Elden Ring Masterpiece Reborn in Excel's Digital Realm

A Reddit user, brightyh360, shared an incredible project on the r/excel subreddit: a top-down Elden Ring recreation built entirely within Microsoft Excel. This monumental undertaking consumed approximately 40 hours – 20 for coding and another 20 for rigorous testing and debugging. The creator proudly declared the effort worthwhile, given the impressive final product.

This Excel-based game boasts an astonishing level of detail:

• A sprawling 90,000-cell map
• Over 60 weapons
• 50+ enemy types
• Character and weapon upgrade systems
• Three distinct character classes (tank, mage, assassin) with unique playstyles
• More than 25 armor sets
• Six NPCs, each with their own quests
• Four different game endings

While completely free to play, controlling the game requires keyboard shortcuts: CTRL + WASD for movement and CTRL + E for interactions. Reddit moderators have verified the file's safety, though users are advised to exercise caution due to the extensive use of macros.

Interestingly, the game's Erd Tree sparked a festive comparison to a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. User Independent-Design17 suggested the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, may have served as inspiration. They highlighted the striking visual similarity between the game's smaller Erd Trees and the Nuytsia. Furthermore, deeper thematic parallels exist: the catacombs at the base of Elden Ring's Erd Tree, where souls rest, mirror the Aboriginal Australian cultural view of the Nuytsia as a "spirit tree," its vibrant colors associated with the sunset, the supposed journey of spirits, and each flowering branch representing a departed soul.