Jumping back into the world of Elden Ring is a daunting proposition. But considering the epic journey that FromSoftware delivered in 2022 and the struggles many had along the way to completing that initial story, being offered a chance to play the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is exciting and terrifying. Some of that has to do with the intricacies of preview events (and is far too inside baseball for a preview), but a lot of that has to do with my experience with prior FromSoft DLCs.
That’s to say, the expectation is that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be even more challenging than anything in the main game, but it’s also an opportunity to return to one of the best games ever made. After having played a few hours of Shadow of the Erdtree, I can say that it was great to be among the first to visit the Land of Shadow, and before long and in the face of insurmountable odds, the DLC reminded me exactly what makes Elden Ring so special.
Shadow of the Erdtree Follows Miquella’s Journey
For our Shadow of the Erdtree preview, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware offered select media the opportunity to play around 3 hours of the new DLC. There were three different builds to choose from, Warrior, Knight, or Sorcerer (each at level 150), and then we were set loose on the new content. Those who are just curious if the DLC’s early hours are just as good as the main game, I am happy to report that the sense of discovery, the intricate level design, and the punishing bosses are all carried through into this Elden Ring expansion.
New Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Screenshots
It’s hard to judge some elements like scope, difficulty, and balance because this was a preview event, and we weren’t going into this content with our existing builds. We also only had access to a small portion of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC map and our characters were only equipped with a starting set of weapons, many of which were new for Shadow of the Erdtree. Keeping in the spirit of a preview, I wanted to check out new weapons, weapon skills, and Ashes of War, so nothing was as optimized as it could be, but it was no doubt fun.
Most fans of Elden Ring likely know how Shadow of the Erdtree begins, and it’s not worth spoiling any story details gleaned while playing. All that is worth saying is that the player is pursuing Miquella, a key character from Elden Ring lore, as he treks across the Land of Shadow. We were plopped into an open field and that initial sense of exploration came rushing back. You want to poke into each nook and cranny to see what secrets might be tucked behind a gravestone or beneath a ledge. New enemies like the massive fire basket guy pique your interest before it smashes its foot to the ground, sending out a wave of fire that one-shots you. I just had to know what happens when you attack those glowing blue worms that caught everyone’s attention in the first Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, and let’s just say they are not just environmental set dressing.
After doing a fair bit of poking around in the first open field, players will reach a Site of Grace and meet two new Elden Ring NPCs. They will give some backstory for the journey ahead and set you off in one of two directions. Left of the fork in the road is a legacy dungeon and to the right is Castle Ensis, a mid-size dungeon. Both dungeons fit with the medieval theming that permeates most of Elden Ring – dilapidated castles with imposing knights and undead minions.
There were some familiar enemy archetypes, but most of the baddies on display were new. Some were the typical canon fodder that you can quickly stun and take out with two quick sword slashes, but if you’re not careful they will overwhelm you and send you back to the closest Site of Grace. Others were more imposing and required patience, pattern recognition, timely dodges/blocks, and a little bit of luck. As with any FromSoftware game, some will breeze past these baddies on their first try, while others will see them as mini-bosses that they eventually run to or past, depending on their tolerance for punishment.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Will Challenge the Best
FromSoftware says there are over 10 new bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, and I encountered only three of them during the preview. One was in a small crypt and was that typical FromSoftware boss that is just a dude - in this case, a knight - but one that packs a wallop. With a rapid-fire fire crossbow at his disposal, this knight could eradicate your HP in a second, and he is quick and agile.
But that boss was an appetizer for what was to come. The first major boss I saw in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was nicknamed the Dancing Lion, and dance it did. With a grotesque design that looks like the disembodied head of a gnarly-looking creature (imagine a Wild Thing from Where the Wild Things Are), the Dancing Lion seemed to be part man and part beast. The Elden Ring DLC boss was agile as can be, capable of dashing and swooping across the arena quickly and dishing out big damage in a second. I don’t want to give too much away, but if this is to be most Shadow of the Erdtree player’s first major boss, it is the type of warm welcome that only FromSoftware can deliver. A cold shower that reminds you that even the coolest-looking bosses can become chaotic fights for survival. Some camera quirks did cause me problems during the fight, but it felt mostly fair and plenty difficult. Again, it’s hard to say how challenging Dancing Lion may be with some of the OP Elden Ring builds that exist out there, but the boss fight delivered everything one would expect.
The other major boss was less spectacular in its design (by comparison) and hit a nice counterpoint to Dancing Lion. Timing and patience are always paramount in Elden Ring boss fights, but the design of this one was more deliberate, like how Malenia required baiting out specific attacks to do damage while Radagon was merely about staying afloat amidst the chaos. Both bosses were different, and the biggest compliment one could give is that I can’t wait to fight them again (and for real).
Elden Ring's DLC Delivers the Best Type of Warm Welcome
Like 30 hours feels like barely scratching the surface of Elden Ring, 3 hours felt like barely scratching the surface of Shadow of the Erdtree. Everything you want from a FromSoftware DLC was there – new enemy types, new weapons, new bosses – and the scope of this new content feels like it matches the scope of Elden Ring. By that I mean Shadow of the Erdtree feels more open and less restricted compared to past FromSoft DLCs, just like Elden Ring did compared to past FromSoft games. The Land of Shadow is beautiful, mixing the medieval gothic with a fantastical natural beauty. The massive, charred Erdtree that looms large over the landscape and the fabric-like ripples in the sky are just as arresting as the first time you see the glowing Erdtree in the main game. Enemy designs run the gamut from weird to cool to grotesque, and there is at least one enemy type that is sure to give some players nightmares.
FromSoftware has also smartly introduced a consumable called Scadutree Blessings that boost outgoing damage and incoming damage protection. There are a way for Elden Ring’s highest-level players to boost their builds even after they’ve hit diminishing returns on stats.
Elden Ring is a Game of the Year award winner, a rousing sales success, and it was a conversation piece for almost all of 2022. So, for most people, the promise of more content is tempting enough. Many players, present company included, are even amid new playthroughs to either get ready for the DLC, reacquaint themselves with the world and the controls, or both. Jumping back into the boots of the Tarnished was exciting and regardless of how brief my time in the Land of Shadow, it was a reminder of just how incredible Elden Ring is. There is no developer out there that can do what FromSoftware does, and Shadow of the Erdtree looks to prove that the developers are pushing themselves just as hard for the DLC as they did for the main game. If the first few hours of pain and punishment are just as exhilarating as the finished product, Elden Ring fans are in for another unforgettable ride.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set in a world co-created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R.R. Martin, the author of the best-selling fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. This collaboration between two renowned creators has resulted in FromSoftware's largest game to date, filled with danger and discovery at every turn. Hidetaka Miyazaki, president and game director of FromSoftware, has a history of directing highly acclaimed games in franchises such as Armored Core and Dark Souls.
- Platform(s)
- PS5 , Xbox One , PS4 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , PC
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment , From Software
- Genre(s)
- RPG , Action
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree releases June 21, 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided travel accommodations for this preview.
