Elden Ring Players Review Bombing Tough As Nails DLC

Despite warnings from critics and FromSoftware itself, fans quickly discovered that Shadow of the Erdtree East extremely difficult. Extension until 2022 Ancient Ring was released on June 21 and gained a reputation for being hard, even for a FromSoftware game. This led to the DLC’s review status on Steam moving to “Mixed” after people started bombing the game due to its difficulty.

Just a few days before Shadow of the ErdtreeUpon release, director Hidetaka Miyazaki discussed the challenge the expansion would pose to players. “We’ve kind of really pushed the boundaries in terms of what we think the player can handle,” Miyazaki said. CNET in an interview. Even though the Soulslike genre is generally synonymous with difficult difficulty, some players think Shadow of the Erdtree may have gone too far.

“I’m here to play the game, not to be tormented by it,” one wrote. Steam Review. It’s a feeling shared by many. Another reviewer said FromSoftware had “lost the essence of what made their games fun: fairness.” They refer to the idea that most Soulslikes give players the skills to overcome challenges, but claim Shadow of the Erdtree lack of this balance in combat. The magazine bombardment and general discussion on Shadow of the ErdtreeThe difficulty of has reignited a conversation around Soulslikes as old as the games themselves: are these games too difficult, or are people just too accustomed to handholding in modern games to appreciate a true challenge ?

Unlike reviewers and other gamers who are genuinely unhappy with the difficulty, some say that’s exactly how FromSoftware works. This is true, to an extent, as the studio has a history of creating DLC ​​for its games that are more difficult than the base game. These expansions are designed as a higher challenge for those who have mastered the above. This was also the case, for example, of Transmitted by bloodIt is The old hunters DLC (which, in my opinion, remains one of the most difficult experiences FromSoft has ever made). There is an element of “what did you expect?” » by some, aimed at those who complain of the extreme difficulty.

However, the situation is a little more complex than that. The discussion about FromSoftware difficulty has always had two sides. Many people often think of “Git Gud» crowd, who don’t want to have nuanced discussions and think the players who complain just need to be better. But on the other side there is valid criticism of the difficulty of FromSoftware, particularly with regard to the lack of accessibility options. This remains a problem, because it means these games are less accessible to all players. Additionally, FromSoftware’s design philosophy often demands a high level of perfection, while the games themselves are filled with imperfect designs (such as wonky camera controls) that cause unintended friction that the player must also overcome.

There is yet another level in the conversation around Shadow of the Erdtree. Ancient Ring is arguably the most accessible (and therefore most played by newcomers) game designed by FromSoft to date. The open world is a big reason for this, as players who encounter a challenge they can’t beat can simply go elsewhere. This more accessible design and the popularity it has gained has created a community of players who have never played a Soulslike before and are now enthusiastically jumping into the game. Shadow of the Erdtree just discovering FromSoft DLC is hard as hell.

This shock of difficulty is likely to cause an outcry of disappointment at the perception of an extremely unfair challenge. With so much discussion going on, even Ancient Ring Publisher Bandai Namco spoke. “This is a suggestion to improve your Scadutree Blessing”, the company job on X (formerly Twitter), to encourage those who complain about the difficulty of using the new upgrade hardware. This highlights another FromSoftware fact: the developer (almost) always gives players a way to take on new challenges.

So it is Shadow of the Erdtree too hard? Well, it’s complicated. It is certainly more difficult than Ancient Ring, but there are also ways to overcome the biggest challenge. If you’re having difficulty with any of the new bosses, take your time, take a break, and you should really collect as many Scadutree Shards as possible.

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