Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree 'Too Difficult' for Players

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Receives Mixed Reception

While lauded by critics, Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has sparked a divided response from players. Steam reviews reveal a blend of praise and criticism, primarily centered around difficulty and performance.

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Steam and Metacritic Show Divergent Opinions on Elden Ring DLC

Despite pre-release critical acclaim and a high Metacritic score, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC launched to a wave of negative player reviews on Steam. Released June 21st, the DLC's challenging gameplay, while praised by some, has left many frustrated by intense combat, perceived imbalance, and performance issues across PC and consoles.

Performance and Difficulty Concerns

A significant portion of the negative feedback points to the DLC's increased difficulty. Players describe battles as significantly harder than the base game, with some citing poorly designed enemy placement and excessively high boss health.

Performance problems further compound the issue. PC players report frequent crashes, stuttering, and frame rate limitations, even on high-end systems. Frame rates dipping below 30 FPS in crowded areas have rendered the game unplayable for some. Similar frame rate drops during intense moments have been reported on PlayStation consoles.

As of Monday, Steam shows a "Mixed" overall rating for Shadow of the Erdtree, with 36% negative reviews. Metacritic, however, presents a more positive picture, with a "Generally Favorable" rating of 8.3/10 (based on 570 user reviews). Game8 offers a contrasting perspective, awarding the DLC a 94/100 rating.