An art appreciation article on Elden Ring compares the game's surreal landscapes with European paintings, exploring parallels in atmosphere, composition, and detail. The piece begins with a playful question raised by a player sharing in-game screenshots, then shifts the discussion to specific artworks.
The author cites the decaying landscapes of Polish painter Zdzisław Beksiński, Pieter Bruegel the Elder's The Triumph of Death, and the hybrid human-animal figures created by Hieronymus Bosch; the somber or mystical imagery of Goya and William Blake is also discussed.
The article also links Undead Settlement from Dark Souls III to the works of Bruegel, suggesting that Caelid in Elden Ring evokes similar imagery. The author emphasizes that these are visual comparisons, not claims that the studio directly copied the paintings.
Discussing Berserk, a manga frequently cited by players, the author suggests that both the manga's creator and the game's development team may have drawn from similar European artistic sources, noting that Hidetaka Miyazaki has openly acknowledged the manga's influence. The article concludes by reflecting on player comments about the differing levels of effort required for stylized versus realistic visuals, drawing a comparison with Half-Life 2.