Excel Masterpiece: Fan Reimagines Elden Ring with Precision

A Reddit user, brightyh360, recently shared an incredible project on the r/excel subreddit: a top-down version of Elden Ring, painstakingly recreated in Microsoft Excel. This feat of programming prowess took approximately 40 hours – 20 hours dedicated to coding and another 20 to rigorous testing and debugging. The creator proudly stated that the game was built using formulas, spreadsheets, and VBA.

The resulting Excel game boasts an impressive array of features:

• A sprawling 90,000-cell map.
• Over 60 unique weapons.
• More than 50 different enemy types.
• A comprehensive character and weapon upgrade system.
• Three distinct character classes (tank, mage, assassin), each with unique playstyles.
• 25+ armor sets to customize your character.
• Six non-player characters (NPCs) with engaging quests.
• Four different game endings to discover.

While entirely free to play, the game utilizes keyboard shortcuts for control: CTRL + WASD for movement and CTRL + E for interaction. Reddit moderators have verified the file's safety, though users are advised to proceed with caution due to the extensive use of macros.

Interestingly, the game's Erdtree has sparked comparisons to a Christmas tree, particularly given its appearance on Christmas Eve. User Independent-Design17 suggests that the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, may have served as inspiration for the in-game Erdtree. This theory is based on the visual similarity between the game's smaller Erdtrees and the Nuytsia floribunda. Furthermore, the connection deepens when considering the cultural significance of Nuytsia floribunda as a "spirit tree" in Australian Aboriginal culture, mirroring the game's depiction of catacombs at the Erdtree's roots, where souls are guided after death. The tree's vibrant colors, associated with the sunset and the journey of spirits, further strengthen this intriguing parallel.