Let’s get down to brass tacks. Elden Ring‘s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is absolutely, positively more of the same. After three hours noodling around a section of its significant-looking map, I’m satisfied of two things: first, this is no grand reinvention of the wheel – but second, it doesn’t need to be. It’s ultimately building on the foundation of one of the greatest games ever made; more of that is more than good enough.
Or to put it another way, I was exhilarated, gripped, and left desperate for more by this brief hands-on. When I got home, I booted Elden Ring, kicked off New Game Plus, and began to meander through the game to craft a new save ready to boot into the expansion. It sent me tumbling right back into an Elden Ring hole..
To reach the expansion DLC content, you’ll need to have defeated two of Elden Ring’s major bosses: Caelid’s powerful General Radahn and the Machiavellian Omen Mohg. It’s from the boss arena of the latter that you’ll be able to be transported to the ‘Land of Shadow’ through the newly-added invitation to ‘Touch the Withered Arm’. Without too much fanfare, you’re dropped into an all-new area in search of what became of Miquella, one of the key players in The Lands Between who was missing from the main game.
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