This review contains spoilers
I only judge so harshly because I love so deeply. I took time off of work for the drop of Shadow of the Erdtree, having made sure not to watch any of the trailers to make sure nothing would be spoiled. I treat all From Software release days with the same reverence. Slowly though, as I reacquainted myself with the game I hadn't really played for around 2 years, I was reminded of the issues I have with Elden Ring as a whole. I think people who LOVED the base game will love this DLC, it's more of the same and that, in my opinion, is to it's detriment.
Personally, I will take the more "on rails" approach to game design every single time when it comes to Fromsoft. I think the handcrafted experience that comes with having only a few accessible POIs is unmatched. The devs are able to more closely anticipate what weapons/armor you have as well as their efficiency. If the castle can only be entered from one door then the set pieces within can be staged perfectly to surprise the player in endless ways. Story beats and characters are able to comment on your progression better and their stories can proceed at a regular pace.
Instead we're attempting to balance difficulty via an overly convoluted system (Scadutree Blessings), accidentally finding the exits of boss rooms before the main doors and ending up with 4-5 major bosses placed on hold so I can explore a cave, kill a hippo and randomly find the necessary item to boost my stats.
By the time I was wrapping up with the DLC, I was more than finished with the Land of Shadow and left feeling unsure if I'll ever do another play-through of Elden Ring again. Again, I had fun and love the game but I feel like the world and boss designs become more tedious and unfair the closer you get to the end of the game. Not to mention reused enemy types and bosses from the base game. I simply had higher expectations, especially given the two years it took to develop.
Personally, I will take the more "on rails" approach to game design every single time when it comes to Fromsoft. I think the handcrafted experience that comes with having only a few accessible POIs is unmatched. The devs are able to more closely anticipate what weapons/armor you have as well as their efficiency. If the castle can only be entered from one door then the set pieces within can be staged perfectly to surprise the player in endless ways. Story beats and characters are able to comment on your progression better and their stories can proceed at a regular pace.
Instead we're attempting to balance difficulty via an overly convoluted system (Scadutree Blessings), accidentally finding the exits of boss rooms before the main doors and ending up with 4-5 major bosses placed on hold so I can explore a cave, kill a hippo and randomly find the necessary item to boost my stats.
By the time I was wrapping up with the DLC, I was more than finished with the Land of Shadow and left feeling unsure if I'll ever do another play-through of Elden Ring again. Again, I had fun and love the game but I feel like the world and boss designs become more tedious and unfair the closer you get to the end of the game. Not to mention reused enemy types and bosses from the base game. I simply had higher expectations, especially given the two years it took to develop.