Note: This review contains no story spoilers and does not mention any bosses.

Elden Ring, the base game, is a gaming masterpiece, genre defining in fact, and Shadow of the Erdtree follows suit. This is exactly how a DLC should be done – another masterpiece produced by Hidetaka Miyazaki. The world is beautifully crafted with stunning views, vibrant colours, and intricate enemy designs. As soon as I stepped into the Shadow of the Erdtree world, my immediate reaction was, “Oh wow, this is bloody beautiful.”

To access Shadow of the Erdtree, you must defeat Radahn and Mohg in the base game. Elden Ring is already very challenging, and the difficulty has been further increased in the DLC. Regular enemies and bosses inflict insane damage at times, and underestimating them leads to severe punishment. There were moments when I had to rely on the Mimic Tear or NPCs to help against some of the bosses because they were relentlessly tough. They are very aggressive compared to the base game bosses, which can make reacting to some attacks difficult. Most players will most likely dodge enemy attacks, but there are very strong shields that will block enemy attacks without taking any damage, however, you will need higher endurance as it drains whilst blocking.

Despite my character being at level 150 (strength build), and my maxed out greatsword, there were times I felt weak and helpless. It was tough, very tough. When I had my first encounter with a boss (not a main boss), I just looked at my health bar after one hit and said to myself “What? That damage is crazy!” I was not prepared for that type of damage, especially as my character is level 150. However, there’s a new upgrade material called Scadutree Fragment, which can be used to enhance both offensive and defensive capabilities at any Sites of Grace. I reached level 11, but the max level is level 20. This new mechanic is optional, so if you want an even tougher challenge, you are not required to use them. Using Scadutree Fragment’s makes the game slightly easier the more you upgrade, but it only works in Shadow of the Erdtree, not within the base game.

Shadow of the Erdtree offers a wide range of new bosses, side quests, weapons, shields, talismans, sorceries, incantations, Spirit Ashes, Ashes of War, armour sets, consumables, and crafting items. I discovered a vast number of items during my playthrough, though I am not entirely sure how many there are in total.

The game took me 35 hours to complete, although I did not fully explore everything the DLC had to offer. I did a couple of side quests and the main story line. I am currently exploring more of the world I missed, and it’s massive. If I was to guess, I would say it would take around 50+ hours for full completion. Anywhere the eye can see, you can go to. Every nook and cranny is worth exploring as there might be an awesome new weapon, armour set, or an important Scadutree Fragment to boost your character.

The game isn’t without its flaws, though. The increased difficulty is most likely going to put some people off the game (it can be very tough). Because the bosses are very aggressive and attack continuously, I found myself fighting with the camera at times. This was the most infuriating part of the game—not the boss fight itself, but the horrible camera angles. It was some of the worst I’ve experienced in a FromSoftware game. You could say don’t use lock on, but that’s not an excuse as it’s part of the game. Of course, this doesn’t apply to everyone, as some people enjoy the challenge (I do myself), but I’m mentioning the increased difficulty because some players might see it as a negative, although did we really expect to just destroy all enemies with overpowered characters in this DLC? Probably not. Other than the frustrating camera on some bosses, I have no other complaints about the game.

Shadow of the Erdtree is a fantastic expansion with a beautifully crafted world waiting to be explored. Like the base game when it released, I find myself wanting to play Shadow of the Erdtree all the time, as it’s very addictive, even with the increased difficulty. The game has inspired me to start a new playthrough with a new character.

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