Summary
FromSoftware games are known for their difficulty andElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeis no exception, being considerably harder than the base game. Some players have taken issue with this increase in difficulty, especially with the damage that the foes of the Land of Shadow do. Luckily, with its nature as an open-world RPG with character creation and different builds, there are built-in ways to deal with this, whether that is Spirit Ashes, consumables, or DLC-specific upgrade items.
In a recent interview,Miyazaki statedthat he uses"every scrap of aid the game offers"when talking aboutElden Ring, and that he struggled throughShadow of the Erdtree.
Shadow of the Erdtreefollows the trend with FromSoftware titles having expansions more difficult than the base game. Although some of the optional, base game bosses can arguably be the hardest in their respective titles, like The Nameless King inDark Souls 3orElden Ring’smascot,Malenia, Blade of Miquella,the general difficulty of DLC with their new areas and enemies is usually a step above. Having said that, ironically, the most difficult game made by FromSoftware is one of their few titles without an expansion:Sekiro.
Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree - Every Scadu Altus Site Of Grace Locations
In Elden Ring, Scadu Atlus is the secondary region in the Shadow Realm, with many Grace Sites that players can activate, gaining more rest points.
Sekiro Is FromSoftware’s Hardest Game
Shadow Die Twice, But Players Will Die A Lot More
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twiceis a more niche title thanElden Ring, despite winning 2019’s Game of the Year award. This could be attributed to it being quite different to the typical Soulsborne formula,with more overt storytelling and diverging paths leading to different endings, rather than players being able to do everything then choosing their ending after beating the final boss. That, and the game’s incredible difficulty, likely turned off many onlookers curious about the game.
UnlikeElden Ringand its DLC,there isn’t the option of builds, summons, and"cheese tactics"outside of stealth, which wouldn’t work for most bosses.Sekirois much more linear with both its gameplay and story, meaning that the only way to get past a boss is to be good enough to beat that boss in close combat. The tight, deflection, and poise system is amazing but provides fewer ways to deal with enemies outside of stealth, and the lack of online features means that player summons, like the legendary Let Me Solo Her, can’t be called in to help.
There’s only one path forward againstSekirobosses.Players can’t make builds to get around the difficult parts of the game. Players have to improve withSekiro’s core deflection and poise system, learn enemy rhythms and make sure their timing is on point, otherwise there’s no way forward. There’s no cheese tactic, no way to get stronger in the early game to breeze through bosses, and no one to help.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Bosses Are Tough, But Sekiro’s Are A Different Breed
Isshin, The Sword Saint Makes Players Rethink Their Lives
Bosses have always been a highlight of FromSoftware games,andShadow of the Erdtreehas some of the hardest bossesaround. Boss design is important to a Soulsborne game, and with the careful rhythm and tempo of Sekiro’s combat, its bosses need to be crafted accordingly. They’re fast, aggressive, and require a level of memory that other FromSoftware titles, like Elden Ring, don’t ask of their players. There’s a reason why many players think that Malenia, baseElden Ring’shardest boss, started out as a boss concept forSekiro.
Modders have put Malenia intoSekiro,and her Waterfowl Dance seems to be quite in place there.
Of course, like with any game with bosses,Sekirohas its share of easier enemies, such as The Folding Screen Monkeys.Elden Ringhas this, too, with Rennala being a lot easier than a major boss probably should be. Still, the drastic difference in difficulty between something like The Folding Screen Monkeys and The Demon of Hatred or Isshin, The Sword Saint demonstrateshow farSekiro’s difficulty can be pushed before venturing into the realm of being unfair. It turns out that the bar can be pushed very far.
Isshin, The Sword Saint, in particular, is incredibly difficult,and because of Sekiro’s nature, there is no way to make the fight easier. InShadow of the Erdtree, players have the option of using overpowered weapons, Spirit Ashes orcalling on a friend to carry them. Players can choose not to use these aids, but a refusal to use them doesn’t equate to an increase in the game’s difficulty. It merely means that a player’s personal journey through the game is harder than it could be, but with enough help, evenShadow of the Erdtreecan be made easy.
When Shadow Of The Erdtree Takes Place On Elden Ring’s Timeline
Elden Ring’s new Shadow of the Erdtree DLC adds new events to the game’s story, but it isn’t entirely clear when they take place on its timeline.
Elden Ring Has Variable Difficulty Where Sekiro Doesn’t
There’s No Way To Get Through Sekiro
Although the game is built to be difficult,Elden Ringand its expansion can be made almost as difficult as the player wants. There are certain builds and paths that will make the game relatively easy compared to running through with low Vigor and a broken sword. Summons and consumables will make the game easier and are a part of the game, even if many players choose not to use them to make the game harder and more in line with theDark Soulsseries.
Sekirois almost equally difficult for anyone who plays the game. Yes, players wade through the game while controlling the Wolf with a dance pad, but that’s a challenge that has nothing to do with the game’s mechanics. WhileShadow of the Erdtreelets players ping enemies with magic missiles, blast them away with their faith, orblock everything without dodging,Sekirodemands that players play the way that the game intends them to, and that way isn’t exactly easy.
Players have beaten Soulsborne games with almost everything, whether that’s dance pads,Guitar Herocontrollers, orDonkey Kongbongos.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeis difficult; there is no denying that. The damage taken has increased, the bosses are aggressive, and everything seems to be incredibly durable, but the game offers plenty of mechanics to deal with this. This isn’t the case withSekiro. There’s only one way to get through the game, and that requires the player to be good enough to beat the enemy on their own. They can’t call on help, use overpowered weapons, or make a build to alleviate the difficulty.
