Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (2024) critique

I try to make a game that has beautiful open spaces, gaps, room for players to enjoy it in ways that were not authored. I never want it to be where you have to follow the rules completely, where you have to do things exactly as the designers intended.

-Hidetaka Miyazaki

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree: A Land Beyond All Expectations

Elden Ring was one of the most hotly anticipated video games in the history of the medium until its release in 2022, and it certainly lived up to all the hype and then some. Taking numerous awards and amassing a litany of glowing reviews, it has been heralded by many as one of if not the greatest game of all time. It introduced many to the “Soulsborne” sub-genre of RPGS as well as providing an eminently rewarding experience for veterans with everything it offered.

When it was announced that fans’ hopes for additional adventures in the Lands Between would be realized in a forthcoming DLC package, the prospect of new Elden Ring content was met with similarly euphoric enthusiasm. The promises of lore mysteries being unraveled, new bosses to conquer, and even more territory to explore created peak gaming hype.

While the destination and storyline of Shadow of the Erdtree were not quite what many foresaw, the expansion episode to Elden Ring delivered in much the same way as the original game. Immense scale, deep lore, freedom of play style, and a hardcore challenge were not only reprised in this very welcome addition; rather, it smashed expectations once again.

Narrative: 8/10

Shadow of the Erdtree is centered around one particular figure: Miquella the Kind, one of the Empyrean demigods who each bear a shard of the Elden Ring (the extremely powerful magical vestige of the unknowable cosmic entity that created everything). We learn precious little about Miquella in the base game, and much of what we do know requires the player to explore and complete two completely optional areas of the game. In truth, Miquella is essentially a background character in the main story, but Shadow brings him to the forefront, and we learn exactly how deep his involvement and influence in the narrative really goes. Without elaborating too much, suffice it to say that Miquella is actually at the very heart of the events that unfold in both the Lands Between and the Shadow Realm, and it’s our job to figure out why.

The narrative of Elden Ring is dark and gloomy to say the least, and Shadow takes this to another level of tragic dystopia. As such, it’s definitely not for everyone. However, the struggle to stop the unending cycle of a hopelessly broken world is a highly compelling archetype, and the plights of the characters involved are similarly compelling in their personal connections to the great tragedy. It’s definitely an existential tale, prompting the player to think about the human condition, the nature of what power means, and about how it is wielded by deeply flawed beings. (As a liberal studies major at university, I lap this stuff up, so it’s fascinating to me.) That said, the player can choose to engage with the world as a “this world sucks because a deity really messed things up and now we have to stop them” tale and enjoy the game just as much.

The story and lore of Elden Ring and Shadow reflect the construction of the in-game world. It is rich, vast, and the player can interact with as much or as little of it as they choose. The details and nuances of the story are not handed to the player and require your initiative to uncover them. Navigating the world, completing dungeons, following circuitous NPC quest lines and reading the descriptions of your equipment all reveal their own pieces of the puzzle. This method of storytelling is largely unique to Soulsborne games and definitely takes some getting used to. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, which is completely valid, but it does carry its own brand of alluring discovery and a one-of-a-kind element of satisfaction. You’re not told everything you may want to know. You have to put in effort to learn things for yourself, which is as rewarding in Elden Ring as it is in real life.

Visuals: 10/10

One of the most impressive aspects of Elden Ring is the colossal scale of the Lands Between. The game environment is gigantic, the terrain and biomes are dramatically varied, and the potential for exploration is nearly limitless. If you see it in front of you, you can almost certainly go there and you’ll find dozens of hidden things along the way. Shadow continues in the same vein with a particular spin consistent with the narrative of the DLC. The Shadow Realm is a sprawling area much larger than hoped for, but the ominous pall over the territory stands as a unique counterpart to the Lands Between. In a realm emblematic of the truth at the heart of Elden Ring, it’s very dark and gloomy. Yet everything is just as painstakingly articulated and constructed, and it’s still easy to appreciate both the intricacy and scope of the world. The visual mastery certainly isn’t limited to the world, as combat is just as stylish and eye-catching as the base game. The world feels epic to view, and the battles are cinematic high fantasy overload. It’s simply gorgeous.

Audio: 10/10

The consistent trend of sound design in From Software’s Soulsborne games is twofold, and it continues here. Overworld music remains largely atmospheric rather than carrying a particular set of melodies or themes, all intended to augment the sensory experience of the game world rather than being a memorable entity in itself. The music shifts to more urgent, foreboding tones when you attract a foe’s attention, reverting to normal when you’re no longer the object of aggression. The sound effects of interaction (in both exploration and combat) take the foreground, and that cacophony creates a highly lifelike feeling. The second part of the audio formula also remains consistent: the epic boss battles all possess a unique theme of grandeur to match the deadly enemy you’re faced with. Bosses are immensely powerful and their theme music is equal to that strength. Every one of these fights feels like a highly dramatic struggle between life and death with a world-shattering adversary as a result.

Gameplay: 9/10

In all aspects, the gameplay of Elden Ring and its new companion piece Shadow is a triumph. Exploration is nigh limitless and intuitive, where the player must use all the tools and know-how at their disposal to make their way through the in-game world. The aforementioned smorgasbord of discoveries to be made gives us a real sense of achievement and fun. The combat mechanics of Shadow are the same, but now there are even more options to experiment with. New skills, spells, and weapon types present us with a variety of brand new play styles to try, all of which are highly viable for progressing in the game. At its height, combat is a psychologically riveting dance, where you duel with your own tension as much as the enemies in front of you. Whether you outmaneuver an opponent with dodging and quick strikes, parry and counter, smash them with a gigantic hammer or set the field alight with spells, it all just feels good.

Only one thing holds the gameplay back, and it’s not technically a flaw in the combat itself. Rather, the difficulty of some fights is so prohibitive that unless you’re a master of your particular build, it can feel as if you’re being forced into a game focused on perfectly timing dodge rolls rather than actually playing how you want to.

Challenge: 10/10

YOU DIED: words etched into the minds of everyone who’s even played a Soulsborne game. Prepare to see this message on screen during Shadow of the Erdtree. A LOT. Far more often than in the base game, in fact. Make no mistake: Elden Ring is a difficult game, but none of the battles feel truly insurmountable. Experience, developing your character prudently, and upgrading your equipment consistently all combine to make the challenges very doable.

Before you can even access the Shadow Realm, you must navigate two completely optional and treacherous areas of the Lands Between (and you have to put in a significant amount of time and effort just to reach these parts of the base game). As such, Shadow of the Erdtree expects your character to essentially be a demigod themselves and carries a challenge equal to that expectation. Enemies in Shadow are scaled to your character so they’re just as powerful as you are, if not more so. Every enemy, no matter how innocuous they seem, can absolutely take you out if you’re not careful. The more powerful foes can and will knock you into another dimension entirely.

And then there are the boss fights. Getting one- or two-shotted into oblivion is a common occurrence, which can make it extremely difficult to learn bosses’ attack patterns and the timing you must employ in order to win. It’s not impossible, but it can certainly feel that way sometimes. It’s a punishing and chastening experience and your patience will be tested, sometimes to the absolute limit. Despite the difficulty spike, victory remains possible, and the sense of achievement when you land that last hit cannot be duplicated in any other genre.

Replayability: 10/10

One of the greatest strengths of Elden Ring is the tremendous variety of play styles that can be employed to conquer your foes. The only true limit is your imagination, and the kit available to you has only increased in Shadow of the Erdtree. Even after completing the game, there’s always another character build or weapon type to try out. Add the dozens of extra hours of play time spent within the Shadow Realm, and the replay value just continues to appreciate. The game never gets boring, and Shadow ensures that this will remain the case for many years to come.

Accessibility: 6/10

The high difficulty of Soulsborne games is either a feature or a flaw depending on who you ask, and Shadow is definitely on the high end of the challenge spectrum. Personally, I enjoy how hard these games are, but some of the battles herein were among the most unforgiving trials I’ve ever confronted in a game. The reality is that not everyone will enjoy a game that can be excruciatingly tough, and that’s not a personal criticism of anyone’s gaming preferences. But it does mean that many people will try it out and decide it’s not for them, even if they enjoy the other aspects of the game.

Personal: 8/10

Much of the personal significance of Elden Ring and Shadow are tied to how well a player takes to the storytelling method of the game. It’s certainly worth the effort to uncover every connection and piece of lore, though. Demigods who can seem totally aloof and unknowable at first are actually quite relatable figures with many things in common with ourselves. Additionally, the concept of continually asking questions to find your way is at the heart of the grand quest, and this is directly seen in our own lives. In exploring all the game has to offer, we are exploring ourselves at the same time. These are very heavy themes to be sure, and with very little levity to be found in the game, it can be very difficult to resonate with the story at times. Taking breaks is definitely recommended, but the game is not a depressing exercise in itself. It’s just a lot to take in if you allow yourself to be open to these tough questions, but it’s a richly rewarding experience if you let it be so. Even if you’re not into the whole introspective bit, the process of taking on a tremendous challenge and overcoming it through learning, adaptation, experience and perseverance is a great reward in itself.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a very worthy follow-up to one of the greatest games of all time, and it feels much less like a DLC episode than a sequel. It’s definitely one of the most difficult games in recent memory, but this only adds to the overall satisfaction gained. Ultimately, the game continues to give back what you put in regarding exploration, character building, lore diving, and the grand narrative. The journey of discovery stretches on beyond the Lands Between and past anything expected from a DLC installment, building upon one of the games already established as a seminal touchstone in the medium.

Aggregated Score: 8.9

JRPG fiend turned Twitch streamer, Mystraker (Myst for short) turned his childhood love for role-playing fantasy adventures into the driving passion of his life! You can find him on Twitch, usually waist-deep in a sprawling epic tale with more than a few anime tropes thrown in. His love for RPGs even inspired him to earn a degree in religious studies, so you can also expect some deeper thought on his favorite games as well as an appreciation for references to real-world cultures and connections.