Summary
In the last days beforeElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreecame out, I was preparing myself for disappointment. I loved the base game. I’d invested over 200 hours in it, perfecting myElden Ringsorcery build, and finding as many secrets, dungeons, and optional bosses as I could. I knew absolutely nothing could match the thrill of beatingMargitfor the first time, or finishing my first catacomb, or discovering my first illusory wall. I knew concessions would be made toShadow of the Erdtree’s map- I knew it’d be smaller and shorter. I knew it’d never live up to the original.
But I’m willing to admit that I was wrong. From the moment I started playingElden Ring’s DLC, I could tell my experience wasn’t diminished, or in any way less-than. It didn’t feel like a reunion with an old friend - it was a brand-new experience, unlike any game I had played before. I was hooked instantly, and the experience proved to me that, as many Soulslikes as I’ve played in the interim, the genre still holds infinite potential for innovation.
How Elden Ring Reignited My Love Of Soulslikes
…And Then Made Me Jaded
I like to think ofElden Ringas the title that reintroduced me toFromSoft’s Soulsborne games. I had playedDark Souls 2around the time it came out, but never actually finished it, and had mostly ignored the genre since then. ButElden Ring’s release was the perfect convergence of factors to rekindle my interest. I had time to kill, and two friends with more experience in the genre who I knew would be interested in co-op. So I figured, why not give it a shot?
What followed was a total obsession with all thingsElden Ring. I scoured every inch of the Lands Between. I kept a journal with detailed notes on the characters, quests, and lore. I was the first, and to date, am still the only member of my initial play group to beat the game. From there, I went back and played (almost) every other FromSoft game available on modern consoles: all threeDark Souls,Bloodborne,Sekiro. And from there,I played every Soulslike I could get my hands on:Lies of P,Nioh,Another Crab’s Treasure.
By the time I was finished with my Soulslike binge,I began to believe I’d seen everything the genre had to offer. I’d seen its combat mechanics developed with more flexible skill systems. I’d seen Soulslike combat tied to different methods of storytelling. I could identify the places where games in the genre intersected, where they took inspiration from each other, where they blazed new trails. As I ran out of Soulslike games on my backlog, I was a little bit fed up with it all. I was ready to move on.
Elden Ring DLC Revives A Key FromSoft Feature That’s Perfect For The Next Souls Game
Shadow of the Erdtree adds plenty of new mechanics to Elden Ring and has taken a page from Sekiro’s book, which it could use for the next souls game.
Even so,I always knew I’d playElden Ring’s DLC, one way or another. I had enjoyed my time with it so thoroughly that to skip its final chapter would feel tantamount to leaving it incomplete. But I was mentally prepared for it to hit all the same beats, replay all the same hits, and ultimately, be no different from its base game and the other Soulsborne games I had played. Boy, was I wrong.
Elden Ring’s DLC Flipped Everything I Thought I Knew On Its Head
How Shadow Of The Erdtree Continues To Amaze Me
From its very first moments,Shadow of the Erdtreetaught me I still had a lot to learn about Soulsborne games, and FromSoft was here to teach me. I entered the DLC without hesitation, but what I saw left me almost instantly floored. I emerged from that starting valley to a full view of the majestic and terrible Scadutree, and almost fell to my proverbial knees at the scale and beauty of what I saw before me. I was immediately consumed with a desire to delve into all the ruined buildings, challenge all the enemies, find all the items I could see from that elevated perch. The feeling was overwhelming. Even with all my experience, I felt as though I had just taken my first steps intoLimgrave.
FromSoft developers seem to be very skilled at putting themselves in the player’s shoes, in a way that imitators can never hope to match. There’s plenty of that in the base game, butShadow of the Erdtreehas the benefit of two years' worth of direct player feedback behind it. It was as thoughElden Ring’s DLC knew exactly what I was expecting of it, and kept veering in the opposite direction. I expected the first enemies in the DLC to be pushovers, to ease returning players back into the game: not so. As soon as I started exploring, an enemy descended from a ruined arch, landed where I couldn’t even see them, and eviscerated me with a few stunningly fast spins.
10 Hardest Bosses In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree, Ranked By Difficulty
Shadow of the Erdtree is full of difficult bosses, but this set of 10 takes that to another level, posing extreme challenges for the Tarnished.
Eventually, I came upon what was clearly an optional dungeon, the Ruined Forge Lava Intake, and headed inside. This place was tough: it was packed with stone golems that would only take damage if I hit them in a tiny weak spot, located in the most inconvenient possible place on their backs. All the while, lava slimes kept sniping me from the back. As I explored the forge’s corridors, I braced myself for what its boss would be like. Eventually, I made it to the final room, and there was…nothing. No boss was guarding theAnvil Hammer. The dungeon knew I was expecting a terrible boss, andpreyed on those expectations to create an oppressive atmosphere, sticking the landing with a huge sigh of relief.
The bosses, too, had plenty of surprisesup their sleeves. There were plenty of recurring enemies, sure, but the new ones completely blew my mind. It began with theDivine Beast Dancing Lion, whose first phase lulled me into thinking all I needed was some good old-fashioned ice resistance, but then it switched to lightning damage at the drop of a hat. I thought my hundreds of hours of Soulsborne experience would’ve prepared me forRellana, but I was no match for her. She was too fast, her damage output too high, her combos too unpredictable for me to prove a worthy opponent. The same for Messmer after her, and many of the other bosses in the DLC.
Eventhe lore inShadow of the Erdtreecompletely subverted everything I thought I knewabout the base game. I won’t give too much away, but the twists and turns of Miquella, Marika, and Messmer’s story left me stunned. Even the lore that touched on more minor character backgrounds, likeAlexander the Iron Fist, was completely shocking.
There’s One Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Character I Find Intensely Relatable
A character in Elden Ring’s DLC bears a piece of us all. Here’s how his journey inspired my own, and how he unofficially became part of the community.
Ultimately, my experience withElden Ring’s DLC taught me not only that Soulsborne games still have the potential to surprise me - but also that no one else is doing it like FromSoft. Its commitment to understanding player perspectives is unmatched, and it uses that knowledge for good. InShadow of the Erdtree, it wields the player’s expectations against them, creating a dynamic experience for Soulsborne veterans and newcomers alike. As a result, I considerElden Ring’s DLC not only a worthy follow-up to the base game, but one of the best expansions I’ve ever played.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a popular game released by From Software, creators of games such as Armored Core, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne. Players assume the role of a Tarnished, a being once exiled to the Lands Between and has returned to repair the Elden Ring after the events of “The Shattering.” “The Shattering” occurred when the offspring of Queen Marika battled to claim the shards of the Elden Ring, known as Great Runes. Their war has brought lawlessness, destruction, and chaos to the land, and the player will challenge them with the assistance of a Maiden known as Melina as they travel towards the great Erd Tree to face their destiny and to become the one true Elden Lord. Players can tackle the game how they choose and can adventure across realms as they build their character how they want - be it a powerful magic caster or a brutal swordsman - they will have complete control over their build.
