More than two years have passed since the release of Elden Ring. The game was lauded for its “nearly perfect open world, crafted with an almost inhuman attention to detail,” and for FromSoftware’s ability to make every inch unique, creating an atmosphere of genuine adventure. This holds true for the new DLC as well.
Shadow of the Erdtree rivals many standalone open-world games in size, and its quality surpasses most. The local map may be smaller than the base game’s, but it is more intricately designed. Nonetheless, it’s not without its flaws | as Shadow of the Erdtree encapsulates the essence of Elden Ring, it also amplifies some of the game’s shortcomings.
The central point of contention in the DLC, as many might surmise, centers on the difficulty balance. Indeed, we revisit the familiar narrative that has worn thin for many | FromSoftware launches new content, sparking immediate online debates about the hardcore nature of their games, with calls for easier difficulty levels met by genre enthusiasts defending this as a cornerstone of the Japanese studio’s offerings. As fans ourselves, we confess to feeling a touch of fatigue with SOTE, stemming from the developers’ choice to implement a novel progression system for the expansion.
In Shadow of the Erdtree, your level and build seem inconsequential as you venture into new territories. Regardless of whether you’re at level 120 or 160, a few hits will be your undoing. The enemy vitality and inflicted damage are exaggerated to an absurd degree, surpassing that of the base game. However, you can attempt to offset this disparity by gathering new items – shards of the Tree of Decadence. These shards, dispersed across the map, endow the hero with blessings, granting permanent enhancements to resistances and attack potency. Collecting all shards should, in theory, level the playing field with the game’s strength, aiming for a balance akin to the main campaign (though in practice, it’s not quite that straightforward).
Shards present a contentious system, as they adversely impact world exploration. Neglecting them, most zones will frustrate players until they enhance their character to an acceptable level by acquiring more blessings. To play optimally and avoid prolonged boss battles, one must forgo leisurely exploration on the faithful Flow, instead using guides to collect all shards swiftly before proceeding with the game.
The rationale behind introducing shards remains obscure, as they don’t simplify boss fights. Delayed strikes, complex six-move combos, nearly endless stamina of opponents, and a barrage of magical effects that clutter one’s perception still persist. Thus, even with shards, the game remains challenging, suggesting that such a convoluted system might have been unnecessary.
Overall, it appears that the DLC designers crafted the majority of the add-on’s battles with the expectation that players would utilize summoned spirits or engage in multiplayer. The release of Elden Ring sparked much debate over the “nobility” of using assistants. However, Shadow of the Erdtree resolves this debate. Playing as intended, employing all available tools from spirits to crafting items, transforms the game | frustration diminishes and one can better appreciate the grand battles with mighty demigods, as there are opportunities to pause and evaluate the situation. Among these, the battle with Messmer the Impaler, featured on the cover of Shadow of the Erdtree, stands out as particularly remarkable in FromSoftware’s collection.
Yet, the prevailing trend in FromSoftware’s recent titles is perplexing—a relentless escalation in difficulty. It seems Miyazaki, having witnessed people playing his games with unconventional controllers, has escalated the “arms race,” endowing his virtual beings with increasingly nefarious techniques to more severely punish the crafty players. Ultimately, most ordinary players may fall behind in this race, leaving only a select few with extraordinary resilience to relish the future “souls” games.
Revisiting the positives, I’d like to commend the expansive world of Shadow of the Erdtree once more. Such a map is unparalleled | vast, diverse in fantasy biomes, each with a distinct ambiance, and brimming with a staggering array of content and secrets. The world of SOTE’s most remarkable feature is its verticality | its various zones are stacked atop one another like layers in a waffle cake, compelling the player to seek out ingeniously designed, non-linear transitions between regions. For instance, entering a dungeon at one point, you might discover up to four downward elevators, descend, and emerge in a vast valley dotted with multiple castles and bosses, previously viewed from a hilltop elsewhere. The journey’s unpredictability fosters an exhilarating sense of discovery absent in other games of its ilk.
Despite the add-on’s strengths, Shadow of the Erdtree isn’t an essential experience. If you’ve had your fill of Elden Ring, the DLC can wait | it offers more quality content but doesn’t alter the core game. Claims like “Without SOTE, you haven’t experienced Elden Ring” are unfounded, unlike the case with The Old Hunters for Bloodborne or the Dark Souls 2 DLCs. However, this isn’t a drawback but a testament to Elden Ring being a well-rounded game that didn’t require significant overhauls, making the add-on exactly that—an enhancement, not a necessity for the game’s integrity.
