Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree is the best DLC ever

Critics and reviewers have been hard at work playing Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree, and the verdict is in: Shadows of the Erdtree is the best DLC ever made, with a Metacritic rating of 95/100.

That isn’t just the best FromSoftware DLC ever made (and even that’s stiff competition, with FromSoft’s DLCs receiving high ratings across the board). Shadow of the Erdtree is now the best DLC that has ever been made for any game (by Metacritic rankings).

The title was previously held by The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine DLC, which is undeniably exceptional and well earns its 92 on Metacritic.

X user Shinobi602 has compiled a list of scores from across the web, and the trend is immediately clear – tens across the board (with the notable exception of Eurogamer).

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | Reviews

5/5 – VGC
5/5 – Dexerto
10 – IGN
10 – PSU
10 – RPG Site
10 – Gamespot
10 – Press Start
10 – Videogamer
10 – GamingBolt
9.5 – Destructoid
9 – PSX Brasil
9 – TechRaptor
8.5 – GamingTrend
8 – Push Square
3/5 – Eurogamer

MC: 95

OC: 94 pic.twitter.com/5xtdTMIP7h

— Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) June 18, 2024

Excited Tarnished eager to dive back into the world of Elden Ring are reaching a fever pitch, and these ratings are only whipping that excitement up beyond measure. “These guys are Elden Lords when it comes to DLCs,” said one witty X user.

As well as being generally highly rated, Shadows of the Erdtree is the highest-rated game of 2024 so far, beating out multiple excellent titles, like the previously mentioned Destiny 2: The Final Shape (rated 90 on Metacritic) and indie darling Balatro (also rated 90).

Are DLC’s eligible to win Game of the Year?

How long is Shadows of the Erdtree?

In an interview with the Japanese site Famitsu (translated by Google translate), Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of FromSoftware, thinks the game will take around 30 hours for players who focus on the main story and don’t wander off to do too much exploring.

However, people looking to uncover every secret and overturn every stone can expect a much longer experience. Gene Park, video game reporter for The Washington Post said on X that he has played over 65 hours of Shadows of the Erdtree and is still finding new content.

The DLC’s HowLongToBeat page currently gives a main story estimate of 20 hours, but this is sure to change as more and more people get to experience the epic adventure and submit their own times.

Featured image credit: Bandai Namco