Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Review

A Shadowy Test for Tarnished Champions

Elden Ring's merciless difficulty and breathtaking world left a mark on countless players, including those of us at Jump Dash Roll. Shadow of the Erdtree, the highly anticipated DLC (with the same levels of graphical and audio prowess), promised to deliver a new wave of challenges while progressing the game's legacy of exploration and discovery beyond the gigantic scope already presented. This part of the journey takes a turn for the strange, with a warped reflection of the Lands Between known as the Shadow Realm.

A Twisted Reflection: Exploring the Shadow Realm

Imagine a world where the familiar landscapes of the Lands Between are twisted and reshaped. Crumbling cliffs might defy gravity, leading to hidden pathways in what was once flat terrain. Lush meadows could transform into treacherous swamps, and once-sunlit areas could plunge into perpetual twilight. This warped geography in the Shadow Realm, whilst not a literal reflection of the original map (that would be a little boring), lends itself to this world being a truly fascinating playground for exploration. Not only will you see familiarity and then learn how it’s not what you once knew, but also these environmental contortions will affect your approach to combat and traversal. There is a lot of verticality from the off, with areas up high and down low which you can see tantalizingly within your reach, yet cannot actually get to at first. This brings to mind Sekiro, but as you open up more of the map, explore more legacy dungeons, and find the shortcuts, an element of the reference point environments from Dark Souls come into view. And that, dear reader, is very exciting - the greatest thing about Dark Souls is the world and how it circles back on itself brilliantly.

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Delving Deeper: A Return to Legacy Dungeons

While the vastness of the Lands Between offered a sense of freedom, Elden Ring truly shone in its meticulously crafted dungeons. Shadow of the Erdtree appears to be doubling down on this design philosophy. Some of the classical dungeons are massive with twists and turns, levers and lifts, secrets and obstacles all over the place. It’s at once fascinating, mesmerising and a difficult puzzle… which then gets harder when some baddie pops out at you unexpectedly. This return to intricate legacy dungeons is a breath of fresh air for those who craved a more concentrated challenge after exploring the sprawling open world. That is still present, but everything feels more concentrated in the Shadow Realm, meaning there is more to do than ever before, as well as each individual thing being a deeper experience. 

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Facing the Shadows: A New Test of Skill

The increased focus on dungeons also suggests a potential change in the overall difficulty curve. While Elden Ring offered opportunities to level up and scale organically, the Shadow Realm requires a different approach. Here's where the intriguing new upgrade system – powered by Scadutree blessings – comes in. By collecting fragments scattered throughout the DLC, players can enhance their character in the Shadow Realm specifically. It’s clever as it stops the DLC being done and dusted quickly by OP builds, as well as ensuring it’s not too hard for those slightly underpowered, or on point, as long as the player takes the time to explore a little upfront. 

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New Tools for New Battles

Speaking of challenges, the Shadow Realm wouldn't be complete without a fresh arsenal of fearsome foes. New bosses and enemies are littered throughout, each with their own unique attack patterns and strategies to master, as you’d expect. Thankfully, the developers haven't forgotten about the tools at our disposal. Shadow of the Erdtree includes a magnificent variety of new weapons, armour sets, and other loot specifically tailored to this twisted realm. This is essential to keeping things fresh, and allowing for new playstyles in the DLC and then back in the main game should you so desire.

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The Verdict: A Descent into Darkness for Elden Ring Enthusiasts

The full scope of Shadow of the Erdtree will remain shrouded in mystery for each to learn themselves, but that which we have experienced is nothing less than a thoroughly thrilling expansion. A tangential take on the Lands Between to explore, a renewed focus on intricate dungeons, and a unique upgrade system to help face the shadows in a way that makes it enjoyable for all comers – it all adds up to an experience that Elden Ring aficionados won't want to miss.