Every sentence I had a difficult metre with a boss inElden Ring , I would just hazard off to see what else I could do in The Lands Between . When I slip up across an undiscovered Site of Grace to pull through my progress , I bang that I ’d find something new that was go to countenance me come back better prepared to face to the foe I was stuck on . Whether that ’d be a new boss or powerful equipment , I ’d be making some progress in my quest to get stronger and finally overcome any challenge . That wasElden Ring ’s biggest strength . The immense discoverability in its heart-to-heart humans combined with the feeling of procession made me never feel like I was wasting my meter .
It was a feeling that I thought I ’d never get again — until now . Elden Ring ’s young DLC , the predictably excellentShadow of the Erdtree , renewed that good sense of wonder with , well , more depicted object . With a gigantic newfangled map to search , new weapons , and fierce bosses that act as a final exam for my accomplishment , Shadow of the Erdtreeprovides a strong reason to pass to a generational chef-d’oeuvre .
The story is for the sickos
The basis forShadow of the Erdtree ’s story affect Miquella , someone who was referenced in the mainElden Ringgame but was never straight cope with . The actor is whisked out to the Land of Shadow to unveil its saturnine secrets and how it affect Miquella . Throughout the Land of Shadow , actor fare across different NPCs that spirt cryptic lore that add a lot to the world - building .
I wo n’t consist and say I knew what was going on . FromSoftware game are the kinds that players require YouTube essays and explainers to understand their stories . That did n’t hamper my use ofShadow of the Erdtreeone bit , though . It ’s incredibly light to let the story go on the backburner and let the gameplay and exploration do the talking . That ’s where its force are at their tatty .
The Land of Shadow itself is ginormous , with a map that ’s approximately one-half of the size of it of The Lands Between . Just as is the case in the base secret plan , exploration is always reward here , and that ’s incredibly satisfying . In one instance , I came upon a huge quarry in a stead called the Moorth Ruins . I knew something had to be down there , but there was no obvious road to the bottom . I summoned my trustworthy steed and kept jump down toward anything that vaguely await like a ledge so I could safely get hold of the bottom . I die numerous time as a result .
finally , I managed to reach the bottom and found a confidential passageway . It hold me to an unbelievably long run and I come out of the other side through a well . This one natural action let me get at the total middle field of the Land of Shadow , a place I ’d pass hours assay to find oneself antecedently . My heart sparkled as I earn that there was so much left to research , the same opinion I had when playingElden Ringfor the first prison term . The magic is back .
Old habits die hard
What ’s impressive aboutShadow of the Erdtreeis how seamlessly it integrates withElden Ring ’s endgame . It ’s meant for players who ’ve already beaten the main story and are looking for a novel way to test their attainment . In many cases , enlargement and DLC are ego - contained , such asTales of Arise’sBeyond the DawnandFinal Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade’sEpisode INTERmission . That ’s not the case here . Players can carry over their levels and most equipment from the main game to the expansion ( and vice versa ) , which makes it feel like a by nature integrated teaser piece inElden Ring ’s sprawling human race . The one elision is the new Scadutree and Revered Spirit Ash Blessings , which are impermanent buffs that only touch off in the Land of Shadow .
If you ’re coming to the elaboration for something new , Shadow of the Erdtreehas quite a little to see . It bring in new weapon case , including beast claws , peachy katanas , and even squeeze shields . The hand - to - hand style waive any form of weapon system and has you oppose with your fists like a monastic from the Final Fantasy serial publication . Unlike most traditional arm builds , this is a playfulness and flashy one for FromSoftware that ’s worth giving a shot .
As much as I enjoy the new styles , my goal was to win . Rather than totally confound my old character out the window , I still stuck with my tried and on-key build that carried me through the main secret plan ( a thaumaturgy - based Sword of Night and Flame build ) . That ’s the beauty ofShadow of the Erdtree . player can pick a new playstyle to experiment with , or just use whatever helped them antecedently . The opened - ended nature ofElden Ringoffers the freedom and flexibleness to tackle the challenge that it throws at you .
Still as beautiful as ever
Shadow of the Erdtree ’s obscure - fantasy aesthetic has never looked better than it does here . From the starting area filled with transparent gravestones , all the way to the beam castle atop the golden Erdtree at your journey ’s remainder , there ’s always some form of novel landmark to marvel at . The environmental variety serves as a reminder that even in a world that ’s actively trying to vote out you , there ’s beauty to be discover .
This enlargement feels like an unofficial subsequence .
The new boss are quite wide-ranging too , both in price of esthetic and gameplay . agile and quick bosses like Relanna are in small-scale spaces that do n’t give much respiration elbow room , but give you the opportunity to tree them . Bigger honcho , like the Divine Beast Dancing Lion , are huge and occupy massive arenas to give instrumentalist as much blank as they require to dodge . These bosses are intricately design , give each a distinct look . My personal favourite is a bright pink Scorpio the Scorpion - centipede hybrid boss that discharge off butterfly stroke - shaped explosive . Its intention was so much dissimilar than the other boss in the DLC , which makes for a memorable encounter in a long listing of them .
I ’ll never blank out their heroic attacks , as they ’re just as virulent as they are gorgeous . Relanna ’s hail mary involved her invoking lunation and creating shockwaves that envelop the battleground . I died many times from that attack before finally getting my scheme timing down . spend hours in recapitulate effort to defeat a boss is the definitive Soulslike chemical formula , after all .
For those who were put off by some of the base plot ’s proficient frustration , know that those have n’t been cleaned up much here . The third - person camera still has a mind of its own , sometimes zoom in too close , especially with bigger boss and enemy . That can obscure the player ’s vision and become frustrating since being able to dodge in prison term is so important to survival of the fittest . In one fight , a boss pinned me against a rampart multiple meter . The camera clipped , and I could n’t see anything as I was subsequently trampled to decease . Devoted sports fan have fall to expect this inFromSoftware gamesat this point , but it ’s still a fair sticking point for newcomers .
Even if it is n’t an overhaul ofElden Ring , Shadow of the Erdtreeis a monolithic accomplishment in both open - human beings and DLC design . It ’s a daunting task to provide new subject for one of the most critically acclaimed game of all clip , especially with the expectations surrounding it . However , the over two - year wait was well deserving it as there ’s a astounding amount of content to make for with here . Those who loveElden Ringwill experience the same sense of awe and surprise that they mat on their first playthrough . The monumental world , challenging chief , and game - changing equipment make this enlargement feel like an unofficial sequel .
Elden Ring : Shadow of the Erdtreewas try on Xbox Series X.
