Shadow of the Erdtree is Elden Ring’s only expansion, and is therefore a really big deal. After years of anticipation, it finally landed last week, and players have been digging into it ever since. Evidently there’s a lot there, considering this expansion builds on one of the biggest games I’ve ever played, and the breadth of the content speaks for itself. There’s whole new weapons, fighting styles, armors, spells, an entirely new region with some of the game’s most grueling fights, new NPCs and questlines, and an immense new story that will satisfy lore hounds. So what do players think so far?
While most players are simply happy to be back in their favorite game of 2022, others are significantly more torn on this new expansion, its tough-as-nails boss fights, its new leveling system, and more. However, there are still those who have been awestruck at the density and scope of the DLC, which is only made better considering Elden Ring’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki once compared it to the size of one of the base game’s smallest and most basic regions. Liar!
While some wrestle with the actual content of the expansion, the one thing that most PC players are mentioning in their Steam reviews is that Shadow of the Erdtree could stand to be better optimized. Accordingly, there are performance problems that drop the frame rate dramatically, and it apparently happens at inopportune times, like in the middle of a boss fight. Elden Ring released in 2022 to similar criticism and while that was eventually curbed by patches released by FromSoftware, you’d be forgiven for thinking it wouldn’t happen again with the DLC.
Shadow of the Erdtree’s review score is currently mixed on Steam, which is a rarity among FromSoft’s catalog. The reason it’s dropped so low though is due to the review bombing that took place in the days immediately after the release of the expansion. Many took to Steam to lay into the DLC for being “too hard,” with notable internet personalities tapping out of the experience altogether. At the very least, the conversations around difficulty seemingly encouraged a number of players to consider summoning, as well as the implementation of mods that help make Elden Ring an easier experience. And now that you understand the story around Shadow of the Erdtree’s poorer Steam reviews, it’s time for the real show.
