Eagerly awaited 'Elden Ring' game lands at downcast time

Much hyped video game Elden Ring debuts to praise from critics, offering an open world game for an audience that may want to escape from their current crisis-hit one. — Elden Ring/Bandai Namco

Hotly anticipated gaming title "Elden Ring" debuts Friday, promising an intricate world crafted in collaboration with the author of "Game of Thrones," and offering high-level escapism for a crisis-hit world.

Online forums were awash with comments by fans itching to get into the game, a wide-open virtual realm that reviews indicated could keep players exploring more than 80 hours without completing all the missions.