As I work my way through Shadow of the Erdtree, the brand new DLC for Elden Ring, I can’t assist however assume that game director Hidetaka Miyazaki is trolling the shit outta me.
Talking with him at Summer time Sport Fest two weeks in the past, Miyazaki stated that Erdtree is “by far the largest in scale in quantity” than another FromSoftware DLC earlier than it. However he additionally stated Erdtree is “about the identical quantity because the Limgrave a part of the bottom recreation,” the beginning space of Elden Ring, containing “barely extra content material.”
I don’t purchase it. Whereas it’s inconceivable to precisely examine scale in recreation, I’ve performed the sport for 30 hours and have already discovered the brand new areas within the DLC to be extra expansive than Limgrave. Not solely is the map itself massive, it’s layered, with large areas propped up on plateaus above, in deep valleys beneath, and on islands that take some inventive platforming to achieve.
I’d say it’s far, far bigger than Limgrave, with lots extra to do as properly. Shadow of the Erdtree truthfully feels prefer it’s sufficiently big to be its personal recreation with its personal story — one which was initially supposed for Elden Ring however wound up being minimize for time earlier than being added again as DLC content material.
Erdtree follows the story arc of Miquella, brother of uber boss Malenia and one of many demigods vital to Elden Ring lore. To deal with Miquella was, Miyazaki instructed me, born of the need to honor George R. R. Martin’s contributions to the sport. “[He] gave us all this nice mythology to work with,” Miyazaki stated. Packaging Miquella’s story as a standalone DLC was primarily “closing the loop” on Martin’s involvement within the recreation. “It’s actually about finishing Elden Ring’s circle,” he stated.
However understating the dimensions of Shadow of the Erdtree is simply one of many methods it appears like Miyazaki is deceptive me. I do know he’s trolling me on the subject of issue.
I can’t beat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, the boss ensconced in Fortress Enis that gamers can face 5 or 50 hours in relying on their exploration decisions. (I met her after about 15.) None of my methods nor any of the sport’s inbuilt help options — utilizing Mimic Tear Ashes, summoning assist from an NPC, altering my weapons or spells, inflicting damaging standing results — appear to work. My finest try received her right down to half of her well being and I can’t appear to progress additional. And she or he’s solely main boss quantity two.
In keeping with Miyazaki, that is by design. He stated that Erdtree accommodates “10 plus boss encounters” — truthfully, one other hilariously absurd understatement, I’ve seen estimates of 55 bosses and as much as 80. Fortunately solely a small handful of these bosses are essential to progress the story, whereas the remainder are non-compulsory.
“And those that [are optional] are particularly troublesome,” Miyazaki stated.
At any time when a brand new FromSoftware recreation releases, there’s practically all the time a dialogue of issue. With the DLC, different reviewers have advised that its issue is simply too excessive. “It’s true that this distinct sort of FromSoft-engineered frustration is an indispensable a part of the Souls expertise,” wrote Alexis Ong in Eurogamer. “This, nevertheless, appears like issue for issue’s sake, turned as much as eleven.”
I agree. However whereas I believe Shadow of the Erdtree may higher straddle the road between pleasantly difficult and frustratingly inconceivable, the sport was tuned to Miyazaki’s intentions, representing the teachings the event crew realized from the unique recreation’s suggestions.
“Historically we’ve all the time appreciated the upper issue curve sort of video games and experiences, however I believe that nature in and of itself alienates portion of the sport taking part in viewers,” he stated.
A contradictory factor to say contemplating his comments in a recent interview with The Guardian: “If we actually needed the entire world to play the sport, we may simply crank the issue down increasingly, however that wasn’t the proper strategy. Turning down issue would strip the sport of that pleasure, which, in my eyes, would break the sport itself.”
He’s not fallacious. Elden Ring ceases to be the sport of the yr it was if it lacks the sort of issue FromSoftware is understood for. So Erdtree should be exhausting, however not so exhausting that it’ll flip gamers off. But it surely can also’t be too straightforward as a result of that can break the sport. What to do? The reply, in keeping with Miyazaki, is freedom.
“The quantity of freedom that we give gamers helps offset that issue curve and makes the sport extra accessible and interesting,” he instructed me.
I believe that labored for Elden Ring, much less so for this DLC. Within the base recreation, issue might be circumvented with leveling up — the participant freedom, because it have been. However with the addition of the brand new DLC-exclusive consumables that improve your assault and protection, turning into extra highly effective is now dependent in your skill to search out these scarce gadgets. Consequently, I’ve usually discovered myself scared of the best enemies as encountering greater than separately will kill me outright.
“I attempt to think about other ways I’d need to die as a participant or be killed.”
Along with making certain that gamers die so much, Miyazaki additionally stated that how gamers die is simply as vital.
“I attempt to think about other ways I’d need to die as a participant or be killed,” he stated, explaining that these ideas manifested in Elden Ring and in different FromSoftware video games as his signature poison swamps. However for Erdtree, he confessed to slicing again on that indulgence — “Within the unique Elden Ring, I went a bit of too far.”
There are nonetheless poison swamps in Erdtree, “however in different components of gameplay, there are nonetheless some ways to die.”
Too many it appears. I’ve been bludgeoned, exsanguinated, frostbitten, and burned. I’ve fallen off cliffs, had cliffs fall on me — beware the fiery rocks the Furnace Golems spew — and I’ve even by chance killed myself consuming an merchandise that refilled my HP whereas additionally inflicting poison.
Regardless of my tribulations, Miyazaki, like a benevolent god, has religion in me and his gamers, solely giving us trials he believes we will bear.
“We’ve actually pushed the envelope by way of what we expect might be withstood by the participant,” Miyazaki stated.
He clarified that one of many largest classes introduced ahead from Elden Ring into Erdtree was what the viewers discovered enjoyable over what was aggravating. “ We tried to make that the inspiration of the boss encounters of the DLC, so hopefully gamers will discover it way more partaking and enjoyable,” he stated.
“But when that’s not the case,” he added. “Then I’m sorry.”