Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: A Difficult Reception
Despite critical acclaim and a high Metacritic score, Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has received mixed player reviews on Steam, primarily due to difficulty and performance issues.
A Challenging Experience
While lauded for its challenging gameplay, many players find the DLC's combat excessively difficult and unbalanced compared to the base game. Criticisms include poorly designed enemy placement and bosses with excessively high health pools.
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Performance Problems Plague PC and Consoles
Performance problems further compound the negative feedback. PC users report frequent crashes, micro-stuttering, and frame rate limitations, even on high-end systems. Frame rates below 30 FPS in crowded areas render the game unplayable for some. Similar frame rate drops during intense moments have been reported by PlayStation users.
Mixed Reception Across Platforms
As of Monday, Steam shows a "Mixed" overall rating for Shadow of the Erdtree, with 36% negative reviews. Metacritic displays a more positive "Generally Favorable" rating of 8.3/10 based on 570 user reviews. Game8 offers a significantly higher rating of 94/100. This disparity highlights the significant difference between critical and player reception.
The conflicting reviews underscore the divisive nature of the DLC's difficulty and performance. While some appreciate the increased challenge, many find it frustrating and poorly optimized.
