Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree PS5 Review

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Review bombs, patches, and 5 million concurrent players – From Software has outdone themselves with the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Introducing new NPCs, unique bosses and expanding lore surrounding Miquella, Shadow of the Erdtree raises the standards yet again.

With 80 new boss fights (11 of which are remembrance bosses), over 100 new weapons and 11 new NPCs, Shadow of the Erdtree can be viewed as a standalone game on its own and is definitely worth the £35 price point.

Before you read this, yes I used my mimic, yes I ended up using a bleed build. No I don’t want to hear about it, let me be bad at the game okay?

Spoilers ahead for the entirety of the DLC !!!!

The player characters stands in the centre of the screen at the entrance of the Elden Ring DLC. In front of the player, in the background, in the Scadutree, the DLCs version of the Erdtree.
Starting a new adventure

Gameplay

As with any From Software DLC, the Shadow of the Erdtree is locked behind two bosses. Players must defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg in Mohgwyn’s Palace to meet Leda and gain access to the Land of Shadows.

Beyond that, the gameplay is pretty much exactly what you would expect. The biggest change to the game is the introduction of Scadutree fragments – a new way to increase your power. There are Scadutree fragments which increase your damage and reduce the damage that you take and Spirit Ashes which increase the power of your spirit summons such as the Mimic Tear.

New bosses will push players to their limits with brand new moves, spells and incantations. One thing I did notice was that a lot of the attacks did have a significant delay on them. Whilst this was something that was also in the base game, there was something about this DLC that reminded me of Dark Souls 2. If you have replayed or done your first playthrough of Elden Ring before the release of the DLC then you’ll have no problem with the delays. Returning players that abandoned their character in NG+ might struggle to get into the swing of things.

One thing to be aware of with the DLC is that your new game+ level does carry over. If you’re going into Shadow of the Erdtree at NG+3, the DLC will not scale down to give you an easy ride.

The player stands in the centre of the screen, in a wooded area. There are messages on the floor in white writing. At the bottom of the screen there is text saying "the spectral steed is frightened and cannot be summoned"
You’re on your own…

Bugs

I only experienced one issue which was when trying to collect the Scadutree fragments. In previous games, if an enemy dropped a key item or an upgrade item, it would automatically be placed into your inventory. This isn’t something that has carried across to Shadow of the Erdtree. There are shadow enemies across the map that are holding pots above their heads. If these pots are shining then that means they’re holding an item which will drop if killed. Some of these hold the Scadutree fragments.

There were two in the Ruins of Rhul that are guarded by a Curseblade so there were a few instances where I would kill them and then be killed by it. Unfortunately, as I didn’t pick the item up before I died, it despawned and was lost forever meaning I couldn’t get my blessing up to level 20. 

Graphics

Elden Ring has many jaw dropping moments where the beauty of the game is almost unbelievable – the first time you enter Liurnia for example. Shadow of the Erdtree carries the torch perfectly.

The player sits in a yellow field surrounded by Erdtree Flowers. In the top left of the screen there is a crescent moon which is making the flowers glow.
Take a moment to rest

One thing that the DLC does really well is make the player feel small. There are plenty of areas that can be seen from anywhere on the map. Bayle’s Jagged Peak stands proud on the outskirts of the map, the Scadutree is a looming presence throughout and you can see Enir Lim, hidden by shadows, in any above ground location. 

Enemies also aid in making you feel insignificant. Furnace Golems are visibile from across the map, looming just inside of the render distance. When I first saw one, I was convinced it was a mini boss given the sheer size of it. Turns out it wasn’t and I was immediately squished by its exploding feet.

That being said, the size of this game is also its downfall. Similarly to the main game, there are many moments when going through the DLC where it felt like there was nothing happening. There were big open areas where there was absolutely nothing and it felt like it was a wasted opportunity. Take, for instance, the Finger Ruins. An amazing design which pushes lore forwards but offers nothing aside from a Fallingstar Beats and an army of Fingercreepers. I love you, Ymir, but the area could have been utilised so much more.

Boss Design

The boss design in Shadow of the Erdtree is next level. There wasn’t a single boss in the game that didn’t impress me or leave me terrified. Even the unassuming bosses such as Messmer manage to impress with their arena. The best boss design, in my opinion, was the frenzy boss. Midra starts as what looks like a frail enemy and turns into one of the best bosses I’ve ever seen. The transition cutscene in grotesque and the final reveal leads to a jaw dropping moment.

Midra, the Lord of Frenzied Flame, is in the centre of the screen before the second phase transition. He holds a sword up and has a pained expression on his face as he tried to pull it free from his body.

Of course there’s a phase two

The Final Boss

After joking that I knew who the final boss was going to be, I was still shocked by the reveal. From Software is known for having ridiculously difficult bosses at the end of their DLCs – such as Midir, Gale and the Ivory King – and with Shadow of the Erdtree’s difficulty, I knew this final boss was going to top them all.

The player is in the middle of an area covered in dust and roots. In the centre of the image there are two pillars, the final boss stands between them in the shadow of the Scadutree.
Prepare to cry

Seeing everyone say the boss wasn’t fair, I (stupidly) thought it was new players that had an easy ride through Elden Ring and weren’t used to the brutality of From Software. I was so, so wrong. 

I’m not good at souls games in the slightest. I stumble my way through and somehow get the platinum trophy at the end of it. Usually my death is because I’m an idiot that was spamming roll. That being said, there were times in this fight where I was left saying “how are you meant to dodge that?” 

Overpowered sword attacks are followed up by AOEs and spells that cause insane damage and rinse you of any hope of a victory. Not to mention a grab attack that, if you get grabbed twice, will outright kill you. Is this attack avoidable? Yes. Is there an obscure item hidden behind a different boss that can mitigate this issue entirely? Also yes. That doesn’t make it any less annoying.

Phase one feels fair, attacks can be dodged pretty easily and they use a lot of the same moves from the original fight. I was consistently getting through phase one after a few attempts. Phase two is a whole other horror story. Make sure you have your Scadutree fragments as levelled up as possible.

Final Thoughts

The wait for the DLC to drop was definitely worth it. From Software have taken some of the best elements of Elden Ring and has made them even better. Shadow of the Erdtree is punishing but makes up for it with beautiful graphics and lore that changes the perception of everything from the base game. Some of the new NPCs challenge Alexander and Blaidd for being my favourite (I am looking at you Moore and Thiollier) even though they don’t get much screen time. The emptiness of certain areas of the map does let it down a little but not enough to stop it from getting the Thumb Culture Platinum award.

 

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