Let’s talk about DLC, shall we? To be blunt, it’s something that wasn’t around for many generations of gaming, and once it became a thing…it’s something that’s been abused by some. After all, DLC can take many forms, and some forms are better than others. Plus, we all know of some DLC that didn’t live up to the hype or didn’t truly expand the main game like it was supposed to. However, if you’re fearing that the upcoming Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC content for Elden Ring will be bad, you can take a sigh of relief. According to some, it might be the best DLC ever.
This comes not from us but from Metacritic. In all versions of the DLC, the score ranged from 92-95, with the PS5 score being the highest and the PC being the lowest. It had over fifty reviews at the time of this writing, and every single one of them was a positive score, with many of the reviewers giving the DLC a perfect score. That obviously means they had much to say about it, but what exactly did they say?
One of the biggest things was that the game had its “own identity.” By that, they mean how the original game was a unique and special experience all on its own, and that the DLC would’ve been fine with just continuing on the path set for it. However, instead, it forged its own path and did things differently to make itself stand out.
Multiple people praised how it expanded the main game’s lore and universe and rendered the DLC as a whole, calling it “atmospheric” and “intricate.” In fact, it was so intricate and detailed that many people felt that Shadow Of The Erdtree was more like a new game than just a DLC expansion.
Oh, and make no mistake, this DLC isn’t short. One review noted that they beat it after 40 hours of gameplay! That further enforces the “it’s basically its own game” view, which some will be fine with. When you add that to great bosses, new weapons and gear to use, new battle styles, and just an overall quality that can’t be ignored, you’re likely starting to see why so many people are in love with this DLC.
It speaks a lot about FromSoftware that they were willing to take their time and make this DLC as big and robust as it could be so that all who played the original would have a reason to get this DLC when it releases on the 21st.
