It’s been more than two years since the release of Elden Ring, a considerably long time for DLC to follow. So although the open world action RPG is FromSoftware’s biggest game to date, with many players still combing for its secrets and besting its fiercest bosses, those of us who haven’t returned since launch may be feeling just a little rusty.
That’s not necessarily a contributing factor for why Shadow of the Erdtree, the game’s only expansion and the largest expansion the studio has ever made, feels like a considerable step up in difficulty. But it certainly wants players to be well-equipped to brave its challenges, considering you’ll need to have not only defeated Starscourge Radhan but also Mogh, Lord of Blood, a powerful optional boss not everyone will easily discover the first time around.
Given that the preset builds available for our recent hands-on all started at Level 150, which is where most of us reached by the time we were able to take down the Elden Beast, I would hazard a guess that most players will want to have reached the endgame before making their way into the Land of Shadow.
