Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be released on June 21st, and here are the 13 things Elden Ring fans need to know about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
1. Touch the withered arm
If you've played Elden Ring, there's a good chance you've seen a withered arm dangling from what appears to be an egg-like object in a Mogwyn palace. This is where the DLC comes in, meaning that players need to defeat Mogg (Blood Lord) before they can access the DLC. Once you've cleared the area, you'll meet a new character named Leda. After a brief introduction to herself, she will urge you to "touch the withered arm", which will teleport you to a whole new area, the Shadow Realm.
2. It's a huge expansion pack
Anyone who has played Dark Souls 3's excellent DLCs, Ashes of Aredell and Ring of India will attest to the fact that developer FromSoftware excels at creating new and memorable environments outside of the core game area. It looks like Shadow of the Golden Tree will continue (or even improve) that tradition, offering a sprawling new area for Elden Ring fans to explore. It took hours to explore the vast plains and labyrinthine corridors of the Shadow Realm, but many places on the map were still shrouded in fog, suggesting that this was only scratching the surface of what it had to offer.
3. It's definitely an atmosphere
The entrance to the Shadow Realm is the Graveyard Plains, which is filled with ghostly tombstones and low-level enemies. After looking around on horseback and finding the nearest map monument to unlock a better view on the map, decide to do some exploration before moving on. Of course, an eerie mausoleum is found for players to explore, as well as a dragon that peacefully sleeps in a small lake. Take a closer look at both. After all, what's the worst-case scenario?
4. Be confident and make big mistakes
For Elden Ring veterans, don't forget how unforgiving and enjoyable the game can be. Approaching the dragon woke it up, and it looked at the player for a moment...... Then he flew into the sky and burned everything around him with black flames. Yes, Black Flame Dragons are one thing now, and players quickly learn that they are not to be messed with. After several failed attempts, the player decides to return to the Mausoleum, only to encounter the Black Prison Knights (similar to the Crusader Knights), who have left the player with several crushing defeats. Ah, this is the familiar and loved Elden Ring!
5. Equipment is everything
There are a number of new elements in Shadow of the Golden Tree that will help players on their journey. "Milady", a lightweight greatsword with balanced attacks, is already eager to use it more. New armor from the Knights of Oath set that looks cool (and provides decent protection). However, the most important item is the new "Shade of the Tree Shards", which will enhance the player's "Shade of the Tree's Blessing". This blessing is only valid in the Shadow Realm, allowing the player to deal more damage to enemies and take less damage. Finding as many of these pieces as possible may go a long way in determining your long-term success.
6. Remember the finger creeper? They're back, but in the form of soul ashes!
Finger Creepers (also known as Spider Hand or Worst Enemies) immediately impress even the most hardcore Souls-like fans, popping off the ground and grabbing players. Well, they're back in "Shadow of the Golden Tree", this time as soul ashes that can be summoned to help players fight. There are also some new additions to the Soul Ashes: the Flying Tombbird and the powerful Black Knight Commander Andreas. It's up to players to determine for themselves if they'll replace the precious mimicry tears, but it's always good to have some new options.
7. Continuous intersections
After getting back on track, players will come to a crossroads (literally, indeed). At the end of the main road in the Plains of the Graveyard, the player reaches a tree where the path separates. Nearby there is a glowing yellow cross, as well as some NPCs named Freya (former allies of our old friend Radaan) who explain that the crosses dot the land and are the footprints of Michaela's benevolence. Another character, Hornsent, gave me a map explaining that if I explored, I could find more crosses. On the way to a large fortress, I found another cross and another of Michaela's NPC followers, Ansbach, who asked the player to figure out the intentions of the benevolent Michaela in the Shadow Realm.
8. What is the story, the glory of sorrow?
9. Beware of spiders
After that, the player faces one of the two fortresses. When the door opens, the player is immediately greeted by a huge, furry scorpion/spider hybrid, and nearly a dozen small spiders slowly falling from the ceiling to besiege the player. Quickly finish them off, then continue deeper into this expansive castle to face off against increasingly powerful enemies (though none of them are as disgusting as those spiders).
10. Choose your path
Like all great FromSoftware games, Shadow of the Golden Tree offers players a plethora of options to explore. Did you jump off the path across the rooftop? Does that dark and eerie corridor actually lead to a shortcut, back to the nearest blessed point? Is there an enemy hiding next to that glowing item? Playing Shadow of the Golden Tree reminds players of how great FromSoftware is at creating environments that elicit an emotional response from the player. Whether it's triumph, disgust, or relief, you're sure to feel some kind of emotion as you explore these nuanced environments.
11. Moon Double Knight Rylana
In the process of experiencing the "Shadow of the Golden Tree", the player successfully passes through two castles and battles the punishing bosses inside. Boss battles have always been a part of players' favorite games of From, and these two bosses have not disappointed players either. The first one, called "Moon Twin Knight Relana", is a giant knight wielding dual swords and performing a quick spinning attack. When Rylaner is cut to half health, he lets out a roar and gives red flame to one sword and blue magic to the other. This radically changes his attacks so that they deal these types of damage, be prepared to die a dozen times.
12. Sacred lion dance
The second boss, the "Sacred Lion Dance", moves much like the Chinese Lion Dance in the parade, but battling this monster is by no means a celebration. In addition to its sudden and unpredictable movements, the lion dance occasionally emits a mist that makes it difficult to see a few feet around it. When its health drops to half, it begins to summon lightning attacks, requiring precise timing to dodge.
13. Yes, that's what dogs are
Yes, you read that right, everyone's favorite shelled reptile is back! It's unclear if they have a Pope variety, but now you have a better reason to explore the realm of shadows when Elden Ring: Shadow of the Golden Tree launches on June 21st.