DLC REVIEW: ‘Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree’ Is A Beautiful Goodbye (PS5)

Rolling plains stretch out for miles, dotted with rows of translucent graves. A massive burning basket with limbs lumbers in the distance, visible even when the plains become a far off destination. Looming above it all is the towering focus of Elden Ring’s first and only DLC, the Erdtree. Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree triumphs as a smaller, condensed experience and a proper sendoff for the open-world action RPG.

From its opening moments, Shadow of the Erdtree possesses an air of familiarity, luring players into a false sense of security. This cohesion with the base Elden Ring experience will help players remember how to play if they’ve spent some time away. Despite their success in the base game, they’ll soon realize they’ve been placed back at the bottom of the proverbial food chain. This is partly due to the blessings you can receive while in the Realm of Shadow, the zone added for Shadow of the Erdtree. These blessings scale the player and their spirits up to deal with the new threats within, but when starting the expansion, they’re vulnerable, much like when starting a new character in Elden Ring.

The other factor is that Shadow of the Erdtree feels like a remix of Elden Ring. Despite the smaller setting, FromSoftware displays its mastery of level design by making the most of the new Realm of Shadow, which is densely packed with inviting and foreboding destinations. Towering settlements disrupt the horizon, while dark, dank crypts lay hidden throughout the landscape. These locales and everything between are rife with details and allusions to an unseen history. By utilizing verticality and spaces ranging from open plains to claustrophobic tunnels, they cram countless hidden dungeons, secret paths, and optional boss fights into an already overflowing environment.

One noteworthy environment featured several routes in and out of it, with a few of them passing near each other but otherwise inaccessible from the wrong entrance. Of course, this complex world with intertwining paths requires enemies scattered throughout, most of which pack a serious punch, forcing players to play cautiously. It all feels familiar, but the expansion reintroduces the mystery that many players have thoroughly “solved” by now in Elden Ring. While this renewed sense of discovery will eventually fade, its reemergence makes Shadow of the Erdtree so special.

Besides the blessings, a plethora of new equipment to aid in your journey waits to be discovered within Shadow of the Erdtree. This comes in the form of armor, weapons, consumables, spirits and more. While not every new discovery will fit into your build, it’s worth experimenting with new items. Some of the new weapons are fun to use, even if you’re not destroying bosses with them, and some armor pieces are incredibly stylish, giving the fashion hunters more to seek out and acquire. Even if you’re accustomed to a set loadout from the base Elden Ring, changing things up regularly feels worth it for a new piece of equipment.

Additionally, as expected, most of these items also come with new tidbits of lore, ready to be consumed by avid lorehounds. Together with the NPCs and narrative of the DLC, FromSoftware painted a fairly comprehensive picture, even for those who don’t search for every last detail from which to extract the plot. Thankfully, the smattering of proper nouns in the opening hours is given context naturally through the expansion, making certain battles more meaningful.

Of course, these games are known for their boss battles, and Shadow of the Erdtree holds nothing back. The battles hidden in the Realm of Shadow are some of the most outlandish, gnarly, and intense boss fights yet. Whether dueling human-sized opponents or challenging towering monstrosities, players often expect to be slack-jawed due to the gorgeous designs, special boss attacks, and even the arenas they’ll likely perish repeatedly. Even after suffering repeated deaths from some bosses, I had to admit their signature attacks were incredible to behold, even if they were the source of much misery.

Truly, many of these boss encounters felt like a brain teaser. More than one boss left me scratching my head, wondering how even to begin approaching them. Unrelenting combos, room-spanning spells, or assistance from minions often made even learning their patterns a chore, with some unfortunate attempts cut short before I could even damage the boss. In true soulsborne fashion, though, some precise timing and a lot of patience led to victory time and time again.

The feeling of dodging through a previously unapproachable combo and cutting down a boss that initially felt untouchable is unmatched, and Shadow of the Erdtree grants the feeling repeatedly. While there is something of a “critical path” with a trail of narratively significant boss battles, there are what feels like dozens of optional bosses to discover, with some fun and frustrating fights hidden behind exploration and the occasional elaborate puzzle.

One of the most fascinating aspects of FromSoftware’s boss design is how much their difficulty varies from person to person. Some bosses are a breeze for some, but a wall for others. A few lucky players may take down a notoriously difficult boss after a few attempts. More than ever, the boss fights in Shadow of the Erdtree have great potential to confound players in their brutal but fair tests of reflexes and wills. What is certain is that some of the new bosses introduced in the expansion are sure to become iconic, such as Bloodborne’s Orphan of Kos and Dark Souls’ Artorias.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree feels familiar in many ways, but the differences make it shine. FromSoftware may be reusing the occasional tool or gimmick, but they use them as a chance to elevate the content instead of as a placeholder. Elden Ring was a massive endeavor and success, and instead of coasting on that success, they turned Shadow of the Erdtree into a thrilling final adventure with its own identity.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is available now on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.