Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Reviews
The culture around FromSoftware suggests that we should never expect stories to be directly told to us, and that remains true with Shadow of the Erdtree. I've always been an admirer of art that mimics life. In the context of Hidetaka Miyazaki's undying legacy, I do believe that Shadow of the Erdtree is yet another work of art that builds on the studio’s history of delivering polished gameplay. Whether you choose to wield a fresh, exciting weapon like the Death Knight’s Twin Axes or play with something trustworthy like the Rivers of Blood from the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree will still be a fulfilling journey worthy of your time, attention, and courage.
An exemplary addition to Elden Ring.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a remarkable expansion that compellingly concludes the unfinished tale of Miquella and his followers. The meticulously crafted stages, deep narrative, rich character development, diverse array of new items, and distinctive soundtrack elevate this add-on to the same stellar quality as the original game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the lore and gameplay continuation that we all needed. The new challenges and a feeling of nostalgia help propel this DLC into the stratosphere.
Elden Ring's big expansion just adds more beautiful brutality and action RPGing carnage to its already-tough base. Shadow of the Erdtree is meant to test the mettle of the game's hardcore audience and isn't going to let up soon. This isn't going to change your mind about From Software's approach to its dungeon crawlers: it's either "get good" or go home and it intends to keep the messaging that way with its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The expansion's new offerings and updates, as well as epic boss fights, are still as grand and challenging as ever to the point that you may see optional boss Malenia (both versions) from the base game as a "walk in the park".
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree exceeds all expectations and overshadows every other expansion out there. With around 20-30 hours of new challenging content and areas, designed for veteran players, is the label "expansion" a bit of an understatement. Considering the sheer amount of new elements, including some of the most spectular boss fights of the series, smaller shortcomings such as reused enemy types that could've used a bigger facelift, or that upgrades only give you a generic boost for two values, carry no weight in the full picture.
Review in German | Read full review
Shadow of the Erdtree represents what we liked with the original content but with more meticulous designs to the map and a great variety of new weapons. A befitting comeback to this masterpiece.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree is far more out of an expansion than I ever thought it would be, and my expectations were already a little high. While I have personal gripes with what I see to be missed chances, that doesn't stop it from being spectacular on the whole. This expansion feels like it fully completes Elden Ring, a game that already felt like a whole project, in a way I didn't even know it needed to be completed. I can no longer imagine Elden Ring being without Shadow Of The Erdtree, almost like the Realm Of Shadow was there the whole time.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a sensational companion to the base game that feels remarkably fresh and a subtly progressive evolution of the Elden Ring formula.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is everything one could want from an Elden Ring DLC: a huge new area to explore, new bosses to fight, new weapons to try, and new lore to unravel. It is a genuine joy to play and easily one of my favorite DLCs of all time. Its quality is high enough to even justify the $40 price tag. If you like Elden Ring, then Shadow of the Erdtree will give you everything you could want. If you're a newcomer, it's probably best to play through the game first before taking on the DLC. After all, Mohg, Lord of Blood is only the beginning.
Shadow of the Erdtree not only expands upon Elden Ring's lore and gameplay mechanics but also enriches the experience with its atmospheric storytelling and intricate world design. It beckons players to embrace the daunting journey through the Shadow Realm, promising a gripping adventure that resonates with the hallmark blend of challenge and discovery. What's on offer is one of the best FromSoftware experiences to date, capturing everything that made Elden Ring special and more.
Shadow of the Erdree is an excellent expansion to Elden Ring. Poison swamps, giant swords, and fingercreepers return, better than ever.
It’s a continuation of what made the Elden Ring fantastic in the first place. An epic adventure!
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the biggest and most ambitious expansion ever developed by FromSoftware. However, it could have been flawless if it weren't for the over-the-top recycling of enemies. Even so, the challenging boss fights and the great sense of exploration with the addition of new layouts on the maps make Shadow of the Erdtree an excellent conclusion to the Elden Ring journey.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
There's no doubt in my mind that there's more to do still in Shadow of the Erdtree if not in this playthrough than definitely the next. If anything, all those missed connections and areas unexplored only make the prospect of returning to the Realm of Shadow on New Game+ with a bunch of new toys to play with that much more enticing.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree was worth the wait and then some. While I said this was FromSoftware’s most ambitious DLC yet, and that’s not hyperbole. If you enjoyed Elden Ring, you’ll love everything about this DLC. Savor it since Hidetaka Miyazaki has said there won’t be more content after this.
Beware a big bump in difficulty, but Shadow of the Erdtree is a must-play for Elden Ring-fans. It improves on the base game in every way. The new Lands of Shadow are beautiful and a joy to explore, there are a lot of exciting new weapons and spells to find, and the new boss fights are absolutely epic.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
I'm both happy and sad that Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and last expansion for Elden Ring. On one hand, it's a masterfully woven experience that expands on the contents of the base game, whereas on the other it leaves much more to be desired with its disappointing final boss. That being said, it's still very much worth your time if you're craving some more Elden Ring.
It’s an extended encore and a haunting final bow for Miyazaki Hidetaka’s magnum opus.
Even 40-plus hours in, I’m still figuring out how to tackle a particularly nasty dragon. And despite cursing all the bosses I’ve felled so far, as they’ve beaten me into submission dozens of times, I’m looking forward to going back and starting it all over at some point, ready to take on the challenge again.