Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Review
As I finalize this review, I must admit that I haven't yet managed to defeat the final boss, nor do I feel compelled to complete the DLC before writing this. I believe that the true value of this experience lies not in reaching the end but in the journey itself. My 80-hour adventure has been filled with a myriad of emotions. Was it akin to the initial wonder of playing Elden Ring? To be honest, no. While this DLC theoretically embodies the essence of Elden Ring and FromSoftware, it stands apart as an independent experience with its own distinctive qualities. Its title alone speaks volumes. It is the shadow of Elden Ring, the shadow of the Erdtree. Its purpose is not to surpass the grandeur of the original but to serve as the final, perfect piece that completes what Elden Ring left unfinished. In doing so, I must acknowledge that this is among the finest DLCs I've ever experienced.
Venturing toward Mohg's cocoon, I found myself lost in Miquella's shadowy realm, where everything gradually became colder and more enigmatic. This sensation was entirely different from stepping out of the first tomb in Elden Ring to set foot in Limgrave in The Land Between. There was a certain tranquility in Limgrave, despite the looming threats. But this shadowy land, from the outset, exudes an eerie foreboding, a chilling sense that the challenges ahead will be monumental.
Shadow of the Erdtree is arguably the most ambitious DLC FromSoftware has ever produced, featuring true open-world game design. As such, it clearly stands on a different level from the previous DLCs created for the Dark Souls or Bloodborne series. The sheer size of the explorable area alone signals that this DLC is anything but ordinary. Indeed, if this DLC were a standalone game, it could easily surpass many others in the same genre. Shadow of the Erdtree isn't just about completing the experience; it's a statement that the world of The Land Between doesn't end with the original Elden Ring but remains worthy of exploration for years to come, especially with the addition of this dark realm.
However, no matter how groundbreaking FromSoftware's games are, they still carry the DNA that has defined the studio. One of these traits is the ambiguous storytelling that serves as the foundation for a deep, hidden lore. As you step into this shadowy land, the depth and development of characters within the lore become more apparent. The central figure of this DLC, Miquella, is a mysterious demigod with intricate motives and plans for what he perceives as the world's balance. As I ventured further, I encountered a host of new characters, each with their own enigmatic greetings. None of them ever provide you with complete details about what's happening, requiring you to subtly influence the land to uncover more. For instance, Needle Knight Leda offers a glimpse into Miquella's past and the bloody conflicts that once raged here. Redmane Freyja, a former loyal soldier under General Radahn, provides a nuanced perspective on the royal power struggles within this kingdom. Other NPCs contribute small yet significant pieces to a lore that runs incredibly deep.
Encountering and discovering these NPCs is no simple task. It's not just a matter of wanting to find them; it demands specific interactions and actions that can alter the course of this land, leading to more answers. Thus, the narrative in Shadow of the Erdtree is as intriguing and challenging as the original Elden Ring, filled with legends, mysteries, and connections that are almost too logical.
Two characters particularly stood out to me. First, there's Messmer the Impaler, a mysterious demigod whom we only meet in this DLC. Buried deep within him is a dark, tragic past filled with injustice, as he was ultimately just a discarded pawn in a dangerous political game. No matter his strength, he remains a puppet for someone else's grand design, his fate undeserving of his stature. He's cursed and entombed in this shadowy land—a figure whose torment and internal conflict are palpable, embodying an inferno with no escape. Everything feels almost absurd, yet the price he pays is steep.
Then there's Queen Marika, Messmer's mother, a figure undoubtedly of both merit and fault. As the picture of this shadowy land comes into focus, I find no one who is wholly good or entirely evil. Each character's personal ambitions lead to conflicts, and ultimately, war leaves everyone a loser. Despite Miquella being the central figure of this DLC, it becomes evident that Queen Marika holds the true pivotal position due to her immense influence, which even prompts Miquella to take further action later. After all, a queen who once held the Elden Ring and merged with Radagon, only to shatter it, cannot be an ordinary person.
Of course, praising Marika without mentioning Miquella would be foolish. Although he's the most mysterious and intriguing figure in the DLC, I didn't find his presence as impactful as expected. While much of the narrative revolves around him, with numerous supporting characters sharing lore about him, I felt that exploring his story was less satisfying than uncovering the lore surrounding his mother. His motives and schemes, while captivating, didn't fully satisfy me. Perhaps this is partly because I haven't yet defeated the final boss, but regardless, despite being the central figure and having an entire DLC dedicated to him, Miquella feels somewhat overrated. Honestly, I'd rather delve into the story of Marika or even a side boss like the legendary dragon Bayle The Dread.
Overall, the DLC's story doesn't try to introduce new twists only to unravel them later; instead, it seeks to supplement what was left unfulfilled in the original game's lore. More new characters appear, bringing with them a wealth of new lore for players to explore. However, no matter how deep you dig, this DLC will still leave you with questions, even after you've completed it. Will there be a sense of regret that this is the first and likely the last DLC for Elden Ring? I think so. But that sense of longing, of unresolved mysteries, only makes us cherish Elden Ring even more, and the story and presentation of this DLC will make us appreciate it even further.
Now moving on to the gameplay, it can be said that it feels familiar, yet at the same time, it feels very new. If I had to compare it to something similar, it’s like playing New Game +. Even though you already know everything, replaying the game after finishing it still gives you a different feeling, both new and familiar. In this DLC, I still carried over the builds I spent dozens of hours developing in the base game, so whenever I found a new weapon or spell, I immediately tried them out. This constant mix of new and old feelings made the experience exciting. However, the beauty of the DLC lies in the truly new things that you can’t find in the base game. So, even in New Game +, where the newness can’t quite overshadow the old, the DLC flips this around. In New Game +, you already know the bosses, their movesets, the locations, the mysteries, and something has been lost. I mean, in terms of exploration, attack patterns, weapons, items, and challenges have lost their novelty, making New Game + more about how quickly you can finish the game again with a new build. So, when I got the chance to step into the DLC—where only about half of the base game players have met the conditions to enter—even just experiencing new content with an old build felt different and thrilling, even though I already had some idea of what to expect.
So, when I find anything new that my character can use, I don’t hesitate to try it out, no matter how bad it might be. Because that newness still sparks a sense of discovery in us as players. It reminds me of the days when I used to mess around with game mods, trying and retrying, even if some mods would bore me within minutes. But the trial-and-error process itself was satisfying, a feeling I hadn’t experienced in gaming for a long time. This DLC brought back that indescribable joy. I hadn’t expected to have such a fun experience in such a long time since playing FromSoftware games during the Bloodborne era. So, before diving deeper into the gameplay, I can say that the amount of content in this DLC is substantial. If Elden Ring was already a masterpiece, then with what this DLC brings, it elevates the game to another level.
Diving into the gameplay, let’s start with the scaling system. Since this DLC was released quite some time after the original game, Elden Ring has amassed a large and diverse player base. The challenge of ensuring difficulty for as many players as possible is no simple task. That’s why this DLC introduced a scaling mechanism that only applies in the shadow world of the DLC, meaning that when you return to The Land Between, it’s disabled. Essentially, we have Scadutree Blessing and Revered Spirits Ash Blessing. These are items you will find scattered across the dark land map. The process of finding them is reminiscent of hunting for Golden Seeds and Sacred Tears in the base game, which means that to upgrade these items to higher levels, the DLC requires you to gather them in large quantities, as higher levels require more of them to reach the next upgrade.
More specifically, Scadutree Blessing reduces damage taken and increases damage dealt to enemies. Revered Spirit Ash Blessing has the same effect but applies to your summons and your horse, Torrent. So, looking at this scaling mechanism, I think it’s a smart system because it allows us to possess impressive power in the DLC while not affecting the base game. Since it’s separated this way, it also allows many players with different builds or unique items to enter this DLC and still feel its impact. Whether you’re level 150 or level 500, everything in the DLC will operate under this scaling system. I think this is a smart and well-crafted idea by FromSoftware, ensuring an almost complete experience for anyone who wants to enter the shadow world, regardless of their current power level.
This also raises a controversial point: is this DLC too difficult for most players? Perhaps, but I feel that people seem too focused on how difficult it is and overlook why it needs to be difficult. Clearly, with the exclusive Blessing system in the DLC world allowing you to become noticeably stronger, the enemies here also have to become significantly tougher to match. And I admit, they’re brutally difficult. Even so, I still think it’s reasonable—the game still forces you to experiment, find the best combat strategy with many new builds, and prevents those who have become too overpowered in the base game from losing the satisfaction of a challenge in the DLC.
During this DLC experience, I focused on a melee build, so weapons that lean toward strength or dexterity were my go-to choices. I rarely enjoy playing with magic or ranged builds, so, truthfully, being someone who isn’t great at parrying or dodging but still has to charge directly into enemies made this DLC feel overwhelming at times. Yet, instead of smashing my controller, I continued to play, determined to master the enemies. The fact that this DLC still presented extreme challenges made me realize that my actions in the game were meaningful. With what was left in the base game, it was clear that hardly any enemy in The Land Between could challenge me like those in the Shadow Realm.
I enjoyed diving into the throng of enemies, though defeating them was no easy feat. Dying repeatedly forced me to pause and seek out blessing shards to upgrade and increase my survival chances. Even seemingly weak enemies could easily take out half your health bar with a single hit if you were careless. Therefore, before even reaching the bosses, everything along the way was already extremely difficult.
This DLC provided a plethora of weapons, spells, charms, and diverse items, giving me plenty of options for my build. However, to be honest, I still found myself gravitating toward the weapons from the base game. Not because the DLC’s weapons or items weren’t enticing enough, but simply because there were too many, and I didn’t have enough time to fully appreciate them. Thus, I fell back on old habits, using the familiar gear. If there’s one weapon that surprised me the most, it’s probably the one that lets you perform kung fu. When I chose the Dryleaf Arts weapon, I felt a surge of reckless excitement since it’s perhaps the closest you’ll ever get to your enemies. Gone are the massive swords and axes; now, it’s as if you’re wearing boxing gloves and rushing to pummel foes. It truly offered a fascinating experience, as it was the first time I saw FromSoftware put so much effort into the animations and moveset for such an unusual weapon that seemingly doesn’t fit the game’s atmosphere. If you equip your character with the right talismans, incantations, and more, a build centered around this kung fu glove could be surprisingly powerful.
Speaking of enemies, the game introduced a slew of dangerous NPCs. From giant sword-wielding soldiers to half-bird, half-beast monstrosities, half-spider, half-scorpion creatures, and countless other new NPCs, there’s a lot to contend with. Among them, the Furnace Golem stands out. These gigantic fire-wielding machines, remnants of Messmer’s army, are a colossal challenge. To put it bluntly, these Furnace Golems might be even tougher than some bosses, with massive health pools and ridiculously high damage output. Their attacks are overwhelmingly powerful, with movesets so diverse it feels like battling a giant. The DLC even mocks the player by introducing NPCs that can’t be killed through conventional means. Named Untouchable, these enemies require you to parry their attacks and strike while they’re down to defeat them. It’s reminiscent of my struggles against the Winter Lanterns in Bloodborne’s Nightmare of Mensis. If regular enemies are difficult enough to quickly send you back to the nearest Site of Grace, then the bosses will drive you insane.
The number of bosses has increased, but so has their quality, along with some controversy. They are mostly well-designed and engaging, but their difficulty level left me unsure how to feel. If the base game’s bosses were already incredibly tough, and at times downright unfair with their famously long attack chains or absurdly relentless assaults—like Malenia’s Waterfowl Dance—then the DLC’s bosses are two or even three times more terrifying.
Malenia was the hardest boss in the base game, but encountering Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight, felt like facing Malenia on steroids. This boss, appearing right at the start of the game, was insanely difficult, and if I didn’t care about my Xbox controller, I would have rage-quit long ago. I tried everything before entering the battle, only to be crushed like a parent fighting their child…
Yet, to be fair, the boss fights are visually stunning. They’re tough, but spectacular, requiring you to train hard to master their defense. One frustrating aspect, though, is the large AOE (Area of Effect) attacks that make dodging almost impossible.
Even worse, many of these bosses have little to no recovery animation. What I mean is, while they may have long combo strings, they need to have openings so I can retaliate. Messmer, one of the most significant and coolest bosses in the DLC, proved to be quite annoying. He can unleash a continuous 4-5 hit combo, repeating it again and again, forcing the player to dodge around ten times in a single sequence. Worse still, when he finally finishes, his recovery animation lasts only 1-2 seconds, leaving little room for a counterattack.
So, what do you do if you’re just an average player and not part of the elite 1% who dominate Elden Ring? Yeah, you sacrifice your health for those deadly mistakes. It’s not that you’re as bad as you think, but these types of bosses aren’t designed to give you opportunities to fight back. I’m not saying the combos are illogical or the AOE attacks are absurd—there’s still a chance to dodge them. But sometimes, they’re just over the top, seemingly meant to challenge that 1% of players who can handle it. I think back to Gael from Dark Souls 3. He was a tough boss, but his moveset and combo chains felt fair and reasonably challenging. If Gael hit you, it was due to a skill issue on your part. He was designed with the player in mind from the start, but some bosses in this Elden Ring DLC don’t seem to follow that principle.
This highlights the issue: difficulty has become a contentious topic, and as someone who isn’t particularly skilled at this genre, evaluating difficulty is highly subjective. However, I believe many would agree with me that some bosses in the game lack a balance between logical power and fair combat mechanics. Still, after encountering and defeating around 30 bosses in this DLC, I must acknowledge that the bosses are well-crafted, showcasing FromSoftware’s meticulous attention to detail. None of them are pushovers; they’re just either difficult or extremely difficult. And I still felt that exhilarating rush of satisfaction when I finally defeated a boss. It could be massive dragons like Bayle The Dread, the knight Commander Gaius, or the visually stunning creature Putrescent Knight. Then there’s Rellana, the Twin Moon Knight, Midra, the Lord of Frenzied Flame, and finally, Messmer, with whom I think I truly have a love-hate relationship.
Of course, an action RPG wouldn't be complete without exploration and quests scattered across the map. Overall, this is another gameplay element that FromSoftware has meticulously crafted, although it might stir some minor controversy. What I mean is that exploring this dark realm is visually thrilling; however, I found that the terrain design could be a bit challenging, possibly because it had to fit within the overall map of The Land Between, which in some ways limited its potential.
During the first 10 hours of playing the DLC, I constantly found myself hitting dead ends—the game's layered terrain design features too many chasms. While these aren't as frustrating as invisible walls in other games, encountering dead ends is unavoidable, making navigation more difficult. With the map's limited space, it's understandable that it couldn't be expanded with more pathways, resulting in a vertical rather than horizontal environment design. Consequently, finding your way around the DLC is much more challenging than in the base game, and there were times when I was genuinely frustrated, not knowing where to go. However, after wandering around for a while, I eventually discovered many interesting places and had to accept this puzzle-like approach from FromSoftware. Because of this, I believe that despite the somewhat restrictive environment design, exploration still relies on the player's skill rather than being a flaw of the developers. I think FromSoftware did their best given the limited space.
The DLC takes you to various environments to explore, and they are incredibly diverse. From natural environments to man-made structures, each area is worth investigating. In terms of nature, the game offers Mediterranean vegetation, cold forests, foggy beaches, coastal plains with bizarre colors, and even ancient and eerie dungeons. If natural environments aren’t your thing, the man-made environments are equally captivating, including castles, libraries, academies, camps, and churches, all of which are worth visiting, making the exploration experience anything but monotonous.
Moreover, the quests in the DLC remain as they always were—vague and without mechanical, checklist-like guidance. The objectives of the side quests aren’t overly difficult, as long as you pay attention to the NPC dialogues, you’ll know what to do, and the rewards for completing them are well worth it. Additionally, there are numerous hidden dungeons and secret bosses, providing even more content to explore. I discovered some extremely interesting and novel weapons after thoroughly exploring these areas, which also makes collecting the DLC’s weapons a truly compelling activity.
As I mentioned earlier, there are a plethora of new weapons introduced in the DLC, some even featuring entirely new moves compared to Elden Ring's usual style. This DLC truly possesses captivating content, often requiring you to complete quests or defeat bosses to obtain them, rather than simply finding them along the way. I tried out quite a few—swords, greatswords, spears, magical gauntlets, and perhaps most interestingly, a mini-cannon. If fully upgraded, these weapons can deal a significant amount of damage. Additionally, the incantations are worth experimenting with; for me, Bayle’s Tyranny was particularly badass, allowing me to summon a dragon head that breathes fire—a highly convenient AOE attack when surrounded. I even tested these new items in the base game, and they yielded impressive results, so much so that I was tempted to abandon the builds that had accompanied me for so long without growing tired. Thus, in terms of both quantity and quality of items, this DLC could easily outshine many full-size games, let alone being just a DLC. This showcases the immense effort FromSoftware has poured into this expansion.
So, before moving on to the presentation of the DLC, the meta-design of this game’s DLC is, well, you know, a bit of improvement in all areas, followed by completely new surprises like weapons or scaling mechanics that are exclusive to this DLC. The DLC operates under a new order, and that’s more than enough to make it stand out. And that’s exactly what happened to me while playing it.
"Vast, diverse, and overwhelming, this is the open world I want to immerse myself in." That's what I felt after spending over 200 hours experiencing the base game. Now, this DLC has taken it up another notch for those who have been eagerly waiting. Honestly, returning to The Land Between, but in an entirely new region, made me want to revisit an old hobby. I feel that about a third of the time I spent in the DLC was dedicated to slowly rotating the camera and marveling at the breathtaking landscapes. It was a truly spectacular and satisfying experience.
The dark land itself is a visual highlight, with a full range of tones. The original version laid a solid foundation in environmental design, creating scenes rich in artistic expression. The dark land here is proof that FromSoftware's artistic vision remains timeless. Visually, the dark land is designed differently from The Land Between. There's no sense of monotony; you can easily recognize the differences between these two worlds, and it's gratifying that players now have two distinct places to get lost in.
First, there's the Gravesite Plain, a cold yet epic area with meadows under a dark yellow sky, stretching out into the distance, filled with hidden dangers. This place features forgotten ancient structures, from churches and abandoned towns to towers harboring terrifying monsters. Shadow Keep stands out with its predominantly man-made environments, where castles, libraries, and storage chambers become dungeons for players to explore. Stepping into Shadow Keep, one can sense how its design language differs from The Land Between. It feels more bloody and cold, perhaps. Then there's the treacherous Jagged Peak, where storms of lightning and sand rage, and navigating the rocky canyons is never simple. The air is thick with fiery red toxins, and massive dragon bosses are ready to devour you whole.
Even the Cerulean Coast is a truly unique region. As its name suggests, this is a sapphire-blue coastline. A vast meadow stretches out in contrast to the traditional green, exuding an eerie and lonely atmosphere of oceanic blue. I've always been someone who enjoys summer, and the white sandy beaches, golden sun, and clear skies in many games have always been a guaranteed win in my book. But with FromSoftware, no beauty is ever that safe. This studio has crafted a cold beach with drizzling rain and mist, dotted with stone ruins. This place is perfect for reflection—a land with few monsters, allowing for a beach stroll that's both familiar and unusual. Then there's the eerie Abyssal Woods, so terrifying that even your horse, Torrent, refuses to enter, forcing you to explore on foot. This might be one of the few locations that instills a sense of horror, something FromSoftware rarely does. The forest floor is covered in withered leaves, and it’s buried deep under rocky caverns where sunlight rarely penetrates. It truly is a deadly, dangerous forest.
But above all, I witnessed something I had never seen in any previous FromSoftware game. Hidden away in a remote corner of the dark land is a secluded village in the Hinterlands, untouched by death, destruction, or the decay following the conquest of Messmer The Impaler. There, I saw trees gently swaying in the wind, and I stood in awe of the multicolored flowers spread across a lush green meadow. The sunset from the moon hanging in the sky blended with the faint golden rays emanating from an ancient tree. It all created a breathtaking silence, a peaceful serenity that felt like life desperately trying to survive in a dreamlike place. This Shaman village seems to exist to reinforce one of the most prominent and essential elements of a FromSoftware game: exploration. This idea is further emphasized by the village’s tranquil ambiance, highlighted by a melancholic, yet soothing soundtrack. No monsters lurk in the shadows, no threats await around the corners—only pure, untainted beauty.
I was completely captivated when I discovered this village and found myself at a loss for words. It’s an indescribable beauty that inadvertently made me care more about Queen Marika than any other character in this DLC.
But where visuals excel, so must the audio, and indeed, the soundtrack and sound effects are masterfully crafted, perfectly synchronized with whatever is happening on screen. The orchestral pieces create an ambient background, accompanied by sound effects like wind, horses, and weapons. Additionally, the voice acting is meticulously done. All these elements come together seamlessly, offering an epic presentation that is as medieval European as it gets.
Perhaps the one complaint I have about the presentation is the game’s performance. Despite being two years since the release of the base game, the performance in the DLC remains the same, with no stable 60FPS across all platforms. I played this DLC on Xbox Series X, PS5, and PC, but none of these systems could maintain a consistent 60FPS at all times. Although the frame drops are not significant, I expected better, especially given how much time FromSoftware has had to address this issue.
Overall, the audio-visual aspects of the DLC maintain the same level of excellence as the base game, and it doesn’t feel monotonous. The new and creative design choices make the dark land unique, offering players an experience that is both familiar and refreshingly new.
VERDICT
In the end, Elden Ring's Shadow of The Erdtree DLC doesn’t deliver the craziest of experiences. But that doesn’t mean it’s mediocre; on the contrary, it fits perfectly with the universe Elden Ring aims to create, becoming the perfect piece to complete this game. It’s an experience that is both new and familiar, one that’s not easily replicated. This DLC serves as both a welcome and a farewell to Elden Ring, and it seems that FromSoftware has done the best they could.
As a result, I feel that this DLC is so well-crafted that, even if it were a standalone game, it could easily surpass many other titles in the same genre on the market. Therefore, for those who have played Elden Ring and wish to stay in The Land Between, this DLC is almost a must-have to get the most complete experience possible. A DLC I never thought would leave me with so many emotions, and whether or not I defeat the final boss no longer matters. Because even though Elden Ring officially concludes with this DLC, I believe you’ll share my sentiment: Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.
