Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Reviews Are Full Of 10s

The review embargo for Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has been lifted and based on the initial review scores, it seems like everyone loves the latest expansion to From Software's action RPG masterpiece. In fact, there's a boatload of perfect scores for Hidetaka Miyazaki's new project. Here's a quick look at what some critics are saying:

5/5 - VGC

"Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is an incredible expansion and a worthy follow up to the generation's best game. In some ways, it's better than the original by providing an experience that's both tighter, but also more than double the length we expected. A sequel-sized sensation."

5/5 - GGRecon

"When thinking of Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree as a complete package, it's hard not to consider that many of the game's best moments appear within the DLC. It's a staggering achievement that was more than worth the two-year wait, as it reignited the wonders of playing the base game for the first time, while simultaneously building upon and enhancing so much of what I've experienced already."

5/5 - GamesRadar+

"The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion had a lot to live up to, but gorgeous vistas, superb boss fights, and a range of fun new gear sweep you through a massive expansion that feels half as long as it is. At this point, it's almost getting boring praising FromSoftware every time."

5/5 - Dexerto

"Shadow of the Erdtree is a fitting tribute to Elden Ring and a stunning finale that manages to surprise and shock us all over again. Those who enjoyed the base game will find much more to get their teeth into. This signs off the Elden Ring chapter of FromSoftware’s journey so conclusively and impressively, that it invokes questions about how they will ever top it again."

5/5 - VG247

"While the start of Shadow of the Erdtree can come off as a regression, really, the DLC as a whole is FromSoftware flexing all of its creative muscles - including some it hasn’t used in a while and others it might be building up for the future. The depth of storytelling in the Lands of Shadow, as well as the new weapons, spells and items (all of which add to the lore themselves, of course), only better your experience of the Lands Between, and make for a worthy upgrade to what is already an unforgettable adventure."

10 - RPG Site

"Shadow of the Erdree is an excellent expansion to Elden Ring. Even when I was frustrated trying to find the hidden paths toward new zones, I was still exploring and discovering completely new things instead — there is almost no wasted space, and the game never feels like it was wasting my time. It's the perfect ending for a nearly perfect game."

10 - IGN

"Like the base game did before it, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree raises the bar for single-player DLC expansions. It takes everything that made the base game such a landmark RPG, condenses it into a relatively compact 20-25 hour campaign, and provides fantastic new challenges for heavily invested fans to chew on."

10 - PlayStation Universe

"Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree is far more out of an expansion than I ever thought it would be, and my expectations were already a little high. While I have personal gripes with what I see to be missed chances, that doesn't stop it from being spectacular on the whole. This expansion feels like it fully completes Elden Ring, a game that already felt like a whole project, in a way I didn't even know it needed to be completed. I can no longer imagine Elden Ring being without Shadow Of The Erdtree, almost like the Realm Of Shadow was there the whole time."

10 - Gamespot

"With all that Shadow of the Erdtree offers to accompany what exists in the Lands Between, the story of Elden Ring now feels complete and its world whole, and it's a staggering achievement. It's dark fantasy done masterfully; rich in detail and intricate in its construction; a place that feels dangerous and cruel, filled with memorable characters, fascinating rules, mind-bending concepts, and competing ideologies. It's an achievement in world-building creativity that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest, with the closest comparison I can make being the late, great Kentaro Miura's Berserk. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is From Software's victory lap, an unmissable tour de force that is every bit as brilliant as the original game."

10 - God is a Geek

"Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a wonderfully crafted expansion that enriches the original experience that exploring the Lands Between provided."

There were also some people who liked it a bit less, but we suppose they have their reasons...

9 - Metro

"Exactly as engrossing and meticulously designed as you’d expect of FromSoftware but even by their standards this is an enthralling slice of DLC that underlines and enhances the achievements of the original."

9 - TechRaptor

"Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the lore and gameplay continuation that we all needed. The new challenges and a feeling of nostalgia help propel this DLC into the stratosphere."

8 - Push Square

"By doubling down on what made the base game so sublime, FromSoftware has crafted an Elden Ring expansion that's just as great as it is familiar. Shadow of the Erdtree delivers more of the same style of content you loved two years ago rather than introducing new ways to engage. That's enough to consider it a fantastic expansion, though it's hard not to feel like you're just going through the motions again. With a new land to explore, a fresh set of bosses to fight, and extra lore to consume, it's so much more Elden Ring."

3/5 - Eurogamer

"Much of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is more of the same gruelling beauty - but a shift to explict storytelling and signposting means its essence as a living, evolving shared text is lost."