Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | Review Thread

[John Elden Ring]

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Standard and premium versions of the DLC are currently available to pre-order through Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation, which can include digital extras, with some versions even being bundled with the base game. Placing a pre-order for any edition of Shadow of the Erdtree grants access to the Ring of Miquella gesture when the DLC launches.

The stand-alone version of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is only $39.99 and is available digitally through Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. However, if you’re picking up the Steam version, you can reserve a copy through Green Man Gaming for $35.19. For an extra $10, you can pre-order the $49.99 Premium Bundle for Steam, Xbox or PlayStation. The Premium Bundle includes the DLC in addition to a digital soundtrack and artbook, but just note that you’ll still need to purchase a copy of the base game to play. The Steam version of the premium bundle is also discounted through Green Man Gaming for $43.99.

Shadow of the Erdtree collector’s edition​

Finally, the $249.99 Collector’s Edition is available exclusively for Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation from the Bandai Namco online store. The collector’s edition includes a 40-page physical art book, a digital copy of the soundtrack, and a 46 cm figure of Messmer the Impaler. Just note that this bundle doesn’t include a copy of the base game, so you’ll need to purchase that separately.

ELDEN RING Shadow Of The Erdtree Helmet Of Messmer The Impaler is an extra colelctible available for $189.99 at Bandai Namco Store

Is Shadow of the Erdtree a prequel?​

No, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is not a prequel. Though many fans believed we might be time traveling for this expansion as we did in Dark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss DLC, Miyazaki confirmed in the aforementioned Famitsu interview that it will take place at the same time as the vanilla game.

"It takes place in the same time as the main title. The setting is not in the distant past or future," he said. "The shadow lands and Queen Marika's past will be told in the same manner as The Shattering was in the main title."

Will Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree be on Xbox One and PS4?​

Yes, Shadow of the Erdtree will release on all of the platforms Elden Ring is available on, including Xbox One and PS4.

A Tarnished approaches a mysterious figure in Shadow of the Erdtree. (Image credit: Bandai Namco) Elden Ring is available on last-gen systems like the Xbox One and PS4 as well as newer ones such as the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, but Shadow of the Erdtree is coming out a full two years after the base game did. Thus, many players are worried that the DLC won't be playable on older consoles — a concern heightened by the fact Xbox One and PS4 logos don't appear in any of the expansion's existing marketing material.

How will you access the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?​

Best answer: To access the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, players will need to touch Miquella's "withered arm" after defeating Mohg, Lord of Blood in the Mohgwyn Palace area.

Can you play Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree if you beat the game?​

Best answer: Though it hasn't been confirmed officially, it's very likely you can play Shadow of the Erdtree after beating Elden Ring since the game doesn't force you to begin a NG+ cycle.

Will Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree add a new map?​

Best answer: Yes, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will feature a new map that's separate to the existing one in the game currently. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said that it's "larger even than Limgrave" and will have open-ended locations, massive Legacy Dungeons, and medium-sized areas that sound like a middle ground between these two.

Will Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree add new weapons?​

Best answer: Yes, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will add new weapons. Specifically, eight new categories of weapons are coming in the DLC, and there will be plenty of new armor, spells, Ashes of War, and other types of gear to collect, too.

How long will Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree be?​

Best answer: Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree Offers 50 hours of content

Will Shadow of the Erdtree bring balance changes to Elden Ring?​

Best answer: There's no way to say for sure if balance changes will come to Elden Ring with Shadow of the Erdtree, but it wouldn't surprise me if FromSoftware wants to make some adjustments to the sandbox.

Arabhardware - Ahmed Yousry - Arabic - 10 / 10

It's not an expansion, it's a whole new game that elevates everything elden ring presented on all fronts while also making it even better

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Bazimag - Hamidreza Ghaneei - Persian - 10 / 10

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.

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Boomstick Gaming - Boomstick Alex - 5 / 5

Video Review - Quote not available

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CGMagazine - Zubi Khan - 9.5 / 10

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree elevates the already stellar base game to new and challenging heights, adding a wellspring of content that cannot be missed, making it an essential must-play for all Elden Lords.

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COGconnected - COGconnected - 97 / 100

It’s a continuation of what made the Elden Ring fantastic in the first place. An epic adventure!

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Cerealkillerz - Gabriel Bogdan - German - 9.3 / 10

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.

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Checkpoint Gaming - Omi Koulas - 10 / 10

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.

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ComicBook.com - Tanner Dedmon - 5 / 5

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.

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Destructoid - Chris Carter, Steven Mills - 9.5 / 10

I think that’s the biggest point here, is that even though my expectations were high, Shadow of the Erdtree still managed to exceed them. From Software probably could have just added more Elden Ring and that would have been solid enough, but instead, Shadow of the Erdtree is yet another innovative iteration of the genre.

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Dexerto - Sam Smith - 5 / 5

Shadow of the Erdtree is a fitting tribute to Elden Ring and a stunning finale that manages to surprise and shock us all over again. Those who enjoyed the base game will find much more to get their teeth into. This signs off the Elden Ring chapter of FromSoftware’s journey so conclusively and impressively, that it invokes questions about how they will ever top it again.

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Digital Trends - George Yang - 4.5 / 5

Shadow of the Erdtree is so packed with new content that it almost feels like a sequel to Elden Ring.

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Eurogamer - Alexis Ong - 3 / 5

Much of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is more of the same gruelling beauty - but a shift to explict storytelling and signposting means its essence as a living, evolving shared text is lost.

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FandomWire - Tanay Sharma - 10 / 10

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.

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GamingBolt - Rashid Sayed - 10 / 10

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is an excellent follow up to the base game. Shadow of the Erdtree's focus on great level design and fantastic boss fights makes it a must play for the fans of the genre.

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GamingTrend - Henry Viola - 85 / 100

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.

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Generación Xbox - David Fernandez - Spanish - 10 / 10

Shadow of the Erdtree is everything the community wanted it to be

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IGN - Mitchell Saltzman - 10 / 10

Like the base game did before it, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree raises the bar for single-player DLC expansions. It takes everything that made the base game such a landmark RPG, condenses it into a relatively compact 20-25 hour campaign, and provides fantastic new challenges for heavily invested fans to chew on.

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INVEN - Korean - 9 / 10

An already near-perfect game gets a 30-hour expansion with this DLC. Adding a wealth of new stories within its mysterious world, 'Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree' will also challenge you with its formidable difficulty. The newly added equipment further enhances the enjoyment of the base game.

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Impulsegamer - Nathan Misa - 5 / 5

A must-play DLC expansion with an impressively hand-crafted new region filled with fun new quests, characters, and lore.

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Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Leo - 70 / 100

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".

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Kotaku - Unscored

FromSoftware’s highly anticipated DLC could be a standalone game, it's just that good

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[Sircaw]

I really thought they would of had a sale of Elden ring to coincide with the Dlc

 

[Hatefield]

Still have not played this. Maybe I get it in the winter.

 

[Al Catone]

This is my Friday sorted

 

[John Elden Ring]

Still have not played this. Maybe I get it in the winter.

Buy it, you wont regret

 

[Hatefield]

Buy it, yo uwont regret

I regret buying sekiro... but I am getting a bit of hype in me.

 

[John Elden Ring]

I regret buying sekiro... but I am getting a bit of hype in me.

Sekiro was my first souls like, i can confirm it's considerably harder than Elden Ring. But if yo udidnt like Sekiro you might not like Elden Ring. I would suggest buying Dark SOuls and trying it first

 

[Hatefield]

Sekiro was my first souls like, i can confirm it's considerably harder than Elden Ring. But if yo udidnt like Sekiro you might not like Elden Ring. I would suggest buying Dark SOuls and trying it first

I have played those games, I just fear it will be harder then sekiro.

 

[John Elden Ring]

I have played those games, I just fear it will be harder then sekiro.

Sekiro is considerably harder than any souls like game because it's not an RPG, it's an action game, you can't cheese.

Elden Ring and Dark Souls are RPGs, meaning you can overlevel or make an OP build to steamroll the entire game.

 

[Al Catone]

I really thought they would of had a sale of Elden ring to coincide with the Dlc

I think there is a bundle? but yeah the main game is still full price from what I have seen

 

[Jim Ryan]

Wow

 

[Vertigo]

Yea I voted highest percentile possible. Def 90s.

 

[Yobo]

Wow, excellent reviews again.

That's a prediction poll

 

[Jim Ryan]

That's a prediction poll

Reviews must be this week though?

 

[Systemshock2023]

From is an industry darling so scores will be slightly inflated inflated even if the game is held by duct tape technically and features repeated content.

 

[John Elden Ring]

Reviews must be this week though?

Reviews drop in 2 hours

 

[Jim Ryan]

From is an industry darling so scores will be slightly inflated inflated even if the game is held by duct tape technically and features repeated content.

I do wonder if anyone has the balls to actually criticise the game.

 

[Vertigo]

This year has ended up being fantastic already unless you’re a console warrior listwars loser.

And it’s only summer...

 

[Nhomnhom]

From is an industry darling so scores will be slightly inflated inflated even if the game is held by duct tape technically and features repeated content.

I do wonder if anyone has the balls to actually criticise the game.

Banger after banger since Demon's Souls and you guys are still mad at this studio success, grow up...

One of the most influential studios of the last 15 years.

No GaaS, no microtransaction, great game design, great gameplay, great replay value, great art, unique lore/story telling, what's wrong with their games?

 

[Systemshock2023]

Banger after banger since Demon's Souls and you guys are still mad at this studio success, grow up...

One of the most influential studios of the last 15 years.

No GaaS, no microtransaction, great game design, great gameplay, great replay value, great art, unique lore/story telling, what's wrong with their games?

How the hell would I be mad when I put 1k hours in all souls games combined??? But it is what it is. From gets away with murder on the technical side of things and other shortcomings.

They are not a small studio anymore and should do better.