The Low-Tech AI of Elden Ring

The article dissects how FromSoftware uses finite state machines, animation-driven logic, and careful enemy placement to create challenging encounters. Unlike modern AI-driven game design, Elden Ring's enemies follow deterministic patterns with limited sensing, forcing players to learn behaviors. The low-tech approach avoids resource-intensive ML models and runs efficiently on consoles. It demonstrates that good game AI prioritizes player experience and intentionality over computational sophistication, offering lessons for developers tempted by over-engineering.