Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree fails to live up to one of its earliest promises. The DLC is, in every sense of the word, expansive. It builds on the lore of Elden Ring‘s most important characters and minor figures alike, creating a whole new chapter to the story. While it’s not totally central to the Elden Ring story, it contains a multitude of important reveals and essential context that completely redefines much of the base game. In that way, it’s everything it was cracked up to be.