Recently, the highly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion was released as the first major expansion for Elden Ring. The expansion received glowing reviews and led to a significant increase in Elden Ring’s player base. However, shortly after its launch, players discovered that the new content was perhaps a bit too challenging.
Known for their tough gameplay, FromSoftware’s games are infamous for their difficulty level. Shadow of the Erdtree took this difficulty to new heights, with some veteran players giving up and popular streamers facing numerous deaths against the game’s toughest bosses. In response to the overwhelming difficulty, FromSoftware released a patch to make the expansion more manageable, with the possibility of further adjustments in future updates.
Addressing the Challenge
Elden Ring was already challenging, requiring players to possess exceptional timing, memory, and patience to overcome tough boss battles. Shadow of the Erdtree intensified this challenge by introducing bosses with multiple phases, each becoming progressively more difficult with new attacks and buffs. While the expansion garnered critical acclaim, players faced some issues that hindered their enjoyment of the game.
With the latest update, FromSoftware adjusted Shadow Realm Blessings to make it easier for players to succeed in the early stages of Shadow of the Erdtree. This change grants players defensive and offensive buffs without altering the bosses, allowing players to make more mistakes and still progress through the game.
Some players resorted to exploiting the game to defeat bosses rather than tackling them head-on, using overpowered weapons or clever tactics to bypass the intended challenge. In a gaming landscape saturated with new releases, many players simply don’t have the time to repeatedly face insurmountable challenges.
Ultimately, the extreme difficulty of Shadow of the Erdtree remains a significant barrier to wider player adoption of Elden Ring. As the saying goes, “a game for everyone is a game for no one.”
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