A dedicated Elden Ring fan has created a map detailing the best order in which to explore the open-world game's Lands Between locations.

An Elden Ring player designed a detailed map guide outlining the order in which users should explore The Lands Between. While the Elden Ring map allows players to freely explore to their heart's content, there are a few best practices that newcomers may find especially helpful. Seeking out the various map fragments serves as but one example, given that such items reveal unexplored locations. The interactive map on the Elden Ring Wiki page has also come in handy, offering indicators for the locations of boss characters, Ashes of War, armor, NPCs, and much more.

One aspect of the experience that separates FromSoftware's latest opus from other open-world games is the sense of exploration. Elden Ring's world never forces players to go in any one direction, instead allowing those who've taken up the task of the Tarnished to plan out their own path towards progress. Such freedom will undoubtedly inspire many open-world titles in the years to come, yet some still prefer to occasionally rely on an Elden Ring map guide.

Reddit user HexTheHardcoreCasual (via VG247) recently shared an Elden Ring map guide detailing the order in which newcomers should explore the Lands Between. The order is denoted by numbers 1 through 35, with the final boss constituting the map's last marked location. HexTheHardcoreCasual ordered the locales based on their "approximate difficulty and rewards," hoping to help players avoid the issue of entering new areas when over-leveled. The edited map also features a few tip markers that those who elect to use it should closely inspect. Check it out in the Reddit post linked below:

While the fan-made Elden Ring map above indicates that some of the earlier areas follow somewhat of a natural line of progression, some of the suggestions will have players bouncing around The Lands Between on occasion. Ultimately, users must decide for themselves the order of operations in terms of where to explore after exhausting one area's play space. Yet, HexTheHardcoreCasual's detailed outline still seems a good guide to follow.

Elden Ring launched earlier this year and immediately took the industry by storm. The freedom of exploration, boss battles, lore, and game design enraptured those who dove into the new world. As such, many have high hopes that FromSoftware plans on developing the Lands Between further in potential DLC releases, especially since some of Elden Ring's cut content hints at interesting gameplay mechanics and areas that were cast aside during production.

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Elden Ring is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Source: HexTheHardcoreCasual/Reddit (via VG247)