Game review: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC (Xbox Series X)

Two years ago, in 2022, developer FromSoftware released arguably the best video game it has ever made. In 2022, Elden Ring came out, and the game is currently the best-selling soul-like of all time, as it has sold over 25 million copies worldwide. 

The fact that the game is so popular is an impressive feat, considering its high level of difficulty. Elden Ring went on to win the Game of the Year award at the annual The Game Awards in 2022, and two years later, the game's long-awaited DLC is finally out for everyone to play. 

Before I begin talking about the DLC itself, the first thing I want to discuss is that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a bargain. The DLC offers around 30 hours of gameplay, and it only costs around $60 to $70 in New Zealand. You pretty much get a full-length game's worth of DLC for a fraction of the price!

Another thing I want to tell our readers is that there is a mandatory requirement you need to do before you can access the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Before you can access the new area, Elden Ring players will first need to defeat both Starscourge Radahn and also find the Mohgwhn Palace to defeat Mohg Lord of Blood. 

Personally, I left off with a brand new 'New Game Plus' save so I had to play the game all over again until I reached Mohgwyn Palace. Once defeating Mohg Lord of Blood, you have to interact with the arm hanging out of the cocoon to access the Shadow Realm.

In terms of its story, Shadow of the Erdtree takes place in a forgotten land covered by the Shadow of the Erdtree. You and your companions search this land to discover the fate of Miquella. The land itself is quite large for a DLC, although it is slightly smaller than the map that was in the original game. 

Speaking of the land, there are new areas and new dungeons for you to explore, such as ancient ruins and even huge castles. My favourite location in the game is a place called Cerulean Coast because it's a huge field that is covered in glowing, beautiful blue flowers. 

In some other locations, I had to climb up a huge volcano that was guarded by a huge dragon. There are even caves that are littered with giant rats! I remember screaming my head off the first time I saw the huge rat attacking my character. 

There are also some other newer enemies that players will discover during the DLC too. Some of the new enemies I encountered included the Furnace Golem, scorpion spiders and even creepy-looking man flies. Several huge grizzly bears are also some of the bosses that you will have to face. 

Sadly, there are some reused and recycled enemies that you have noticed in the base game. A number of players may have already seen the Deathrite bird and several of the same dragons make an appearance in the DLC too. 

Other areas hidden throughout the Shadow Realm are new blessings that increase the strength of your character and spirit ash. Scadutree fragments are new blessings that increase your attack power, while Revered spirit ashes strengthen your spirit companion. These new blessings only work in the Shadow Realm, and you will not be active if you return to the game's original map. 

This DLC also includes several new weapons that you can equip during your journey too. I unfortunately wasn't able to find everything, but there is a new ability that allows you to fight hand-to-hand. The hand-to-hand combat looks badass and I recommend all players to give it a try because it looks so cool. 

The DLC itself is still challenging like the base game and people who do not like Elden Ring are unlikely to have much fun in this expansion either. Most of the wandering enemies are manageable, but you are going to have a tough time killing the bosses if you haven't familiarised yourself with the game's combat yet. I only recommend you buy this DLC if you were good at the original game first.

The DLC also doesn't improve some of the annoying features of the base game too. Sadly, you still cannot open the map whenever enemies are close by. I also feel that some players might struggle with dodging because evading enemies' feels much slower compared to the fast movement featured in a game like Stellar Blade. 

Another thing worth mentioning is that this DLC still doesn't like to hold your hand. There are no quest markers to guide you where you need to go to next, and there isn't a mission list either. You just have to explore the land by yourself and hope you are on the right track!

Aside from a few flaws, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is one of the best DLC expansions I have ever played. It features over 30 hours of fun gameplay, and the boss battles are mostly epic and very memorable. This DLC is highly recommended for skilled Elden Ring fans who want even more challenging gameplay. 

Verdict: 9.0/10