Even Elden Ring’s game director knows Erdtree is too hard

A Tarnished’s Tale: Exploring the Trials and Triumphs of Elden Ring’s "Shadow of the Erdtree"

The Lands Between have once again beckoned us, Tarnished, to face a new crucible of challenge and reward with "Shadow of the Erdtree," the massive expansion for Elden Ring. But stepping into this new realm isn’t just about conquering new foes and plundering hidden treasures – it’s about confronting a stark truth: Hidetaka Miyazaki, the maestro of FromSoftware’s "Souls" games, is a master of the troll.

Miyazaki, in an interview with The Verge, proclaimed "Shadow of the Erdtree" to be "by far the biggest in scale in volume" of any FromSoftware DLC. Yet, he tempered this statement by comparing the size to Limgrave, the starting area of Elden Ring. He described the DLC as containing "slightly more content."

Don’t be fooled by this apparent humility, Tarnished. I’ve spent over 30 hours in "Shadow of the Erdtree" and can confidently claim that Miyazaki’s statements are, to put it mildly, disingenuous. The new areas are more expansive than Limgrave, offering layered landscapes with soaring plateaus, deep valleys, and challenging island hoppers – a testament to the developer’s ambition. In fact, "Shadow of the Erdtree" feels akin to a standalone game, offering a rich narrative experience that could have easily been included in the base game.

This expansive world serves as a stage for Miquella’s story, brother of Malenia, the infamous "Blade of Miquella." Miyazaki revealed that crafting Miquella’s narrative was a means of honoring George R.R. Martin’s contribution to the game’s mythology, ensuring the story was brought to its intended conclusion.

However, Miyazaki’s playful deception goes beyond the scope of the DLC. The difficulty, a hallmark of FromSoftware’s games, is pushed to its absolute limit.

Take Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, a fearsome boss lurking within Castle Enis. Her difficulty is a staggering benchmark, requiring players to master their skills and tactics. I, having encountered her early in my journey, was swiftly brought to my knees, my strategies failing to pierce her defenses. And that was just the second major boss!

Miyazaki claimed that "Shadow of the Erdtree" boasts "10 plus boss encounters," a statement that seems ludicrous in the face of estimates ranging from 55 to 80 bosses. Thankfully, only a select few are crucial to progressing the narrative, leaving the rest as optional trials for the brave and seasoned Tarnished.

"And the ones that [are optional] are especially difficult," Miyazaki added, a statement not lost on the game’s reviewers.

Speaking about this relentless difficulty, Alexis Ong in Eurogamer stated, "This, however, feels like difficulty for difficulty’s sake, turned up to eleven."

While I agree with Ong’s assessment that the line between challenging and unrelentingly impossible is often blurred, the DLC’s difficulty represents a conscious choice on the part of FromSoftware, reflecting the experiences gleaned from player feedback on the base game.

Miyazaki, in an interview with The Guardian, stated: "If we really wanted the whole world to play the game, we could just crank the difficulty down more and more, but that wasn’t the right approach. Turning down difficulty would strip the game of that joy, which, in my eyes, would break the game itself."

He isn’t wrong. Stripping away the signature challenge from FromSoftware’s games would fundamentally alter their identity, rendering them unrecognizable.

So, "Shadow of the Erdtree" must be hard, but not so hard as to alienate players. The solution, according to Miyazaki, lies in freedom.

"The amount of freedom that we give players helps offset that difficulty curve and makes the game more accessible and engaging," he said.

While this approach resonated with the base game, allowing players to level up and circumvent difficulty, the introduction of new DLC-exclusive consumables that enhance attack and defense has shifted the dynamic. Now, accruing power requires a constant search for these rare items, leaving players vulnerable and apprehensive even against seemingly basic enemies. I often found myself in a state of constant fear, the threat of defeat looming large even in the face of relatively simple encounters.

Miyazaki, ever the meticulous architect of player experience, isn’t simply content with challenging us; he’s obsessed with how we die.

"I try to imagine different ways I would want to die as a player or be killed," he revealed, explaining the manifestation of his signature poison swamps in both "Elden Ring" and other FromSoftware titles.

However, in "Shadow of the Erdtree", he admitted to scaling back this indulgence, acknowledging that he may have gone too far in the base game.

Yet, despite the scaled-back swamps, death still lurks around every corner. From the crushing weight of a heavy weapon to the icy bite of frostbite, "Shadow of the Erdtree" offers a symphony of painful methods to end our Tarnished journey. I’ve been bludgeoned, exsanguinated, frostbitten, burned, and even met my demise in a hilariously self-inflicted poisoning incident.

Despite these trials, Miyazaki, like a benevolent god, has faith in his players, believing we can overcome any hurdle.

"We’ve really pushed the envelope in terms of what we think can be withstood by the player," he said, reaffirming his dedication to challenging the very limits of our endurance.

Moreover, he highlighted the crucial focus on enjoyment, a lesson carried over from "Elden Ring" into the new DLC. "We tried to make that the foundation of the boss encounters of the DLC, so hopefully players will find it much more engaging and fun," he said.

And then, a note of humility: "But if that is not the case," he added, "Then I’m sorry.”

"Shadow of the Erdtree" is a testament to FromSoftware’s ambition and Miyazaki’s unwavering commitment to challenging the boundaries of player experience. It’s a troll’s delight, pushing us to the brink, then pushing us further. It offers a vast world to explore, filled with both familiar challenges and unexpected delights.

And as we venture into this realm, one thing is certain: we’re not simply playing a game, we’re engaging in a twisted dance with the mind behind it, a dance that will leave us questioning our sanity and celebrating our resilience.

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