Summary
If you thoughtElden Ringfelt like Dark Souls 4, wait until you get your hands onShadow of the Erdtree. It’s chock-full of references to past games, from a flooded city to the return of Black Knights, sort of.
In case you want to avoid spoilers — and if you clicked on this article by complete accident — here’s your chance to look away.
Light Shadow of the Erdtree spoilers ahead.
Let’s start with locations. After travelling a bit in Shadow of the Erdtree and reaching the Cerulean Coast, you find an underground dungeon that feels eerily similar to The Tomb of the Lost Giants from the firstDark Souls. You have to platform across enormous graves in a bottomless pit while skeletons hound you in the dark, though thankfully it’s not pitch-black like its inspiration.
You can also find a quest on a dragon-infested mountain peak which unlocks an item thatturns you into a humanoid dragon, just like in the Dark Souls games.
We also have the new Cathedral of Manus. Of course, we visit the Cathedral of ManusCelesin Ranni’s quest in the base game, but there are far mods nods to Dark Souls in this new sanctuary. The most obvious is that an NPC will ask us to ring two bells, and just next door to the south lies the Abyssal Woods.
Lastly, we have the Church District of the Shadow Keep, a flooded city where you venture across the rooftops to find a lever that releases the water, draining the streets so that you can explore the lower burg. It’s very similar to New Londo, albeit without a bunch of Dark Wraiths around every corner.
Now we’re delving into heavy spoiler territory.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Brings Back Black Knights
It’s not just familiar locations you’ll find in Shadow of the Erdtree, but enemies and bosses too. Take the Black Knights, footsoldiers in striking armour who wield a variety of unique weapons. These are a lot like the Black Knights of the same name in the first Dark Souls, and equally as challenging.
We also have Rellana, one of the Twin Moons, who feels strikingly similar to the Dancer, Pontiff Sulyvahn, and Artorias fights. As you’d expect, it’s a true test of mettle that sets the scene for the DLC.
At the very end of Shadow of the Erdtree, you’ll fight a revived Radahn in his prime. I’d argue it’s tougher than Malenia, but halfway through, things get even harder.
Miquella will come to his aid, riding his back like inthe Lothric and Lorian fight from Dark Souls 3. Thankfully, you don’t have to wail on a weak Miquella every five minutes, but he will hug you and tell you that it’s okay to let go (don’t get hugged twice though or you’ll have your heart stolen).
There will no doubt be even more references to uncover that the fans will find in due time, but in my two weeks with Shadow of the Erdtree, it was hard not to run into something that reminded me of Dark Souls.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
WHERE TO PLAY
Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware’s groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.
