum is One of Elden Ring’s Most Innovative Aspects
From the first time they were shown in the game’s pre-release trailers, theWalking Mausoleumsstuck out as a core part ofElden Ring’s identity and demonstrated the grandeur of its open world. Encountering these lumbering titans in-game felt overwhelming and taking them down was almost like something out ofShadow of the Colossus. While Walking Mausoleums are innovative from a gameplay perspective, incorporating elements of combat, world traversal, and puzzle-solving into their design, they also reward players with a vital feature for players looking to obtain the best items in the game.
Walking Mausoleums can be found all across the Lands Between, but are limited in number and don’t respawn when defeated. To take them down, players will need to destroy the skull-like growths on the Walking Mausoleum to cause the behemoth to come crashing down and allow the player to access its inner sanctum. Players can offer aBoss Remembrance at the altar within the Walking Mausoleumto duplicate it, giving them access to both of the Boss Weapons that can be crafted using a Boss' specific Remembrance, though only one Remembrance can be duplicated per Walking Mausoleum and only some can duplicate Great Rune Boss Remembrances.
How the Next FromSoftware Game Could Include Its Own Walking Mausoleum
While the Walking Mausoleum is largely effective as a mechanic because ofElden Ring’s open world, both as a visual part of the game’s environment and as a reward for exploring the map, the next FromSoftware title could include a variation of this concept, regardless of if it’s an open-world or linearly-designed game. A recurring mechanic in FromSoftware Soulslikes is the ability to claim a special item from bosses that can be turned into a unique item, like the Remembrances ofElden Ring. It’s likely FromSoftware’s next game will also have a similar mechanic, which could warrant a feature like the Walking Mausoleum for duplicating these boss items.
The next FromSoftware game doesn’t need to use a Walking Mausoleum-like mechanic in this specific way, but it should still include an enemy that is designed similarly. The concept of the Walking Mausoleum being both a massive enemy players need to take down and a location that offers an important service is novel for theSoulslike genreand could be implemented in ways that don’t revolve around boss items. Perhaps a more linear Soulsike could include an NPC merchant that players need to defeat before being able to access their wares, or even locking the ability to upgrade weapons at a blacksmith behind a fight.
