Summary
Shadow of the Erdtreeis generally more interested in expandingElden Ringthan in reinventing the wheel, but one staple element that it does leave behind is ultimately for the best.Elden Ringhas received extensive acclaim as one of the best open-world games of all time, so developer FromSoftware could hardly have been blamed if the expansion stuck to the same script. Some challenges inElden Ringcan be more fun than others, however, something thatShadow of the Erdtreeseems to be aware of.
The most obvious difference betweenElden RingandShadow of the Erdtreeis the uptick in challenge, which has reignited the eternal debate about difficulty in FromSoft games. Although it’s ultimately a matter of perspective, the base gameElden Ringis arguablyeasier than titles likeBloodborneandSekiro, with useful items and opportunities to take on bosses and areas in a highly flexible order making it hard to get stuck for too long. In taking things up a notch,Shadow of the Erdtreehas to make a few adjustments to keep things fun, and one is particularly appreciable.
One Of Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree’s Coolest Bosses Has A Terribly Tragic Backstory
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has plenty of tragedy to go around, but one of its coolest bosses has a particularly sad and overlooked story.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Skips The Duo Bosses
Elden Ring’s Most Annoying Challenges Don’t Make The Cut
One staple nightmare of FromSoft games is the double boss encounter, a concept that’s been around sinceDemon’s Soulsand gained a special level of notoriety withOrnstein and Smough inDark Souls. Tossing multiple bosses into an arena forces a lot of quick decision-making and adaptability on the player, and giving them different designs and abilities can provide a memorable contrast.Shadow of the Erdtreeabandons the tradition, however, and doing so helps the expansion focus on what works best about the game.
Balancing Multi-Bosses For High Difficulty Is Hard
It’s Too Easy To Make Things Messy
Difficult duo bosses can often feel frustrating in a way that even the most challenging single bosses don’t, easily snowballing into nightmare scenarios where the player is left with a sense of less control.Elden Ringdoes take this into consideration sometimes — the option to nab an assist from Recusant Bernahl in the fight with the Godskin Duo makes it a lot more enjoyable — butthe multi-boss encounters are unlikely to make many lists of favorites.
I Haven’t Even Started Shadow Of The Erdtree Yet, But One Elden Ring Boss Nearly Made Me Cry
Elden Ring has a lot of memorably intense bosses, but one in particular does something that’s a big diversion from the standard encounter.
WithShadow of the Erdtree’s increased difficulty, leaving these fights behind makes a lot of sense. Without incredibly precise design,duo boss fights meant to be especially punishing could easily tip into being plainly unfun.FromSoft bosses like Maleniaand Isshin Ashina that have gained infamy for their unique difficulty are still a blast to fight thanks to an emphasis on tight, aggressive dueling, and putting a lot of work into mastering a 1v1 provides a better sense of steady improvement.
There’s definitely potential to have some fun with multi-bosses, butShadow of the Erdtreetaking the safer road seems like a good opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief. While examples likeDark Souls 3’s Abyss Watchers show that the concept can be done well, finding the motivation to fight a tougher version of something like the Valiant Gargoyles inShadow of the Erdtreewould have been tough. Although duo bosses have been a big part of FromSoft history,Shadow of the ErdtreeleavingElden Ring’s love for them behind might be for the best.
