The Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has been unveiled with an exciting trailer, showcasing the Land of Shadow and revealing a June release date. This new land serves as the backdrop for the expansion, offering Tarnished players the chance to explore the mysteries surrounding Miquella’s journey. As the first and possibly only expansion for Elden Ring, it promises to be expansive, featuring diverse landscapes and challenging dungeons filled with terrifying bosses.
Youtube Trailer link : ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree | Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer
Story
The DLC’s narrative revolves around Miquella, the son of Marika and brother to the Goddess of Rot, Malenia, who plays a crucial role in Elden Ring’s lore. Despite being a key figure, Miquella’s presence in the game is limited to a small optional section and item descriptions. Cursed with eternal youth, he sought to cure himself and his sister under the Golden Order’s teachings but ultimately failed. Miquella then defied the Order by creating the Haligtree, only to be kidnapped by his half-brother, Mohg, the Lord of Blood, who sought to elevate him to godhood. However, players have the opportunity to thwart Mohg’s plans and leave Miquella in a state of suspended animation.
In Shadow of the Erdtree, players will follow Miquella’s footsteps into the Land of Shadow, uncovering the reasons behind his journey. Despite its expected difficulty, the expansion is not expected to be as punishing as previous FromSoftware DLCs. With the wide range of builds available in Elden Ring, players will have numerous options to overcome the challenges they face, including the introduction of the fiery character, Messmer the Impaler, who is likely to be a central antagonist.
The trailer hints at a massive battle that sets the Land of Shadow ablaze, raising questions about Marika’s involvement. While the introduction of a new leveling system aims to level the playing field, some players remain skeptical about its effectiveness, especially for high-level players. However, seasoned players are confident in their skills and experience, honed through countless battles in previous Souls games.
In essence, the Elden Ring expansion promises an exciting adventure filled with challenges and mysteries to uncover, with players relying on their skill and experience to overcome the toughest obstacles.
The Price would be as follows
The Shadow of the Erdtree Edition includes the base game bundled with a code for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. In the UK, the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition is priced at £69.99, in the United States, it costs $79.99, and in Europe, it is €79.99.
What we would like to see more
If Shadow of the Erdtree is enhancing gameplay and introducing new features, then it should focus on improving one aspect of Elden Ring’s base game: stealth. While stealth is often presented as a viable approach in FromSoftware games, it has consistently felt like a weak point for the studio. While many players don’t mind this, as the main attraction of FromSoftware games is the intense combat, if stealth is going to be a part of these games, it should be enjoyable, intricate, and above all, effective.
Elden Ring places more emphasis on stealth compared to previous FromSoftware Souls titles, although some form of stealth has always been present. Even in Demon’s Souls, players have access to invisibility spells and gear to reduce movement sounds. Dark Souls expands on this with spells like Chameleon, but stealth often feels like an afterthought in the series. It’s not a viable option for a full playthrough and is mostly used to avoid certain enemies or perform backstabs, which can alert nearby foes.
Sekiro took a different approach by heavily incorporating stealth mechanics such as crouching, hiding in the grass, and air assassinations. Many of these elements were carried over to Elden Ring, though to a lesser extent. However, stealth still falls short as a solid alternative to the traditional melee combat found in Soulslike games and is mainly effective for thinning out enemy numbers before engaging in combat. Additionally, it lacks the depth and enjoyment of the more developed combat systems seen in Sekiro or Elden Ring.
Overall, the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC holds great promise, and with continued efforts to refine gameplay mechanics such as stealth, it has the potential to further elevate the player experience and solidify its place among FromSoftware’s esteemed catalog of games.
More info on Elden Ring here: GamingBible
Visit our other blogs on different games here: Horizon Forbidden West
For further engaging content, explore our array of blogs covering diverse gaming topics. We appreciate your readership and look forward to welcoming you back soon!