Shadow Of The Erdtree Is Smart For Abandoning This Annoying Elden Ring Feature

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is generally more interested in expanding than in reinventing the wheel, but one staple element that it does leave behind is ultimately for the best. has received extensive acclaim as one of the best open-world games of all time, so developer FromSoftware could hardly have been blamed if the expansion stuck to the same script. Some challenges in can be more fun than others, however, something that seems to be aware of.

The most obvious difference between and is the uptick in challenge, which has reignited the eternal debate about difficulty in FromSoft games. Although it's ultimately a matter of perspective, the base game is arguably easier than titles like and , with useful items and opportunities to take on bosses and areas in a highly flexible order making it hard to get stuck for too long. In taking things up a notch, has to make a few adjustments to keep things fun, and one is particularly appreciable.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has plenty of tragedy to go around, but one of its coolest bosses has a particularly sad and overlooked story.

One staple nightmare of FromSoft games is the double boss encounter, a concept that's been around since and gained a special level of notoriety with Ornstein and Smough in . Tossing multiple bosses into an arena forces a lot of quick decision-making and adaptability on the player, and giving them different designs and abilities can provide a memorable contrast. abandons the tradition, however, and doing so helps the expansion focus on what works best about the game.

Difficult duo bosses can often feel frustrating in a way that even the most challenging single bosses don't, easily snowballing into nightmare scenarios where the player is left with a sense of less control. does take this into consideration sometimes — the option to nab an assist from Recusant Bernahl in the fight with the Godskin Duo makes it a lot more enjoyable — but the multi-boss encounters are unlikely to make many lists of favorites.

Elden Ring