90%PC

Absolutely insane DLC, easily sized at about 1/3rd of the main game. Great art direction, and generally amazing gameplay. Held slightly back by some reused enemies, some mediocre bosses, and a few frustratingly difficult parts that feel a little off tune.

90%PC

Very good Addon with high class bosses and phenomenal graphics. Finding you way through the levels is sometimes quite hard. The Ending is quite strange.

90%PC

Goated dlc for goated game

100%PC

The only DLC worthy of being in the GOTY category.

100%PC

【It was never kindly Miquella, was it? The Erdtree was leading you all along. So that you might ascend to lordship. Why come to these lands to begin with? I suppose it must be what his Eminence, or perhaps the Erdtree, desired all along? The clashing of the favored lords, such one that would prevail? So be it.】

【Make Miquella stop... Don't turn the poor thing into a god. Godhood would be Miquella's prison. A caged divinity...is beyond saving. You must kill Miquella... Grant him forgiveness.】

ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree (SOTE) is nothing short of a celestial extension of the grand masterpiece that is Elden Ring. A DLC that ascends beyond the realm of mere additional content, SOTE is an exhilarating triumph, an expansion that not only honors the monumental achievements of the base game but further elevates the very essence of the Elden Ring experience. A seamless extension of the world, SOTE introduces a new map brimming with all the splendor, mystery, and foreboding beauty that defined the original, offering a vast new playground for the adventurous souls daring enough to venture forth.

Visually, SOTE is an otherworldly marvel. The new landscapes unfold like an intricate tapestry, woven with the same attention to detail that made the base game a living work of art. With vistas that are both haunting and breathtaking, the environment plunges players into an unfamiliar yet unmistakably Elden Ring atmosphere. Each new location feels as though it belongs, contributing to the sense that the world is alive and ever-expanding, and that every discovery has weight, significance, and consequence. The new characters, as enigmatic and captivating as those from the base game, breathe fresh life into this already expansive universe, inviting the player to engage in new stories and embrace new mysteries that beg to be unraveled.

The enemies, too, are a testament to the ever-expanding creativity of FromSoftware. SOTE introduces a range of fresh adversaries, each crafted with the same meticulous precision that makes Elden Ring combat such a satisfying ballet of strategy and skill. From terrifying monsters that lurk in the shadows to towering bosses that demand the utmost focus and resolve, SOTE brings new layers of challenge, further refining the combat system and pushing it to new heights.

New items and mechanics weave seamlessly into the fabric of the game, providing just enough innovation to refresh the gameplay while never deviating from the core principles that made Elden Ring a triumph. The added depth in mechanics and customization options invites the player to experiment and refine their strategies, ensuring that each journey into the lands of Shadow of the Erdtree feels fresh and rewarding, even for the most seasoned of Elden Ring veterans.

Perhaps the true beauty of SOTE lies not only in its new content but in how it feels like a natural, necessary extension of Elden Ring. It does not feel like an isolated add-on, but rather an organic part of the greater narrative and world. Every corner of this new land is imbued with the same poetic, melancholic spirit that defines Elden Ring, every battle and discovery a moment of sublime wonder and dread.

Personal Conclusion: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the pinnacle of DLC perfection. It not only captures the essence of what made Elden Ring a transcendent experience but enhances and expands it with a wealth of new content, characters, challenges, and lore. For anyone who has wandered the Lands Between, SOTE is an essential journey, an indelible 10/10 addition to an already legendary game. It is a reminder that in the hands of a master, an expansion is not just an addition—it is an elevation of the art itself.

90%PC

Great DLC, just beat it for the first time, no scadu upgrades, no spirit or player summons, (ng 0), everything is perfect, difficulty, boss design, sidequests and characters, I only wish the open world was a bit denser with more bosses and dungeons, and wish they took time to make some more Cutscenes for bosses and relevant moments, another complaint is the map, (in game map) it lacks details, unlike in the main game where you could see for the most part where everything was, in shadow of the erdtree I feel completely lost, the map is bland and doesn’t show structures and depict the land scapes accurately, especially with the difference of elevation in the land of shadows, in the main game, mining caves had that black orangeish “hole”, minor erdtrees, churches, even the ruins and bigger rocks were on the map, it had so much more detail, If I opened the map and the golden indicator was gone I would still know EXACTLY where I was, and it’s frustrating they opt to be so simplistic with it in the dlc, there are also no trophies/achievements for the DLC which is a bummer, and it made overcoming bosses feel less gratifying than in the main game this is my biggest and probably only complaints about the expansion, all things considered 9/10 (Messmer, Midra and the Promised Consort Radahn fights were worth the 2 years of waiting, both were flawless from the start of the fight till the boss was dead)

90%PC

It's more Elden Ring but nothing very surprising

90%PC

Also goated mostly

100%PC

ой, ой, ой, что за игра! это просто шедевр! ставлю 100/10! игру прошел на все 100%, получил все ачивки и прошел ДЛС, этим в принципе все и сказано! /// oh, oh, oh, what a game! It's just a masterpiece! I give it 100/10! I completed the game 100%, got all the achievements and completed the DLC, that basically says it all!

90%PC

-94-
An extremely well designed and enjoyable DLC. Love the bosses so much! Although they were, in my case, really difficult and grindy, partly because of being underleveled and stubborn. The environment, aesthetics, music and enemies are really good as well. The only downside I experienced was having large empty spaces except on the largest parts of the areas. Yet still, if one explores mostly the visually clued parts of the map or in sight of the player, that problem doesn't weigh too much.

All in all an incredible experience, where I don't regret a minute spent in this extensive first playthrough!

It's like its own game.

100%PC

É com certeza a melhor DLC já lançada. Minha experiência foi uma delícia, joguei logo após platinar o jogo principal e aproveitei cada momento. Recomendo a qualquer um que tenha gostado de Elden.

80%PlayStation 5

Intriguing lore additions, a new large scale map that felt like the size of a whole new game. New weapon types and abilities were fun to try out and offered some interesting new play styles. There was a lot more explicit narrative from the cast of Miquella's followers which I enjoyed. The bosses were the highlight as always, and offered some fresh challenges with some strange, unpredictable attack patterns and gimmicks. The world design, art direction and soundtrack were great as always. Some of the coolest setpieces FromSoft have ever made. I did feel like many areas were too barren, and it suffered from the same issue as the base game where I often would just run past mobs rather than engaging them. A bit too many recycled enemies and assets made it feel padded. The ending also was a bit underwhelming, but I appreciated the story/lore as a whole.

80%PC

Beautiful, impressive, stunning and many more adjectives could be used to describe the scenery, fights and overall exploration of the The Land of Shadow. And, I do not think that any of these descriptions would be wrong.

The issue arises when the combat turns into more of a enemies with hyperarmor and 3 trillion HP while also dealing massive damage on every single occasion. It is quite a shame as some are just boring, not hard.

Then, there are the fragments, which, provides the same issues that the base game had, but this time magnified tenfold. Now, you can maybe get to a boss and be underpowered and have it be an insufferable experience, or, if you do what I did, explore and have the max upgrades and be at a, what feels like, unfair advantage. The game still refuses to provide any kind of meter to what you should be at any point in the DLC, leaving just a game of irreversible guessing that can damage the difficulty of the gameplay.

And this, is what bothers me the most, the lack of accessibility settings on Souls to tune the experience. To me, being able to make the game a little bit harder by increasing the damage output of enemies, while keeping the HP the same would have made the DLC the best version for me but, nope, let's keep the game as shitty as it was on release.

Just in case someone has any complains, I have both the collector's of Elden Ring with Malenia's Helmet and the one of SotE with Mesmer's figure, and I still do not care while having spent +500$ on a game and a DLC.

100%Xbox Series X/S

Along with Phantom Liberty and Undead Nightmare as probably my top 3 favorite DLC/expansions ever made.

90%PlayStation 5

Probably deserves a worse score because you can’t start a new game to just play the expansion. Very thrilling and vertical world design.

95%Xbox One

Haven't beaten Radhan yet but absolute masterpiece.

100%PC

One of the best expansions ever made. With how lengthy it is and how much content there is here, it could easily be a separate Dark Souls.

90%PlayStation 5

92/100

100%PC

Banger ++

90%PC

DLC rules, final boss sucks out loud - I ended up cheesing the final boss and I don't regret it in the slightest, the rest of the DLC was so good I refuse to let one boss fight ruin it.

90%PlayStation 5

One of the best DLCs ever!

75%PC

I didn't enjoy this DLC nearly as much as I enjoyed the base game. It is a very solid DLC with a huge map and a lot of new enemies and bosses. The map itself was not nearly as interesting to me. While each area of the map is gorgeous the things to do are very lack luster. The world feels big but empty compared to the base game which felt both big and dense. The scadeu tree fragments were a nice way to make sure the DLC was played as intended, but this system could have used some changes to make it better. Specifically a check list that tells you which ones you have and tells you how many are left but not their locations. The difficulty was also an issue in the DLC. Bosses were a constant barrage of attacks and would give you one opportunity every 30 or so seconds. This opportunity was almost always used for healing (for me). Overall, a solid DLC but not the best DLC ever made like it has been said. Blood and Wine was way better.

90%PC

Compelling and addicting gameplay. The story is interesting but not presented in a way that I enjoy. I need it to be a little more spoonfed to make it clear and related to gameplay. Otherwise it's too easy to feel like a boss rush simulator.

85%PC

Story: 7.5

Characters: 6.9

Visuals/Art: 8.9

Gameplay: 9.4

Audio & OST: 8.8

Enjoyment: 9.1

90%PlayStation 5

Amazing expansion, huge and sprawling. Disappointing final boss, but still had an absolutely amazing time playing it. This was the only real full game (well, DLC but release) that I completed in 2024 on my PS5 :O it did take quite a long time though!

90%PlayStation 4

I didn't like the final boss at all, i fought him before the 22 nerfs that he had, his kit of attacks is pretty overload with shitty mechanics and precised dodges that is just unfair.

The boss doesn't enter in the hard boss category, just a unfair boss category. Besides that, the overall DLC is pretty neat and I liked doing it with infinite resources to test any weapons that I see in the DLC. That was some incredible experience that I have and I enjoyed playing it.

The legendary dungeons aren't great as the base game, with just one exception, all the others feel very linear and straightforward. They weren't much fun at all.

100%PlayStation 5

FromSoftware once again proves they’re the undisputed kings of boss designs. Every encounter is memorable in its own unique way and provides a genuine challenge—even for those who’ve conquered the original game. I haven’t felt a higher high in gaming last year than when I finally took down Rellana. Moments like that remind me why I love these games.

Exploring the Land of Shadow is incredibly fun, thanks to loads of new items and spells. In fact, I think this map succeeds where the original sometimes faltered—each part of exploration feels meaningful, and there’s way less repetition in the dungeons. The size is just right for a FromSoft open-world experience, and it hits the sweet spot between discovery and challenge.

All in all, I really enjoyed the DLC. But seriously… fuck Consort Radahn’s fight though!

90%Xbox Series X/S

Awesome DLC. So much new contend 👍

100%Xbox Series X/S

DLC, которое определённо стоит поиграть, если понравилась основная игра

95%Xbox Series X/S

Un très bon dlc avec un contenu conséquent et des nouveaux boss originaux. Il permet de conclure l’histoire d’elden ring.
Le monde est magnifique et les nouvelles zones vraiment originales.

100%PC

Perfect!

90%PC

final boss is bullshit

100%PlayStation 5

Amazing DLC that is by far the best Elden Ring/Fromsoft content of all time. Exploration was top tier, with amazing vistas around every corner and hidden paths that required searching every nook and cranny on the map for the most rewarding experience. Radhan, Promised Consort was indeed the toughest boss in all of Souls (with Sir Ansbach, which was likely very close to pre-nerf power). Following the story of Miquella was so bittersweet and the finale led to one of the most memorable final boss fights in From history. I will be replaying on a new run for sure.

95%PlayStation 4

I'm against calling it the game of the year of 2024, but I loved the DLC and sank a good amount of hours in it. Felt much like a goodbye to my PS4 too. Great experience and feels like a true upgrade to the base game. Really there isn't much more to say that hasn't been said all year.

90%PC

Really damn good for a dlc. It honestly feels almost like a full game on its own. Midra boss fight was my favorite, absolute cinema the whole time. Same as the full game, you really need a map to make sure you don't miss anything. My only critique, the final boss was extremely frustrating and didn't feel like a fair fight. There were several strangely shaped hitboxes that felt near undodgeable. Other than final boss, everything else was peak.

95%Xbox Series X/S

near perfect dlc for a perfect game

85%PC

Really good. As good as the main game except how there isn't much stuff to do in a lot of places other than to go there and enjoy the view. Needed more dungeons. Best DLC out there

80%PC

There were a lot of empty areas where there was no incentive or reward to explore. Unlike the base game, I eventually got tired of going down paths that had no items or anything to show for going down there. Otherwise, it was good DLC, but a big step down from base game in terms of reward for exploration. New environments were stunning and the few secret areas we very cool.

100%PlayStation 5

A DLC que mais parece um jogo à parte, com muito conteúdo, muita exploração, novo mapa muito grande, novos chefes, novas mecânicas e mantendo ou melhorando tudo que o jogo já tinha de bom. Jogando explorando, revelando todos os mapas e buscando matar a maior parte dos chefes, devo ter levado umas 40hs, mas se quisesse completar tudo que a DLC oferece, daria facilmente para dobrar este tempo de jogo.

90%PlayStation 5

More of the same from the main gane. Some great additional boss battles and landscapes.

80%PlayStation 5

Shadow of the Erdtree has fantastic legacy dungeons, and a really empty overworld. Theres only 12 Caves/Catacombs/Tunnels in a map thats almost as big as the base games.The Caves and Catacombs are a lot bigger than they were in the base game which is really cool and i liked going through them, but i would have really liked more. The Legacy Dungeons and bosses are really where the DLC shines, although the final boss is so annoying. The difficulty is of course, very hard. It is a fromsoft game after all, but it felt unfairly or artificially hard at times. A normal enemy in the starting area can lock you into 5 hit combo and instantly kill you, while also having a lot of health. Its still a great DLC with lots of content, I just wish there was a little bit more.

85%PC

Brabaralho. (brabo pra caralho)

100%PlayStation 5

I mean, holy shit. This may be the only DLC in history that I would basically consider a sequel. It's a spectacular game in its own right, and honestly put the base game to shame. One of the best gaming experiences I've had. There's a reason a DLC was nominated for Game of the Year 2024. There's really nothing like this.

90%PlayStation 5

***SPOILERS FOR BOSSES/CONTENT IN SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE***

First, the positives. I absolutely loved this DLC, the map was beautiful (despite some barren spaces), the new weapons and talismans are pretty good, and there is a lot of drippy new armor. The Fire Knight set in particular is gorgeous, esp with the Winged Serpent helm, as is the Oathseeker set, Black Knight set, and the direct style upgrade to the Raptor's Black Feathers, the Gravebird's Blackquill armor. For weapons, I wound up maining the new Milady sword w/ the Wing Stance ashes for a majority of my playthrough, with the Dragon-Hunter Katana on-hand if I needed something against dragons or the golden hippo. I tested out almost all of the new weapons, went through all of my larval tears to do so, and those two swords just spoke to me the most. Dryleaf Arts are super fun, too, especially once I discovered the Dryleaf Whirlwind ashes. But the heavy L2 attack from Milady's Wing Stance was the MVP of the DLC for me. It was a true equalizer. Whether or not you use Rellana's talisman for the buff to the stance, the heavy L2 hits so dang hard, and there is a seamless flow from light L2 into heavy L2 that completely deletes smaller enemies and chunks massive damage on larger, slower enemies. I loved Milady, and I will use it on future playthroughs and in PvP. Great weapon.

All right, let's talk bosses. This is where my problems with the game begin and end. First, I will say, I loved many of the boss fights, and most of the ones I did not like while I was in them, seem much better upon reflection (now that I've won). My favorites were Rellana, Bayle, Midra, Romina, and the Putrescent Knight. Honorable mentions to Messmer, the Scadutree Avatar, and the Golden Hippopotamus. I liked the humanoid fights out there, too. Logur, Red Bear, Rakshasa, Dancer of Ranah, Blackgaol Knight, etc. Those were all really fun.

My least favorite fights were the ones that felt the most AOE-spammy. Just about all of the major bosses had a wide variety of delayed melee attacks as well as arena and screen-engulfing AOE attacks that really drove me crazy at times. Messmer and Midra are examples of AOE-heavy bosses that worked well for me. I thought those were well-designed and looked great, and had clear paths to victory. The Putrescent Knight had a really wacky and fun moveset, and his AOE attacks were extremely easy to avoid (just jump) so they didn't bother me. Aside from Bayle, I did not love the dragon fights. I only killed them because I heard they all dropped +25 or +10 smithing stones. Dragons just look cool, it's awesome to see them just walking around. Fighting them is repetitive and annoying. The Mother of Fingers fights were icky and boring. I won them really easily just by being aggressive.

***FINAL BOSS SPOILERS***

And, finally, Radahn. The big surprise boss at the end of the game was a version of a boss we've seen before. Elden Ring really isn't afraid to recycle bosses, and they threw some fresh window dressing on this one, but the new Radahn is nowhere near as cool and fun as Starscourge Radahn from the base game (armor excepted). Phase 1 is fine. Gravity attacks and long melee combos, that was all fine and good. However, Phase 2? I think we need to hand it to FromSoft, they have united us Soulsborne players in a way they haven't since Bloodborne. But whereas we were all unanimous that Bloodborne was a work of art and sheer masterpiece, this time we all agree that Radahn's Phase 2 was overtuned and excessive. It took me 225 attempts to defeat him, the most of any boss in the entire game for me. Even Malenia only took me ~100 tries the first time. But the difficulty isn't comparable because it felt artificial with Radahn. With Malenia, there was a clear path to victory, the patterns were learnable and visually clear. For Radahn, Consort of Miquella, I needed some RNG help. In my winning run, he repeated his most predictable and punishable attacks several times (gravity torpedo, Miquella grab, Lion's Claw) and hardly used his most brutal AOE attacks. I was able to whittle him down and finish him off with Milady. When it was finally over, I got that relieved feeling you always hope for from a FromSoft boss, but the whole thing just didn't feel right. As weird and annoying as the Elden Beast is as the final boss for the base game, at least it was visually unique. Radahn was just frustrating and the holy AOE vomit made the fight unenjoyable visually. So, for that very reason, I can only give the DLC a 90.

Elden Ring is still a masterpiece, I will replay it many times, but the final boss fights in both modes leave much to be desired.

The final loadout:
RH: +25 Lightning Milady w/ Wing Stance
LH: +24 Fire Knight Seal, +24 Wolf Crest Shield
Talismans: Dragoncrest Greatshield, Golden Braid, EF+2, Shard of Alexander.
Incants: Golden Vow, FGMS
Relevant stats: 60 vigor, 30 mind, 35 stam, 80 dex, 25 faith.
Overall level: 185. 20 Scadutree blessings.

80%PC

An Enchanting Expansion with Some Rough Edges

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is a captivating addition to an already phenomenal game. The new world is nothing short of breathtaking, filled with intricate details and a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that perfectly complements the base game. The exploration feels fresh and exciting, with every corner of the map hiding new secrets and lore to uncover.

The fights, while not all groundbreaking, are definitely solid and provide enough challenge to keep you on your toes. There are a few standout battles that are particularly memorable and well-designed, showcasing FromSoftware's talent for creating engaging combat scenarios.

However, the performance can be a bit of a letdown at times. The traversal stutter is noticeable and can pull you out of the immersive experience, especially during intense exploration or combat sequences. It's not a deal-breaker, but it's certainly something that could use some polishing.

Overall, Shadow of the Erdtree is a fantastic DLC that expands on Elden Ring's rich world and lore. If you can overlook some performance issues, you're in for an unforgettable adventure.

80%PC

Pretty good, bosses were a bit weirdly balanced where they were either really easy with summons or really difficult without (because they do not ever fucking pause their attacks so you may retaliate). Or you just had one of the many cheese builds which I personally do not find fun.

70%Xbox Series X/S

Last boss is shit. Overall good DLC. Not even close to the base game

100%PC

Epic and difficult, just how I like it.

80%PC

June 22, 2024 – Started Playing

90%PC

Definitely the best Souls DLC.