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

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Receives Mixed Reception

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

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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree - Falling Short of Expectations?

A Challenging Experience: High Difficulty and Performance Issues

Despite pre-release critical acclaim and a high Metacritic score, the June 21st release of Shadow of the Erdtree was met with a wave of negative player feedback on Steam. While the challenging gameplay was acknowledged, many players found the combat excessively difficult, citing poor enemy placement and disproportionately high boss health.

Performance problems further exacerbated the negative reception. PC players reported frequent crashes, stuttering, and frame rate limitations, even on high-end systems. Frame rates dipping below 30 FPS in crowded areas significantly impacted playability. Similar performance drops during intense gameplay were also reported on PlayStation consoles.

The Verdict: A Polarizing Expansion

As of Monday, Steam shows a "Mixed" overall review 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, highlighting the disparity in player and critic opinions.