There are some games you wish you could forget playing just to experience them for the first time all over again. For me, Elden Ring is one of those games, and after spending nearly 50 hours with Shadow of the Erdtree, I’m delighted to say it evokes that very same feeling.
Elden Ring‘s expansion isn’t without its flaws, but it’s artisanally crafted and a joy to explore. It’s impressively expansive, packed to the brim with secrets, and hauntingly beautiful from start to finish. From the moment I set foot in the Land of Shadow, I was stunned by its gorgeous scenery and captivated by its world, but the most impressive thing of all is the sheer scale of what’s on offer.
Bigger than you thought
Let’s start with the elephant in the room—just how big is Shadow of the Erdtree? Elden Ring’s expansion spent two years in the making, and FromSoftware is famous for overdelivering, so it’s understandable if you’re expecting something gargantuan.
And if you are, you’re right. The Land of Shadow is so big, and there’s so much to discover, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the biggest piece of post-launch content ever made. It’s about as big as two regions from the base game and easily rivals full open-world games in size and scope. FromSoftware should be commended for Shadow of the Erdtree’s magnitude alone.
I won’t spoil how many map pieces there are, but there are more than I was expecting, and I was blown away by the diversity of the environment. Almost every region looks and feels different, with unique enemies, vibrant colors, and gorgeous details starkly contrasting against the blighted Scadutree looming on the horizon.
There are rolling blue fields, eerie golden plains, murky forests, ancient crumbling ruins, and so much more. I was surprised time and time again by the uniqueness of all the areas I encountered, and those discoveries make Shadow of the Erdtree’s world incredibly rewarding to explore.
A masterclass in world design
I think the Land of Shadow could be FromSoftware’s best-designed world yet. The whole map is an intricate puzzle with a staggering amount of verticality, and it continually arouses an epic feeling of discovery like you’re setting foot in a strange, foreign, unwelcoming land for the very first time.
The Land of Shadow is shrouded in mystery, and like you, the characters you meet are exploring its secrets, too. You’ll encounter around a dozen new NPCs, all of whom have eerily vague (albeit well-written) dialog lines and mysterious motivations. Like the base game and every Souls game that came before it, the story is hopelessly confusing—even by the end, I still had no idea what was going on or why we were fighting who we were. I was left with far more questions than answers. But as a decade-long Souls fanboy, I’m more than used to it by now. As usual, you’ll have to watch a lore video to get the full scoop, but you’ll still have a great time exploring the world and overcoming its challenges without the full context.
The test of skill you’ve been waiting for
If it’s a challenge you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. The dungeons are all filled with formidable threats, with a mixture of new enemy types and familiar foes. Most enemies attack faster than those in the base game, and many have gap-closers and long, unpredictable combos. They can easily kill you in a few hits, even if you’re careful, so expect to die a lot. From my experience, Shadow of the Erdtree is definitely harder than the base game and probably on par with Lies of P’s last few levels.
If you’ve beaten Elden Ring recently, you’ll find the difficulty about right, but if you’re a bit rusty or are new to the genre, you might struggle. The hardest parts of Shadow of the Erdtree are undoubtedly its Legacy Dungeons—there are (kind of) two, although they both have multiple sections, and you revisit them later. They really feel like peak FromSoftware level design. The first is a crumbling castle town with lots of branching paths, and I loved exploring its winding streets, dank interiors, and windswept rooftops. There’s even a poison swamp at the bottom of the dungeon, which is the classic FromSoftware I love to see.
Some of FromSoftware’s best bosses yet
The bosses are the cherry on top, and they’re easily among the most challenging encounters FromSoftware has ever designed. I’ve beaten Elden Ring several times with multiple characters and rarely needed spirit summons to kill a boss, but I really struggled without them in Shadow of the Erdtree. Certain fights are so hard that I genuinely don’t know how I would’ve succeeded without using the Mimic Tear, which speaks volumes about their difficulty.
There are 10 major bosses and they all have multiple phases and ruthlessly aggressive movesets, and they’re paired with an epic orchestral soundtrack that’s among the best in FromSoftware’s history. None of the fights are duds—they’re all top-tier encounters that put your skills to the test without feeling unfair, with the notable exception of the final boss.
The last encounter is one of the hardest bosses I’ve ever faced in a game, especially the second phase. You have to survive tons of AoE damage and a near-constant barrage of attacks. I had to respec twice before I managed to beat him, and even then, I only barely managed it by the skin of my teeth. It was a heart-pounding victory and an epic fight, so despite how many attempts it took, I’m completely fine with Elden Ring’s last-ever boss posing such a big challenge.
Having said that, it didn’t really feel like a final boss, and I didn’t expect it to be the end of the expansion. I spent a couple of hours after beating him looking for the next place to go, only to realize that was it—there was nothing more to see. It was an anticlimactic end to such an epic experience, and part of me still wonders whether there’s another dungeon with an extra final boss I’ve missed out on.
It’s not all sunshine and Erdtrees
On the whole, I had a great experience with Shadow of the Erdtree, but I did encounter a few more issues I’d be remiss not to mention. Certain bosses occasionally stop attacking and stand still for a few seconds mid-fight, and I found a few areas with wonky collision where you can walk into the terrain. These are only minor bugs and nothing game-breaking, but hopefully, FromSoftware fixes them in time for launch.
For most players, the biggest complaint will be all the returning enemies. You encounter tons of enemies from the base game throughout Shadow of the Erdtree—there are Troll Knights, Finger Creepers, Tibia Mariners, and even Ulcerated Tree Spirits. Certain major bosses even show up again, one of whom is bound to be controversial, but there’s enough newness in the mix that I enjoyed my experience regardless.
An epic experience you shouldn’t miss
Even with these complaints in tow, Shadow of the Erdtree is an experience like no other that you shouldn’t miss out on. It’s definitely the biggest expansion I’ve ever played, and the sheer quality of everything on offer has to be unparalleled in the industry. There’s easily as much content as a full open-world game, and I loved every minute of the dozens of hours I spent exploring the Land of Shadow.
FromSoftware did an incredible job crafting content that enhances an already excellent game. Shadow of the Erdtree is nothing short of a remarkable achievement for Miyazaki and his talented team of developers, and it’s absolutely worth the 40-dollar price tag.
