Hours into taking part in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the huge, singular enlargement for FromSoftware’s award-winning 2022 motion RPG, I understand it’s paralleling my actual life.
Till Elden Ring, I prevented Soulslikes. Their punishing problem and inflexible boundaries pissed off me immensely: I hit a wall in Darkish Souls: Remastered and gave up, barely touched Bloodborne, and prevented Sekiro prefer it was a poison swamp. In the true world, I’ve largely prevented the ire of homophobes and misogynists within the video games business, writing an article that quickly shakes them up earlier than fading into relative obscurity as soon as Reddit refreshes. However now, I’m willingly subjecting myself to arduous journey, operating headfirst right into a proverbial wall simply to shake it off, again up, and run into it once more. Outdoors of the Lands Between and the Shadow Realm, I’ve spent almost 4 months as the topic of a near-endless harassment marketing campaign. It feels, at instances, like logging on for a day of labor is akin to strolling by way of a boss door over and over.
Learn Extra: PSA: There Are Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Spoilers Out There
Earlier than I even make that connection between my actual world and FromSoft’s sport world, I subconsciously assault Shadow of the Erdtree with dogged willpower, as if besting a boss would bleed into my every single day and imbue me with the next tier of self-confidence. Very similar to the way it feels to obtain near-endless hate feedback from nameless accounts or offended middle-aged males, I face Shadow of the Erdtree fully alone—no multiplayer summons would work for me in early entry, a function I relied on within the base sport. So I confronted it solo and, after virtually 20 hours, got here out, as Rennala says, born anew.
There’s a lot in Shadow of the Erdtree—from new tools and enemies, to gorgeous vistas, to an unparalleled lore dump that bears the fingerprints of George R.R. Martin—that I’m assured anybody who performs it can stroll away modified.
Welcome to the Realm of Shadow
After touching the withered hand of Miquella within the Mohgwyn Palace Mausoleum, I’m transported to the Realm of Shadow. I stroll up a small, slim path earlier than rising into a large open plain. Within the distance, the Haligtree (created by the star of this DLC, Miquella, in an try and treatment his sister Malenia of Scarlet Rot) bleeds golden sap from a fork in its gnarled trunk. An enormous, diaphanous veil drapes over it and the encircling lands. Between myself and the Haligtree stands one of many large Furnace Golems we noticed final month within the DLC trailer, its hulking physique slowly stalking by way of a subject. To my left is a set of ruins, to my proper a crumbling fortress. I can see a a lot bigger fortress on the horizon; it looms over the Golem under it.
The sheer dimension of this preliminary space flooring me—and it’s solely the start. I discover map fragments for this new realm throughout my playthrough and understand simply how large the shadow lands are, how a lot it dwarfs some other piece of FromSoft DLC. Although one demerit for this smaller however nonetheless densely packed world is the legibility of the map—with out an underground toggle just like the one for the Lands Between, it may be robust to know the place the hell you’re, or what path you might want to take to get someplace.
As I work my approach by way of each new and acquainted enemies and terrain, it swiftly turns into clear that Shadow of the Erdtree is a super-condensed model of Elden Ring, a hyper-strong essence you’d dilute in water to make it last more. If this enlargement launched in 2022 as a substitute of the unimaginable, award-winning sport we acquired, we’d nonetheless be tickled pink—it’s that dense, that demanding, that deep when it comes to gameplay programs, options, weapons, and extra. Almost each enemy sort from the bottom sport is represented right here, from the grave birds to the little jar guys, the beastmen of Farum Azula to the Tibia Mariner boatmen of Liurnia of the Lakes, and people goddamn ankle-biting canines. The areas you uncover will remind you of locations within the Lands Between: toxic swamps, crumbling magic castles, dank dungeons, and creepy caves.
But there may be additionally a lot in Erdtree that’s novel, just like the Cerulean Coast within the south, a sea of glowing blue flowers delineating that what was as soon as ocean water has since retreated additional out; or the altar sitting within the shadow of a gargantuan dragon corpse beneath a blood-red sky that’s often reduce by way of by streaks of fiery orange lightning. And this large new world doesn’t simply span a powerful floor space, however provides a number of layers to discover, from the skyscraping peaks of the Jagged Peak mountain to the deep, fog-filled valleys tucked between cliffs. You might even see the icon for a map fragment nestled in a nook of the map, however good luck reaching it—the various altitudes would require you to double and triple again over beforehand trodden areas as you seek for a approach up or down.
Simply if you assume you’ve acquired a sense of how massive this enlargement is, if you’re sure you’ve acquired the lay of the land, one thing surprises you—a brand new spirit spring jettisons you and Torrent up tons of of ft onto a stone battlement, or a tiny crevasse spits you out in the midst of a battle between a dragon and Messmer’s footsoldiers. “There’s extra?!” I steadily marvel.
After which there’s the lore, which you had to search around for in Elden Ring however is much extra available (dare I say, in-your-face) in Shadow of the Erdtree. If you’re a lorehead, Erdtree will satiate you, because it expands and expounds upon the drip-feed of story we acquired within the base sport. It’s clear that Hidetaka Miyazaki needs you to know extra about his magnum opus’ world, that he hopes you stroll away from the DLC with a greater understanding of the gods ruling this unusual land; their machinations, their errors.
All through my almost 20 hours with Shadow of the Erdtree, I study concerning the horrifying origins of the jars that may flip the lovable little guys into objects of revulsion in your thoughts, the legacy of Placidusax (the dragon you struggle in Crumbling Farum Azula), the non secular teachings of the messianac Miquella (generally known as “tender” and “kindly” by NPCs), and the ramifications of devoting oneself to these teachings. At one level, an NPC tells me, “Miquella the Sort is a monster. Pure and radiant, he wields like to shrive clear the hearts of males. There’s nothing extra terrifying.” I study who Messmer really is about 10 hours into my playthrough. If in case you have lingering lore questions after taking part in by way of Shadow of the Erdtree, you weren’t paying consideration.
Shadow of the Erdtree: Elden Ring distilled
We knew forward of Shadow of the Erdtree’s launch that FromSoftware would alter development and problem so that you couldn’t merely over-level your character earlier than heading into the DLC and wipe the ground with everybody. In apply, most of the enemies in Erdtree really feel pretty squishy, however dole out an immense quantity of harm. I put most of my leveling into my HP and have the highest-level well being talisman outfitted (which you’ll discover within the Realm of Shadow), and I nonetheless wrestle and die by the hands of low-level birds and piles of goo. The primary boss I encounter is simply steps away from the DLC’s first web site of grace—the Blackgaol Knight, who hits me with an auto-crossbow the second I cross by way of the boss door and wipes me out earlier than I can get my bearings. I nonetheless can’t beat him.
All through your travels, you’ll discover Scadutree Blessings and Revered Spirit Ash Blessings, new objects which can strengthen your construct solely within the Realm of Shadows. This implies you may extra typically degree up your character to struggle tougher bosses within the DLC, as Scadutree Blessings enhance your assault energy and reduce your harm taken, whereas the Revered Spirit Ash Blessings will enhance the ability of the Spirit Ash NPCs you summon in fights. It’s a easy and nifty approach to make sure you scale up for the enlargement however don’t return into the bottom sport and demolish everybody with one fell swoop.
Throughout my playthrough of the bottom sport, I relied closely on glintstone and gravity magic, in addition to my Moonveil Katana, but it surely’s clear that Shadow of the Erdtree needs me to flex exterior of my consolation zone—respec my Tarnished, degree a brand new weapon, check out a brand new Ash of Conflict, and so on. Sure enemies, just like the aforementioned Furnace Golems, are just about untouchable with no particular merchandise you must craft (the Hefty Furnace Pot, whose components I lastly discovered about 19 hours in). I uncover fairly just a few worthy weapons early on, together with a greatsword known as Milady, the Dryleaf Arts which permits for hand-to-hand fight, and the Carian Sorcery Sword, which helps you to use your particular assault to solid spells with out equipping a workers. I attempt all of them out, however nothing feels fairly proper, and it’s not till I wrestle by way of a specific boss struggle that I admit my construct must drastically change.
It takes almost three straight hours of the Golden Hippopotamus boss, of dying at almost the identical level each time, of starting a descent into insanity, earlier than I resolve to attempt a brand new strategy. It’s late, my eyes are bleary, my response time is gradual, and my endurance is thinner than the veil separating these two worlds. I keep in mind I just lately defeated Rellana the Twin Moon Knight, who dualwields magic swords that conjure fireplace and moon energy and who additionally beat my ass for a number of hours. I resolve to go again to the Roundtable Maintain and use her remembrance (the merchandise main bosses drop that can help you get hold of a chunk of their package or one in every of their spells) with the service provider there. I would like her swords, as they really feel like the proper replace to my magic/Moonveil construct. Naturally, they require me to respec, so I head to Rennala (sure, the names are related, do with that info what you’ll), to be born anew.
With Rellana’s swords in-hand, the hippo goes down on my third try. I rejoice, letting out a loud whoop and standing up off the sofa so quick I almost upend the espresso desk, which sends essentially the most skittish of my cats sprinting into the bed room. The uniquely FromSoft feeling of elation after intense tribulation overtakes me, and I’m prepared for extra of what the Shadow Realm has to supply.
I’m humbled, pretty shortly, by the troopers who come instantly after the hippo, the identical ones who guard large unhealthy Messmer’s fortress. They’re part of a piece that feels essentially the most sometimes Darkish Souls-y: make your approach as much as the highest of a fortress, struggle by way of a number of high-difficulty enemies, keep away from falling off the ledge. I drop again into the cycle: Stay, die, repeat, like that Tom Cruise film Fringe of Tomorrow if it was stuffed with freaky little guys and rotting carcasses.
However that flickering firelight reminiscence of beating the rattling hippo urges me ahead, filling me with hope. That is going to be onerous, however I can do that. I’ll carry that mantra lengthy after I go away the Realm of Shadow. That is going to be onerous, however I can do that.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is nothing wanting magnificent. It’s each an enlargement to and a distillation of what makes the unique sport so particular, providing you an opportunity to check out new weapons and builds whereas studying much more concerning the Lands Between than you might need anticipated. It would delight you in a single breath and devastate you the subsequent, forcing you to query your strategy, to fortify your spirit.
Reviewing it in such a brief time period (I obtained code halfway by way of the day on June 12) was each extremely difficult and endlessly rewarding. As a result of solely business people had entry to Shadow of the Erdtree, I’d learn what few notes have been left behind and marvel “do I do know the one that left that?” It was a singular FromSoft expertise I’ll most likely by no means take pleasure in once more. I realized lots about myself streaking by way of the shadow realm of the Lands Between, and I believe you’ll too.
Shadow of the Erdtree ($40) drops June 21 on Xbox Sequence X/S, PS5, and PC.
