Summary
Having played through theElden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC, returning to the base game was something of a disappointment for me.Shadow of the Erdtreeexpands the award-winning RPG by FromSoftware significantly, adding an entirely new map, as well as dungeons, challenges, and, of course, new bosses to face. Upon release, the DLC was met with appraise from critics and players alike, even if there were mentions that its contents were exceedingly challenging – something that I did not agree with, despite the acknowledgment that it did, indeed, feel tougher than the base game itself.
Of course, one of my flaws going into the DLC was playingElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreewhile underleveled, despite spending months preparing for its arrival. I was a few dozen levels under the recommended level and that took a toll on my performance, especially against tough bosses likeMessmer the Impaler. I did, however, level up via the DLC and met a satisfactory balance between challenge and success, without ever feeling I was underpowered or overpowered. The later portions of the DLC are fairly tough and, having concluded them, I returned to the base game to conclude my playthrough.
I’ve Waited 5 Years For “Big Dark Souls” & Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Finally Gave It To Me
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree finally makes good on what I originally assumed Elden Ring would be, a truly open-world rendition of Dark Souls.
Elden Ring’s Base Game Feels Too Easy After Shadow Of The Erdtree
Bosses I Was Expecting To Be Challenging Fell Too Easily
I picked up the base game exactly where I had meticulously stopped:Crumbling Farum Azula. When stopping for the DLC,I figured that would be a great place to stop progressing, as I would still have the liberty to tie up loose ends, such as completingDung Eater’s questline before the destruction of the capital. As such, I did that and progressed through Crumbling Farum Azula. The place, where I had initially been met with challenges from the beastmen roaming around was smooth to run through. Then, I reached the final Site of Grace in theElden Ringarea.
From there, I decided to faceDragonlord Placidusax, a boss that I knew little about and was very enthusiastic about facing, especially after the memorable encounter with Bayle the Dread in theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC. Seeing Bayle was the one drake that challenged Placidusax and was capable of harming it,I was looking forward to yet another memorable dragon-based boss fight. What I got, however, was underwhelming and, therefore, extremely disappointing. The fight withPlacidusax inElden Ringwas all too easy, and it only took me three attempts to get used to its attacks and beat it.
Having gone in expecting another fight of the same magnitude and challenge as Bayle’s I was somewhat torn, especially after having heard so much about the Dragonlord. Nevertheless, I progressed, now toward the end ofCrumbling Farum Azula. Despite the improved skill set, the Tree Sentinel between the Site of Grace and the arena where you may face Maliketh fell easily, without any major challenges – a surprise, consideringI had grown used to the Tree Sentinels in theElden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC, which felt a lot more menacing. This one felt like a basic enemy.
Still, I had high hopes for the encounter against Beast Clergyman andMaliketh, the Black Blade. This was Marika’s shadow and considered one of the most aggressive bosses in the game alongsideMalenia, Blade of Miquella. Seeing that Malenia is one of my favorite bosses of all time due to how aggressive she is in combat, I was looking forward to adding a companion for her to that list. Once again,I felt extremely overpowered, and it only took me two attempts to beat MalikethinElden Ring.
Elden Ring: How To Get Maliketh’s Black Blade
Maliketh’s Black Blade is a Colossal Sword that players can earn in Elden Ring, but only after they defeat the boss and trade the reward in.
Of course, beating these tough bosses with only a few attempts is magnificent. There is a sense of power and skill is thrilling, but there’s something about continuously and frustratingly dying to bosses in soulslike games that I genuinely enjoy. For me, bosses are the pillar of these games, andspending time with them, memorizing their moves, and getting their soundtracks stuck in my head has always been part of the satisfying experiencein titles likeDark SoulsorBloodborne, for example.
I remember getting stuck on Ludwig, The Holy Blade inThe Old HuntersDLC forBloodborne, yet he turned out to be one of my favorite bosses of all time, too.
Weirdly enough, bosses in soulslike games tend to feel like friends after spending so much time with them. That was somewhat taken away from me when I returned to the base game after having concludedShadow of the Erdtree.I’m not sure if the DLC made me over-leveled for the base game’s contentsor if it simply fine-tuned my gameplay style to be exceedingly cautious and, overall, a better player, equipped to face these challenges. It does feel, however, like the experience is lacking something that has always been important to me:challenging bosses inElden Ring.
Elden Ring Player One Shots Erdtree Boss With Perfectly Timed Abilities, But Not How You Think
A practiced Elden Ring player demonstrates perfect timing against Shadow of the Erdtree’s final boss but not in the form of a parry or dodge.
I’m Feeling Discouraged To Continue The Elden Ring Base Game After Shadow Of The Erdtree
I’m Afraid The Last Few Bosses Will Also Be Underwhelming
Now, I feel discouraged to even go through with the completion of the base game’s campaign. I still need to face a few bosses along the way, includingHoarah Loux, WarriorandElden Beast, butI’m terrified about the possibility of feeling disappointed. Like the bosses from Crumbling Farum Azula, I created some great expectations for the bosses in the final portion of the base game, and if they are as easy as the two aforementioned ones, my whole view ofElden Ringmay change in a negative way.
I am also excited about facingSir Gideon Ofnir, The All-KnowinginLeyndell, Ashen Capital, especially after all those friendly interactions within the Roundtable.
This is not to say I won’t proceed and conclude the game. After all, I invested a lot of time and effort into Ranni’s questline, and I really want to finish the campaign on a high note, with the best of endings. I am, however, shifting my perspective and trying to manage my expectations going intoLeyndell, Ashen Capitalfollowing my previous disappointment within Crumbling Farum Azula. Hopefully, I get the chance to get destroyed by the last bosses inElden Ring, finishing the game with a full sense of accomplishment and not feeling like it was an easy endeavor.
