With less than three weeks to the release of Edden Ring’s expansion pack, Shadow of the Erdtree, developers FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco invited select journalists and bloggers to taste three hours of the upcoming add-on.
The Shadow of the Erdtree events will take place in the Erd Tree’s hidden Shadowlands, plied by the game’s protagonist, Micella. The new environment will be as extensive as the Graveyard with over 10 key bosses, eight categories, and more than 100 samples of new weaponry.
The primary focus in Shadow of the Erdtree is tracking Micella’s steps. According to RPG Site, the expansion pack’s open world is denser than the main game, especially character-wise.
The add-on is specially designed for players of at least level 120 and presents various challenging scenarios. A new exclusive upgrade system for Shadow of the Erdtree will help players progress:
- Players can increase attack strength (similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice) and reduce received damage using a new resource – Scadutree fragments.
- More fragments are required for each upgrade, mirroring the original game’s healing flask upgrade system.
- Both character and summon creatures can be upgraded using distinct fragment types.
- Attributes enhanced by Scadutree fragments will reset to normal upon leaving the expansion zone.
“It felt like playing Elden Ring for the first time again, in a new world, with new discoveries, surprises, equipment, and of course, challenges,” an IGN journalist described his three-hour experience in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Though Bandai Namco didn’t allow journalists and bloggers to record their gameplay, they provided a standardized 12-minute gameplay video and fresh add-on screenshots.
Shadow of the Erdtree launches on June 21 on PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and S. Russian Steam has already allowed for pre-order at 2399 rubles. Two weeks ago, Bandai Namco released a narrative trailer for the expansion.
