Elden Ring screenshots show mounted combat, a strange ritual, and more

A set of new Elden Ring screenshots are making the rounds after FromSoftware briefly pulled back the curtain on its hotly anticipated open-world action game.

Gamescom Opening Night Live producer and host Geoff Keighley (among others) shared the pictures earlier today, giving us a fresh look at several previously unseen elements of the game. One of the most striking images depicts an example of mounted combat - with the hero seated atop their horse, wielding a twin-bladed polearm as they face down a terrifying dragon. The waxing moon and a strange luminescent tree cast ethereal light over the nocturnal scene, lending the whole image a fantastical vibe that wouldn't be out of place in a particularly well-crafted blacklight poster.

Other images in the set show a hero rushing into combat against a giant spellcaster while dual-wielding what looks to be a rapier and some kind of wooden-hafted weapon; a collared supplicant practicing a magic ritual at an altar surrounded by human bones; and a pair of nightmarish, robotic-looking foes who have giant chained blades instead of arms. You know, the usual frightening yet beautiful FromSoftware things.

Unfortunately, the new screenshots have not been accompanied by any new public gameplay footage of Elden Ring in action, so we'll just have to imagine what all of this looks like in action. Keighley did note that Elden Ring is still "on track" for its previously announced release date of January 21, 2022.

FromSoftware has also confirmed that you'll be able to use Elden Ring fast travel from nearly anywhere on the map, and that it's not just made for "hardened veterans" of its previous games.