Today, I want to talk about the latest buzz in the gaming world – Elden Ring’s new DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Let me tell you, FromSoftware has done it again! Oh, and be assured this post is spoiler free.
First off, can we just take a moment to appreciate how stunning this DLC looks? The new areas are absolutely breathtaking. From beautiful, flower-covered grasslands to grand, dark looming castles, every location is a feast for the eyes. I nearly found myself stopping mid-battle just to take in the scenery (which, let’s be honest, is not the reason why I have gotten killed over and over again).
Now, let’s talk about the size of this thing. Shadow of the Erdtree is HUGE. I’m talking easily 40-50 hours of content, and that’s if you’re rushing through – because I die a lot and have to redo sections multiple times and it will take me way longer. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, secrets to uncover, and lore to piece together. It’s like a whole new game within the game. The Land of Shadow is so vertical that going from A to nearby B (where nearby means nearby on the map) will send you on a discovery of so many new places, that you easily can forget where you wanted to go in the first place.
But here’s the kicker – it’s tough. Like, really tough. I thought I was hot stuff after beating the base game, but Shadow of the Erdtree has humbled me big time. The new bosses are on another level. Some would even say unfair or over the top and if you are just a casual player (like me) things can get quite frustrating. The difficulty isn’t just in the boss fights, though. Even regular enemies pack a serious punch. I’ve found myself having to rethink my entire playstyle and really pay attention to my surroundings. It’s frustrating at times, but man, is it satisfying when you finally overcome a challenge. Actually I’m switching weapons more often then ever, depending on the current situation. Luckily the brute-force-approach is still working very well, but man, the more imposing enemies prove to be quite resilient, requiring significant effort to stagger or knock off balance. So you may take out the big bonkers to ease things out.
One thing I really appreciate is how the DLC expands on the lore. Without spoiling anything, there are quite some revelations that shed new light on the events of the main game – friends of the horse lover will know what I mean.
Among the very exciting additions in Shadow of the Erdtree is the introduction of eight new weapon categories. FromSoftware has really outdone themselves here, giving us even more ways to customize our game experience. It’s got me itching to start a new playthrough and bring the new toys to the main game just to see how they will perform on some of the “old” major bosses.
Not to forget mentioning is the new leveling system. Shadow of the Erdtree introduces a unique system of upgrades that adds an interesting twist to gameplay. These enhancements only take effect within the Land of Shadow, do not carry over to the base game and are totally optional. Yep, for all you masochists out there, feel free to ignore them and keep bashing your head against that brick wall of difficulty. For the rest of us mere mortals, they’re a godsend and life insurance in one.
Now, I have to address a frustrating hiccup I encountered. There’s this nice weapon called the Black Steel Greathammer that I’ve been dying to try out. It’s supposed to be a reward for defeating a certain enemy right at the beginning. However, due to what I would call a bug in the game on PS5, I haven’t been able to get my hands on it. Seems as if your game had to be online and updated to calibration 1.12.1 before you killed that guy. For players like me who hadn’t done that, it will not be available before the next playthrough. Come on FromSoftware, do something about that issue.
All in all, Shadow of the Erdtree is everything I hoped for in an Elden Ring DLC and more. It’s beautiful, challenging, massive, and yes, brutally difficult. One of the drawbacks might be the fact, that some areas are really vast, but you will only rarely find any loot – a little more stuff to discover there would be nice. Yes, not everything is perfect, but what is? You get a DLC worth plenty hours of playing and with all the new additions the base game begs be explored again with all the new toys at hand. After all, for those willing to put in the time and effort, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.
So, fellow Tarnished, are you ready to dive back into the Lands Between? Trust me, it’s worth every frustrating, awe-inspiring moment. Happy gaming, and don’t you dare go hollow!
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