Excel Artist Recreates Epic Elden Ring World

A Reddit user, brightyh360, 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 for coding and another 20 for rigorous testing and debugging. The creator proudly stated the result was well worth the extensive effort.

This impressive Excel game boasts:

• A sprawling 90,000-cell map;
• Over 60 different weapons;
• 50+ unique enemies;
• A fully functional character and weapon upgrade system;
• Three distinct character classes (tank, mage, assassin) with varied playstyles;
• More than 25 armor sets;
• Six non-player characters (NPCs) with engaging 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 significant number of macros.

Interestingly, the game's Erdtree has sparked comparisons to a Christmas tree, especially around the Christmas holiday. User Independent-Design17 suggests the Australian Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda, may have served as inspiration. The resemblance between the in-game Small Erdtrees and this real-world tree is striking. Further parallels exist in cultural interpretations; the catacombs at the base of the Erdtree in Elden Ring, where souls are guided, mirror the Aboriginal Australian view of Nuytsia as a "spirit tree," its vibrant colors associated with the sunset and the journey of spirits, each branch representing a departed soul.