Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: Why the best is yet to come

With Elden Ring DLC rumors going into overdrive as we enter 2024, let’s take inventory and take into account what we’ve to stay up for.

For those who’re something like us, you’ve now been by a number of Elden Ring New Recreation+ cycles and have completed just about the whole lot there’s to do within the Lands Between. You’ve seemingly crafted your ultimate construct and may take down beforehand fearsome foes like Malenia and Radahn with relative ease, and also you now kill invaders for sport slightly than necessity.

You’ve most likely seen the three predominant endings, turning into both Elden Lord, Lord of Frenzied Flame, or ushering within the Age of the Moon. Nonetheless, chances are you’ll be eager to see the three different Elden Lord ending variants based mostly on Fia, Goldmask, and Dung Eater’s questlines. The one problem is, that you simply solely get six NG+ cycles per character, which means the extra endings you see, the much less time you’re going to need to discover the DLC together with your most popular character/construct.

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The would-be Elden Lord has a number of selections to make by their quest.

Beginning the journey once more

Whereas this received’t be a difficulty for individuals who’re pleased to start out a brand new character for the Elden Ring DLC, those that wish to sort out it with the character they’ve been constructing since launch will now have hit a progress wall. A stalemate the place it most likely makes extra sense to take a break from the Lands Between, a minimum of till the DLC drops. But those that’ve performed Souls DLC earlier than might be extra anxious than anybody else – and that’s as a result of Souls DLC usually adjustments the whole lot.

Be warned, there are spoilers forward for numerous Souls video games.

If we take a fast look again on the earlier FromSoftware DLC then the importance of Elden Ring’s will get much more acute, particularly if it sticks to the established formulation. Darkish Souls was the primary recreation to obtain an enlargement, with the Chosen Undead going again in time to discover the legend of Knight Artorias and the Abyss. Not solely did this DLC present a surprising new space to discover and a few extra epic bosses, however the occasions additionally modified the whole lot we knew in regards to the world of Lordran.

Taking part in Darkish Souls 1 a second time with this information makes the story a lot extra impactful and provides implications to sure boss encounters which can be completely heartbreaking and can keep on with you for years to return. It additionally adjustments what we thought we knew about Artorias, his quest, and all of humankind. A lot so, that this information might significantly influence your choice to hyperlink to the flame on the finish of Darkish Souls, or to easily stroll away and let it fade. Briefly, the Darkish Souls 1 DLC elevated the entire expertise and pulled the rug out from what we thought was true.

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Might DLC supply one other path to fixing the Elden Ring?

A unique approach to the hunt

Darkish Souls 2 did one thing comparable however over three separate and distinct DLC packs, every providing a brand new twisted world to discover that was stuffed with thriller, however extra importantly stuffed with solutions. Just like the Chosen Undead earlier than them, the Bearer of the Curse was additionally confronted with the choice to hyperlink the fireplace or let it fade, solely this time, they understood that it was an countless cycle. Even when they construct a kingdom based mostly on mild or darkness, the cycle will proceed regardless.

Whereas Darkish Souls 2 ended on a notice of futility, the Three Crowns DLC fully modified this and supplied a way of hope. Most significantly, it supplied a 3rd choice that went past merely linking the flame or strolling away. This, coupled with the principle quest in Darkish Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin, modified the whole lot and supplied some tantalizing glimpses into the place the sequence might go subsequent. Discovering the Three Crowns and unlocking their energy grew to become the story that underpinned DS2’s entire quest, trivializing the unique goal of merely journeying to the First Flame.

Let’s additionally not overlook that the Darkish Souls 2 DLC created some boss encounters and environments that have been much more memorable than the bottom recreation. For some, the DLC redeemed a title that didn’t reside as much as the unique or Demon’s Souls. As soon as once more, the DLC had remodeled the sport into one thing new and in addition laid the groundwork for a sequel.

Darkish Souls 3 solely had two DLC packs, however as soon as once more, every made adjustments to the lore and selections made all through the unique recreation earlier than neatly tying the entire trilogy collectively. In reality, the MacGuffin you’re chasing in each Darkish Souls 3 DLCs – Ashes of Ariandel and The Ringed Metropolis – supplied a completely separate ending that existed alongside DS3’s as a complement to it, slightly than a alternative.

Whereas non-obligatory, this new ending as soon as once more modified the entire quest, turning what had beforehand been a facet story right into a name to arms that affected the entire world and everybody in it. Because of this, each different ending might now be seen in a brand new mild, and what was as soon as thought-about an sad ending, now had a flicker of hope. The purpose of this journey down reminiscence lane? Souls DLC improves and transforms the bottom recreation, not simply from a lore viewpoint, however gameplay too.

If Elden Ring replicates this sample, it might create a brand new wrinkle to the hunt, and one which respects the participant’s selections with out undermining them. On the identical time, it might add a completely new dimension to the sport, however on a grander scale than earlier than. As each different main FromSoft story enlargement has, we suspect the Elden Ring DLC will add components to the sport that change and re-inform future playthroughs, making us query the whole lot we thought we knew in regards to the Lands Between.

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The DLC could make us view the demigods in a brand new mild.

Altering the sport as we all know it

Merely being armed with the reality about Knight Artorias, the ability of the Three Crowns, or The Painted World within the Darkish Souls video games essentially modified our motivations as a participant. It led us down new (metaphorical and literal) paths we could not have taken with out this information. Due to this fact, we count on the Elden Ring DLC will trigger us to re-evaluate the whole lot we thought we knew in regards to the quest to turn out to be Elden Lord.

Placing the lore of Miyazaki’s marvelous multiverse apart, prior FromSoftware DLC has additionally sprinkled the bottom video games with quality-of-life adjustments that enhanced the expertise. In Bloodborne’s The Outdated Hunters, the titular Hunters we retroactively added to the principle quest. Not solely did this assist tie the enlargement to the unique recreation, nevertheless it additionally created a richer world and a few further NPCs to summon in many of the recreation’s boss fights.

Lastly, let’s not overlook that the majority FromSoft expansions are simply as critically acclaimed because the video games they’re being added to, typically much more so. Due to this fact, whereas we are able to’t make the look ahead to Elden Ring DLC any much less agonizing, we are able to confidently say that no matter is in retailer for us is prone to be a transformative expertise – and one that will shatter our preconceptions like a golden demigod’s hammer. As Miyazaki has taught us time and time once more, the perfect is but to return.

For those who can’t wait till then, strive among the video games talked about above, in addition to the Demon’s Souls remake on PS5. And should you’ve already devoured each different recreation in FromSoftware’s again catalog then there are some actually glorious Souls-like video games that imitate their formulation that it is best to strive.

We’ve additionally rounded up the whole lot we all know in regards to the Elden Ring DLC. Till then, as Patches as soon as stated, “a positive Darkish Soul to you.”

Make sure you examine our Elden Ring web page and brush up in your information thanks all the newest guides beneath:

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