DLC in this age and day often comes across as a cheap way to bank on the success of a video game. We have seen this happen across the industry where greedy corporations release “value-added” DLC in the hopes that millions of existing game owners give in and purchase this expanded content. Often, this content is short-lived, uninspired and if anything, a waste of money. But every now and then a DLC pack comes along that shows how it is meant to be done. That is The Shadow of the Erdtree.
To call Shadow of the Erdtree “DLC” isn’t really fair. This is more an expansion to the game adding countless hours of gameplay to the already-brilliant experience. Going in, I expected a short and sweet journey through the Land of Shadows only to be met with repeated days of enjoyment.
Just when I thought I had trekked through all the beautifully constructed vistas, I walked through a waterfall and discovered an entirely new land ready for adventure. Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree does an excellent job expanding on the original game’s sense of exploration by layering large areas on top of one another.
The base game included a similar mechanic. However, that relied more on the “above ground” and “below ground”. Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree, on the other hand, features fully visible areas which are tightly condensed into one brilliant world.
Every mountain face had a rising surface with something to find. Every chasm down below included explorable hellscapes littered with deadly foes. Not to forget the sprawling dungeons tucked away in every nook and cranny.
I remember walking to the edge of a hill in the early hours only to see a massive dragon corpse in the distance. I stood there in complete awe. This corpse would later be a literal mountain to explore as I ran up and down its wings and decaying skin. I didn’t think the world of Elden Ring could get any more imaginative but here we are.
Of course, Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree takes place well into the main game’s progression. You need to have beaten Morgh in order to access this new land. Once I was there, I could easily return back to the first map and access the Round Circle Hold.
While this content does require a good amount of experience and level to access, even FromSoftware’s recommendation of level 150 isn’t enough. Everything in Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree is tougher. Enemies are brutes with larger health pools and stronger attacks. Not to mention even certain basic enemies also have a wide range of move sets which kept me on my toes.
Boss fights, on the other hand, are a completely different ballgame. These are truly the pinnacle of the challenge in Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree. Even the most mundane dungeon bosses left me dying over and over again as I tried my best to overcome each fight.
One specific fight against Bayle The Dread delivered not only an intense setting but pure eye candy. Situated at the top of the Jagged Peak mountain, this fight’s build-up is incredible. I started off with a dragon fight near the base where I was invaded by a PvP player during the fight. It was an adrenalin rush juggling this player’s combat, the dragon’s leaps and fire breath and of course, the horrid ping.
Halfway up the mountain, I stumbled upon two dragons locked in combat. Watching them fly around and literally destroy the arena with their attacks was intimidating, to say the least. Once one died I jumped in and finished off the second. Continuing up the mountain, the red lightning storm was swirling around me, striking the ground right next to me and filling my room with flashes of light.
Dragon corpses were littered around the rocks. Yet another fight awaited me near the top this time against a larger Ancient Dragon named Sennesax. After the intense fight, I was finally near the top arena where Bayle The Dread sat in wait. This fight went from ground-based attacks and electric breath beams to Bayle letting out all his energy to grow wings and take flight.
The ground around me was erupting with lava, Bayle was soaring over ahead and shooting down balls of lighting at my feet. The soundtrack was screaming at me in all directions. Not to forget the summoned NPC Igon shouting in the distance as he was about to finally get the revenge he had so sought. It was an unforgettable experience.
Even if Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree was half the size, that Jagged Peak chapter would have been enough for me. But there’s so much more in this DLC to enjoy. From the towering library in the Shadow Castle to the swamp-ridden depth in the forests below. It is all neatly packed into an unforgettable journey.
Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree also comes with new content in the form of weapon types. There are over one hundred weapons to find, various armour pieces and other materials used for crafting. Hand-to-hand weapons, for example, are new. They come with an entirely new move set and spec into Strength and Dexterity.
The added weapon types are a welcome addition to the DLC even if there are only a few actual weapons per type. It gives those long-term players something new to spec into. If only FromSoftware would be a bit more forgiving with the Larval Tears in the game. There are still only 18 to find in each playthrough meaning you can only respect 18 times. Given the massive roster of weapons, spells and abilities now, this does limit your exploration into different builds.
Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree includes a new levelling system too. Throughout the DLC I came across Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. These could be used to buff my attack, defence and stats for my summoned helpers. There are 50 Scadutree Fragments and 25 Ashes. You likely won’t find all of them by the time you finish the DLC but they do go a long way to help ease the difficulty spike in the DLC. Trust me, you’ll greatly benefit from these buffs.
While everything is mostly good in Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree, I do need to mention the bad things. Mainly the performance. Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree does have some technical issues which pop up quite often during the content. Frame rate dips are noticeable at times and cause hitches throughout the DLC. I played on PS5 but these issues exist on all platforms.
I also encountered a few bugs where I wasn’t able to summon or put down my summon sign in certain areas. At first, I thought this was a mechanic but my co-op partner could do it. I found that a lot of players were experiencing some random areas being locked out of multiplayer. Some could summon while others couldn’t.
Issues aside, Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree is exceptional. It is a large-scale experience that builds upon the great foundations of the base game. There are truly some magical moments in this DLC which I didn’t even have in the already-masterful base game. Not to mention the focus on discovery will leave you exploring the lands for countless hours.
This Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree review is based on a PS5 code sent to us by Bandai Namco. The DLC is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. You can grab the DLC and even the Collector’s Edition (watch the unboxing here) at Nexus Hub.
Summary
Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree is exceptional. It is a rare experience that builds upon the great foundations of the base game. There are truly some magical moments in this DLC which I didn’t even have in the already-masterful base game. Not to mention the focus on discovery will leave you exploring the lands for countless hours.