Elden Ring DLC Gets 40-Hour Reviews

The journey to the "Shadow of the Erdtree" expansion begins only after defeating two formidable bosses in the base game: Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood. Once they are vanquished, players can access the DLC by touching the withered arm of Miquella in the cocoon located in Mohgwyn Palace, which transports them to the new realm. This new area is a separate map called the Land of Shadow, a place described as being obscured by the Erdtree and where the goddess Marika first set foot. The world is composed of multiple new regions, including the initial Gravesite Plain, the autumnal Scadu Altus, the Cerulean Coast, and the legacy dungeons of Belurat and the Shadow Keep. The expansion significantly increases the game's arsenal, adding approximately 100 new weapons distributed across eight entirely new weapon categories. This provides fresh combat styles and options for players to discover and master. "Shadow of the Erdtree" introduces over 10 major new bosses that award Remembrances upon defeat. Among these new adversaries are the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, the imposing Commander Gaius, and the central antagonist, Messmer the Impaler. In total, the expansion adds over 80 new boss encounters. The base game, *Elden Ring*, set a high bar, selling over 30 million copies and winning numerous Game of the Year awards in 2022 from outlets like The Game Awards, Golden Joystick Awards, and the D.I.C.E. Awards. The "Shadow of the Erdtree" expansion, priced at $39.99 for the standard edition, was first announced on February 28, 2023, and launched on June 21, 2024. The narrative for the DLC was not newly written by George R.R. Martin but was adapted from the original, unused mythos he created for the base game.