Elden Ring DLC Gets Mixed Reviews
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC launched with divided response among reviewers, with early reviews highlighting both strengths and controversies of FromSoftware's latest expansion. While many praise the expansion's ambitious scope and narrative depth, others cite issues such as balance and a steep learning curve that may be best suited for veteran players seeking an even greater challenge.
- Despite mixed user reviews, *Shadow of the Erdtree* became the highest-rated DLC of all time according to critic scores, achieving a Metascore of 95 based on 56 reviews. This score surpassed other highly-acclaimed expansions like *The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine*, which holds a score of 92. - The expansion was a commercial success, selling over 10 million units. With the base game of *Elden Ring* having sold over 30 million copies, this gives the DLC an attach rate of nearly one in three, placing it among the most successful expansions ever. - A central point of player criticism was the expansion's significant difficulty. In response, FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that lowering the difficulty would "break the game itself," as the sense of achievement from overcoming hurdles is a fundamental part of the experience. - Following player feedback, FromSoftware released a patch adjusting the "Scadutree Fragments" mechanic. The update increased the damage and defense buffs players receive in the early stages of the DLC, easing the initial difficulty curve without altering the overall challenge. - The expansion adds a new region, the "Land of Shadow," which players can travel to and from seamlessly. The story follows the path of Empyrean Miquella, a character mentioned frequently in the base game. - *Shadow of the Erdtree* introduces a substantial amount of new content, including more than 10 new bosses and eight new weapon categories. It also adds 95 new weapons, over 30 new armor sets, and numerous new spells and talismans for players to discover. - The main antagonist of the expansion is Messmer the Impaler, a key boss character who rules over the Land of Shadow. A 46cm statue of this character was included in the collector's edition of the DLC.
