Summary
Exploration inElden Ringcan be almost as difficult as its combat, depending on the enemy or the location. This has been a thing since the base game, althoughElden Ring’s Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC takes this environmental difficulty up to a whole new level, considering that the Shadow Realm is a massive, open-world area that stretches across multiple vertical layers. Not to mention, some of the dedicated platforming sections inElden Ring’s dungeons can be especially unforgiving. So considering this environmental difficulty on top ofElden Ring’s infamously difficult combat, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is proving to be a true test of players’ patience and skill.
However, despite being known for its intimidating difficulty,Elden Ringhas done a lot to distinguish itself as a much more accessible game compared to certain other games within its subgenre, including many of FromSoftware’s past games. In hindsight of thecontroversy surroundingElden Ring’s difficulty, some of the game’s accessibility features are proving more useful than they have ever been. One such feature that can prove invaluable in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is the Stake of Marika checkpoints inElden Ring.
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC’s Difficulty Lets Elden Ring’s Accessibility Features Shine
The steep difficulty in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has proven to be quite divisive among the game’s playerbase so far. Although, for better or worse, this discourse has served as an indirect reminder of some ofElden Ring’s best accessibility features that can help make the game’s difficulty more manageable. While most, if not all, ofElden Ring’s accessibility features have been around since before the new DLC was released, these features are seemingly proving more useful than ever before.
At first glance, the Shadow Realm may not seem like that large of a region, but players shouldn’t underestimate its size. Even with all of the map fragments for the Shadow Realm unlocked, its size can still be deceptive, considering that there is a surprising amount of verticality inElden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. So in all reality,the size of the Shadow Realmfeels like somewhere around twice the size of what the full 2D map displays.
Elden Ring’s Stake of Marika Respawn Points Are Life-Savers in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
Yet whileElden Ring’s Shadow Realm features a massive region to explore, the Sites of Grace in this region can often feel few and far between, which can discourage players from taking risks. However, there are plenty of Stakes of Marika scattered around most points of interest and boss encounters that allow players to respawn nearby if they die.
If players know that a Stake of Marika is nearby, it’s a great strategy to intentionally die to replenishFlask of Crimson Tears,Flask of Cerulean Tears, and theFlask of Wondrous Physick. However, players should be mindful ofdropping their Runes when dying inElden Ring.
Whether players are exploring the open world or fighting major bosses in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, oftentimes there’s a Stake of Marika nearby that can save players a lot of time and trouble. There’s even onenew dungeon in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLCthat features multiple Stakes of Marika: the Scorpion River Catacombs.
While the game’s overall difficulty may still be up for debate,Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC arguably takes full advantage of some ofElden Ring’s best featureswhen it comes to accessibility. In hindsight,Elden Ringmay have been better off being more generous with the placement of Sites of Grace, although, with the number of Stakes of Marika throughout the Shadow Realm, this isn’t that much of an issue anymore.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
WHERE TO PLAY
Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware’s groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.
