Faded soul, are you ready to set out on another journey?
On June 21, 2024, “ELDEN RING SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE” will be released. This is a large-scale DLC for “ELDEN RING”, and it has been two years since its release.
FROM SOFTWARE's series of titles have built the “Soul-like” genre, and while they have continued to maintain their intense difficulty throughout the series, they have also built up a careful style of work that always allows players to find a clue to master the game. The overwhelming artwork and endlessly thought-out backgrounds have steadily increased the number of fans, and ELDEN RING has been greeted by many players with the praise that it can be called the culmination of their work.
The density and scope of the adventure was so grand that even trying to complete the game was overwhelming. The open field, which broke the mold of previous series games, offered a variety of play styles to a variety of players, and contrary to the game's serious impression, a wide range of reactions were expressed on social media.
It's not uncommon for players to reach 100 hours to complete the normal game of ELDEN RING, but what will the DLC, which is said to be a full-scale expansion of new fields, be like? Many people will be excited with anticipation.
Game*Spark is looking forward to the release of ELDEN RING SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE.Advance trial session for mediaI had the opportunity to participate in this event, so I would like to briefly introduce some of the content.
*The content mentioned in this article and the game data from the demo are still in development. The images shown were provided by FROM SOFTWARE and are not captures of gameplay from the demo.
The Shadow Lands will be a new area
As previously announced, this DLC will take place in a setting called the “Shadow Lands.” It has also been announced that the story will revolve around Miquela, who appears in the main game, and the demo started in a place related to Miquela.
Some people may be thinking about taking advantage of the release of the DLC to try out ELDEN RING. As the name suggests, this DLC is additional content, so you will need to have progressed through the main game to a certain extent in order to enjoy it. I was able to recognize the starting point of the trial session at a glance, but if the starting point of the DLC is the same as the trial session,It is necessary to take a certain amount of time to proceedI felt that it would be.
The main story of “ELDEN RING” contains many elements that cannot be seen through simple strategy, and it is not uncommon to not even realize they exist.Some people may be wondering, “Who is Miquela after all?”So, I hope you'll take your time and work through the various strategies until the DLC is released. I know I'm being repetitive, but the density and amount of content is really amazing!
When I rode my beloved horse Trent through the shadowy land, I was greeted by a mysterious and captivating landscape, despite the dark atmosphere. Even when I was engaged in a fierce battle, I found myself wanting to stop and gaze upon the vast horizon from the hilltop.
Because it is additional content, there should be no difference in the basic engine, but I intuitively felt that the expression of nature was more refined. I only wandered a small part of the Shadow Lands, so I think there are many other types of terrain, but I didn't feel like “I've had enough! I don't want to be here!” like when I was conquering the area called “Ceilid” in the main story, and I would like to note that it was at least a soothing scene.
Legacy Dungeon in 3 hours? Go for it!! (It didn't work.)
The scope of this trial session included two elements: one legacy dungeon and a medium-sized dungeon. We were given three hours to play. When I heard the conditions, I thought, “No matter how hard we try, we won't be able to cover everything that can be experienced,” but I think that anyone who has played the main game will understand.
Legacy dungeons are stages with labyrinth-like, three-dimensional structures, like those that appeared in previous titles such as “DARK SOULS,” where players are faced with enemies of unconventional strength and enemy placements that are just as unconventional. There is not always just one path, and if you explore thoroughly, you can unlock routes that allow you to take shortcuts along the way. This content is appealing in that it allows you to steadily expand your range of action little by little, centering around rest points.
Of course, at the end, a super strong boss awaits. When I was playing the main story, it took me hours just to defeat this one boss, and I don't know how many days it took to complete the dungeon itself. Speaking of Legacy Dungeons, they are worth the challenge.
I was beaten to a pulp by some of the smaller enemies in the dungeon, and even had to take a detour after being discouraged by a mid-boss-like presence, but I kept thinking, “Ah! It's been a while since I've played this!” as I continued my walkthrough. If anything, it felt like I was just running around the whole time, but before I knew it, I'd reached the boss room!!
It took me 30 minutes to find the entrance to the Legacy Dungeon, but I had more than an hour to face the boss. I had to look at the mid-sized dungeons for research, so I thought to myself as I opened the room, where a lion-like boss was waiting for me.
Multiple new weapon types have been added, as well as offensive and defensive equipment and martial arts
I tend to prefer close-quarters combat, and I was beaten by Shishimai because I was a muscle-brained guy who was up against a strong enemy. After thinking about it, I decided to try a new weapon type, which included a shield and a spear, and some equipment that allowed me to use my hands and feet to strike the enemy in a martial art.
The spears, which have a shield element, seemed to act as a sort of defense during part of their attack animation, so even if you mistimed your attack, it felt like you weren't taking as much damage in return as you'd think.
Of course, defense wasn't always possible, but it was a defensive function added as a last resort during attack motions. I ended up with a strange style of dual-wielding a shield, with a buckler in my left hand and this shield-shaped spear in my right. The strategy was to use the buckler to block attacks I definitely wanted to block, and then use the spear, which could also be used for defense, to launch aggressive attacks.
I thought I could fight it now! But just as I expected, once I dealt a certain amount of damage it started to unleash moves like the second stage of a boss, and three hours passed without me being able to do anything.
I think the staff saw me looking up at the ceiling or taking off my glasses and holding my head after I was knocked down, but it was so difficult that I didn't have time to worry about it. Seriously, how are you going to knock him down?
Savor the joy of exploration once again
As this is only data from a trial session, I can't say anything for certain, but considering the locations needed to reach the Shadow Lands, I felt it was necessary to develop the characters enough to complete the main story once.
Assuming the settings remain the same as in the trial session, even if you have developed a character well, you may be defeated if you let your guard down for a moment.Strengthening elements that only work in the Shadowlandsexists.
If you collect and use them, you can get benefits such as increased damage reduction rates while in the Shadow Lands. It shouldn't be an adjustment that makes it impossible to challenge the DLC unless you've fully developed your character… That's what I feel from my experience, but even if you've played the main game a lot and your character is strong, you should still be able to find meaning in exploring the Shadow Lands.
It's not just the status that matters; many of the objects, enemies, and stage designs scattered throughout the game are new, ensuring a fresh experience.
In order to avoid spoilers, I won't mention the lore this time, but I have a feeling that elements that were not mentioned in the main story will be supplemented. To be honest, I don't even understand the lore of the main story very well, but the flavor text in each item and the designs engraved on small objects are connected to unexpected places, so it's fun just to find them.
To reiterate, if you are planning to progress through the main story of ELDEN RING and prepare for the DLC, please pay close attention to the flavor text on items and equipment, as well as the dialogue of NPCs. It would be a waste to rush through the game!
There is no doubt that the Shadow Lands will be highly difficult, and you will need to have some level of training before you can even begin. I think there will be a lot of content related to the main story, so I hope you will enjoy the exploration.
『ELDEN RING SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE' is scheduled to be released on June 21, 2024 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam.
