Elden Ring is a fantasy action Role-Playing Game (RPG) that can be played single-player or online with other players. The game was developed by FromSoftware, Inc and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. Elden Ring was released on February 25, 2022. Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. For PS5, Elden Ring: Standard Edition can be had for only $59.99, and Elden Ring: Deluxe Edition, which comes with a digital artbook and OST, will set you back $79.99.
Elden Ring paired amazingly well with the BenQ X3000i gaming projector I used for this article.
I paired Elden Ring with the BenQ X3000i 4K HDR 4LED Gaming Projector for this gaming on a projector article. The X3000i is on loan to Projector Reviews to assist in writing this gaming on a projector article. I projected onto a 110-inch Screen Innovations (SI) Solo Pro 2 Unity AT Pure White 1.3 gain screen for this article.
The BenQ X3000i and BenQ TK700 both pair great with gaming consoles like the PS5.
BenQ states the X3000i was designed for use with PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Nintendo Switch. BenQ also says the X3000i 4K 4LED gaming projector is designed for cinematic immersion in gameplay with 4LED HDR-PRO™, for grand scenery in authentic colors with dynamic virtual 3D sound from various directions. In addition, the X3000i has BenQ’s CinematicColor Ultra-Reality with 100% DCI-P3 color gamut coverage. The wider the color gamut, the more colors you can see in your gaming world and movies. The X3000i’s 4LED light source brightness is rated at 3000 ANSI lumens.
Switching a gaming projector to a preset game mode typically gets you the projector's lowest input lag times.
The X3000i has dedicated game modes for FPS, RPG, and SPG modes with audio, visual, and optimized latency settings for action-packed games like Elden Ring. BenQ states the X3000i has UHD graphics with a speedy 16.67ms input lag at 60Hz and 4.16ms input lag at 240Hz when set to display 1080p. The BenQ X3000i projects a 100-inch image at 8.2 feet and a 150-inch image at 12.5 feet from the projection surface. The X3000i has all the specifications to make it a good choice for a fantasy-action RPG like Elden Ring.
This article will provide my initial impressions of playing Elden Ring with a gaming projector. Although some gamers are fully exploring and beating Elden Ring in 80+ hours, many more will find that Elden Ring is one of those RPGs that can be played for over 100 hours. The more you play, the more is learned about the game’s mechanics, character builds, and world interactions. If you are familiar with FromSoftware Inc, titles like Bloodborne, Dark Souls 2, Sekiro, and Demon Souls, your learning curve will not be as bad as mine.
I put in over 38 hours into this game just to start understanding its mechanics and how it plays on a gaming projector. I even hooked my PS5 up to my TV for over five hours and played the game for comparison against the projector. I will definitely tell you that gaming on the gaming projector was a much more immersive and, at times, frightening experience.
Some of these creatures are downright terrifying. I was more engaged, jumping in my seat, and had my kids watching as if we were playing an interactive big screen movie. But I digress; this short article would quickly turn into a long book if I tried to include all the details of the game. So instead, I will keep this article brief and hopefully provide enough information to decide if gaming on a projector with Elden Ring may be for you.
Elden Ring is an action RPG with vast, awe-inspiring landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are seamlessly connected. The character you create is “Tarnished” of no renown, guided by grace to brandish the power of the Elden Ring and become an Elden Lord in the Lands Between. You can jump on your trusty two-horned spectral steed named Torrent and explore the far reaches of the Lands Between, where you can discover new items and equipment to make your character more formidable. A wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills can be found throughout the stunning open world. Best of all, you can level up your character’s attributes to improve melee, ranged, or magical combat.
Your character will suffer many deaths until you get a hang of this challenging game.
Be forewarned, Elden Ring is a challenging game to play and master. Most standard enemies need only a handful of hits to kill you. Main bosses are even worse; some only need one to three hits to kill your character. Speaking of character death, your character drops all of their Runes (Elden Ring upgrading currency) upon their death. You get only one chance to return to the scene of your death to recover your lost Runes. If your character fails and dies again, those Runes are lost forever. It is quite a frustrating experience, but it does force you to alter your playing style to be more thought out and conservative. Game progression is a slow, torturous grind that will reward perseverance.
Elden Ring is fantastic on a gaming projector when not getting shot by arrows in the butt, forehead, and chest. Take a look at these photos above; I kept getting hit by arrows in the worst places; this game is ruthless. Elden Ring is hands down one of the most satisfying action RPGs I have played in a long time. Due to Elden Ring’s difficulty level, it is incredibly gratifying when you start mastering your combat style, boost your stats, and hone your skills.
A key feature of Elden Ring is the ability to choose and build your character as you see fit.
Gamers can choose from ten different characters: Samurai, Wretch, Prophet, Confessor, Astrologer, Bandit, Prisoner, Vagabond, Warrior, and Hero. The Samurai was my primary character with its ability to gracefully swing a Katan and fire a deadly longbow. I am going out on a limb here and stating that making a Samurai Bleed Dexterity build that wields dual Uchigatanas should be the most fun for many gamers looking to play Elden Ring. Give it a try and see if you agree.
My secondary character was the Vagabond, for when I felt like being an ironclad walking tank with a devastating two-handed sword for heavy attacks. A key feature of Elden Ring is the ability to choose and build your character as you see fit. No matter if you favor strength, agility, stealth, or magic, there is a character build you get to make to suit your style.
The experience of playing a game like Elden Ring with a gaming projector is amazing. I felt fully immersed in the open-world game as I played, thanks to the 110-inch image I projected with the X3000i gaming projector. In addition, using a projector for a game like Elden Ring made it easier to see what was happening around my character. It also made aiming my Samurai’s longbow a lot easier due to the size of the aiming reticle.
Diving into the complex dungeons and catacombs brings you into very dark and shadowy surroundings. Yellow flaming torches, fire pits, and candles are sometimes the only thing keeping you out of complete darkness. The darkness of the dungeons and the torch’s brightness in the same scene looked good, thanks to HDR. With that being said, you may find having a gaming projector with an HDR game mode helpful.
We cannot forget about the sound quality of Elden Ring when played through a gaming projector. You will want to have a decent audio system for this game. Although Elden Ring is a relatively quiet game, with just the sounds of nature and the constantly changing weather surrounding your character. However, the sounds that come with the boss fights are loud and epic. The boss fight music goes big, boldly, and brings a sense of looming doom.
The BenQ X3000i projector used for this article has dual 5-watt built-in chamber speakers with dynamic stereo enhancement powered by Bongiovi DPS technology. Nevertheless, hooking your projector up to an audio system for even bigger sound and some extra bass is always a nice bonus. Many projectors allow users to connect them to an AV Receiver via eARC/ARC HDMI ports which will take full advantage of sounds that indicate where an enemy is attacking from or cinematic music that is built into many games.
I broke out a tape measure and my characters were well over two feet tall on screen!
If you are a casual gamer or a competitive gamer, gaming on a projector with a game like Elden Ring is something that should be experienced. You cannot duplicate the gaming experience of a gaming projector projecting Elden Ring onto a massive screen; everything is bigger and better. My Samurai measured well over two feet tall. A key element of Elden Ring is the ability to dodge, duck, and roll away from incoming attacks. The better you see an incoming attack, the easier it is to avoid the sword swing or spell. Bigger is better here; you want to easily see and avoid danger.
You can ask yourself, when gaming, would you prefer a character that is only a couple of inches tall with a small aiming reticle, or would you want a 29-inch-tall character with a giant aiming reticle? Everybody has personal preferences, so your answer will tell you if gaming with a projector is for you or not.
For those of you who really love Elden Ring, there is a Collector’s Edition available and it comes with some cool additions.
Whether on your spectral steed or going at it on foot, you will feel fully immersed in the open world of Elden Ring. A high lumen, color-accurate gaming projector that delivers brilliant big-screen HDR gaming images makes the experience of gaming on a projector exhilarating. Also, a Collector’s Edition is available for those who really love Elden Ring. It comes with some fabulous additions like a statue of Malenia, a 40-page hardcover artbook, Elden Ring digital soundtrack, and an exclusive Steelbook™.
Stay tuned for more initial impressions of gaming on a projector with games like Assassin’s Creed 15th Anniversary, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, Dying Light 2, and Saints Row. Also, you all are in for a special treat. I just handed Technical Editor and Lead Reviewer Philp Jones the BenQ TK700 console gaming projector for some Gran Turismo 7 gaming sessions. So keep checking back for Philip’s gaming on a projector with Gran Turismo 7 article; you will not want to miss it.
