I really do love Shadow of the Erdtree. I love its varied, spectacular environments. I love how its dungeons are more convincingly integrated into the world design, the map as a whole a puzzle to solve. I love the visual style, how emerging into each area is framed like a renaissance painting of a post-battle autumnal dreamscape.
But I have to admit, the Elden Ring DLC has a problem with progression. And it’s a problem some inspiration from Nintendo could solve. After all, Elden Ring is just Breath of the Wild – Dark Souls, right?
I jest. Since its release, much of the Shadow of the Erdtree discourse has focused on difficulty. And that’s to be expected for a Souls game. But really, the perceived challenge is exacerbated by the DLC’s new Shadow Realm Blessing progression system, which limits player agency in favour of a singular mission.
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