Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree

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RPGamer compares Shadow of the Erdtree with the original game:

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Shadow of the Erdtree Is a Microcosm of Elden Ring's Strengths and Weaknesses

It's safe to say that Elden Ring has successfully etched itself into gaming history. Selling over 12 million copies in its first month on sale and going on to win multiple awards, Elden Ring has become a staple of many discussions about open world games. The world design is stellar, with each area feeling distinct. In contrast, each area still feels like it is part of the same world, and the construction of the world is such that the game can be as easy or as difficult as the player desires without sacrificing the intensity of FromSoftware's famous boss design. In truth, Elden Ring is such a quality game and such a tremendous achievement that it is hard to imagine any kind of follow-up, be it an expansion or a direct sequel, being able to meet the expectations set by it. Which is why it's impressive that Shadow of the Erdtree is as good as it is.

However, Shadow of the Erdtree can also be an uneven experience that sometimes feels tacked onto the main experience of Elden Ring rather than smartly integrated into it. The progression systems of Shadow of the Erdtree feel clunky and the narrative feels both incredibly important to Elden Ring's narrative while being entirely too disconnected from it to feel consequential.

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