Summary
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeis frequently referred to asElden RingDLC, but although that title isn’t technically incorrect, it really isn’t what it should be called.Releasing over two years afterElden Ring,Shadow of the Erdtreeadds on to the open-world game with the first paid addition. Previous updates like theaddition of the PvP Colosseumswere all made available for free, butShadow of the Erdtreegoes for an expansion in scope that’s bigger than many standalone gamesare to begin with.
Although DLC wasn’t always standard practice for the video game industry, supplementing base games with additional content to purchase has become an integral part of the way games are monetized over the years. Adding on to games isn’t always a bad thing, and major projects like thecritically successfulShadow of the Erdtreeshow how an experience can be expanded in a meaningful way. A lot of DLC, however, sits at the opposite end of the spectrum, with minor perks like cosmetics or an extra mission commanding prices that seem modest but add up quickly.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Review - FromSoft’s Greatest Hits
Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is a victory lap for FromSoftware, bringing in elements from past games without losing what made it special.
Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Is An Expansion
Shadow Of The Erdtree Follows In A Time-Honored Tradition
The far more fitting term forShadow of the Erdtreeis expansion, which used to be the default terminology for anything of its nature. In 2024, expansion and DLC are often used interchangeably for large-scale additions, but callingShadow of the Erdtreean expansion does a much better job of explaining what it is. Expansions popularized before downloads were the standard method of delivery, packing significant new experiences that required the base game into their own boxed releases.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Is Nothing Like Most DLC
Comparing A Huge Expansion To The Average DLC Is Reductive
Expansions are still a popular release format, withCyberpunk 2077: Phantom LibertyandHorizon Forbidden West: Burning Shoresserving as a couple of recent examples.Many games offer a mix of expansions and smaller-scale DLC, like strategy titles from Paradox Interactive and the open-world RPGs that Bethesda Game Studios is known for. ComparingThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion’s once infamous horse armor add-on and itsShivering Islesexpansion makes the difference pretty clear. There’s room for small story add-ons that feel like more than microtransactions but not quite expansions, but some things are too big to leave any doubt.
It can still be convenient to fall back on callingShadow of the Erdtreea DLC sometimes, but there’s a nagging sense of diminishing the expansion when opting for the more modern term. In an age of unfettered access to entertainment through the Internet, “content” has become a catch-all term that flattens everything from mindless filler to genuine art down to things to be consumed.Elden RingandShadow of the Erdtreearen’t necessarily for everyone, but they’re definitely not just content, andDLC feels like a reductive descriptor.
Where To Go First In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t give you explicit directions on where to go, but there is an ideal first stop in the Land of Shadow.
It’s also unreasonable to expect something likeShadow of the Erdtreefrom the average DLC release, as it’s a project of a scale that can only really be supported byElden Ring’s enormous popularity. There’s a reasonShadow of the Erdtreecommands a hefty $40 price tag, and with the expansion already out, it’s starting to look like developer FromSoftware was underselling its size.Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeis a proper expansion through and through, and calling it as such just feels right.
Players venture into the shadowed realm of the Land of Shadow to confront new biomes, dungeons, and formidable bosses. Guided by the enigmatic Miquella, they face the terrifying Messmer the Impaler and uncover the dark secrets shrouded beneath the Erdtree’s influence, featuring new weapons, magic, and challenges.
