After Elden Ring won GOTY honours at The Game Awards 2022, it has not slowed down and it seems the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is equally as popular among critics.
It’s safe to say Elden Ring has gotten a massive second wind. Critics and fans have run to the internet in droves to exalt the new Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. First off, SteamCharts has already revealed that Elden Ring has the fourth most players this month — even before the official release of the DLC on June 21 — since the title launched in 2022. This is likely to prep for the global release of the DLC (and is said so by fans on the Elden Ring Steam page), but it seems opinions from critics have followed the popularity surge.
CGMagazine’s review of Shadow of the Erdtree from Zubi Khan calls it “a true testament to players who have already done everything there is left to do in the Lands Between, making it some of the most challenging but rewarding experiences to date put out by FromSoftware and an essential, must-play expansion.”
The review site Metacritic currently has the DLC listed as a fresh 95% for PS5 with a sample size of 56 reviews, whereas the median rating between all three platforms (including Xbox Series X and PC) is 93% over 109 reviews. This makes the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC the highest-rated DLC on the site, and it stands among other ‘greatest games of all time’ titans in the industry, receiving the same high (PS5 rating) 95% as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Persona 5 Royale, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and ironically enough, the DLC has been rated higher than any other FromSoftware title on the site aside from the base Elden Ring game.
FromSoftware has thanked its fans for reaching the 25 million player mark on June 12, saying “We are ever thankful for your passion and support” on their official X (formerly Twitter account). With only two days remaining until launch, fans can sink their teeth into the first, and final Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree then.
