5 reasons why Shadow of the Erdtree might surpass The Ringed City

FromSoftware is known for releasing some of the most content-filled and lore-rich expansions for their games, and with Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree right around the corner, now is the perfect time to take a look back at the developer's older DLCs. Expansions like Dark Souls III: The Ringed City were mesmerizing and should be everything that Shadow of the Erdtree aspires to be.

However, knowing FromSoftware, the developer is likely looking forward to surpassing its own work. Let's take a look at five reasons why Shadow of the Erdtree might just surpass The Ringed City.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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Why Shadow of the Erdtree might just surpass The Ringed City

1) More boss battles

More bosses to take on in SOTE (Image via FromSoftware)

There are a total of four unique bosses in The Ringed City, which is more than any other DLC released for other games in the Dark Souls series. Battling each of the four bosses is a fun and thrilling experience. FromSoftware clearly pulled no punches in this regard.

The scope of Shadow of the Erdtree is much greater than that of The Ringed City, so we can expect more than four unique bosses to keep us occupied in the Land of Shadow. More boss variety will surely help Elden Ring's DLC surpass The Ringed City.

2) Better campaign

SOTE has the potential to tell an amazing story (Image via FromSoftware)

The Ringed City was a fitting conclusion for the Souls games. Characters like Patches, who were staples in the series, all got their own endings, and everything was tied up neatly. Despite how compact the DLC was, it allowed people to live through the story one last time before the curtain fell.

Elden Ring is more popular and has a stronger tale to tell than Dark Souls III ever did. So, FromSoftware will not be pulling any punches as they bring the tale of the Lands Between to an end with Shadow of the Erdtree. Even in this aspect, Elden Ring's DLC will most likely surpass The Ringed City.

3) Newer weapons

There are more ways to play in Elden Ring's DLC (Image via FromSoftware || YouTube/VaatiVidya)

The Ringed City added new Greatswords to Dark Souls III: a dagger that transformed into a sword and a cool staff. There were also a bunch of nostalgic armor sets and rings, but as far as weapons go, the DLC didn't make much of a difference.

Shadow of the Erdtree, on the other hand, will be shaking things up quite a bit. We've already seen new weapons in Elden Ring's DLC, a fresh martial arts playstyle, and additional weapon types. As far as weapon variety goes and adding to the game's pool, Shadow of the Erdtree will easily surpass The Ringed City.

4) Better design

The Land of Shadow should feel familiar (Image via FromSoftware)

The Ringed City brought plenty of innovation to Dark Souls III when it first came out. However, after just a couple of hours in the DLC, people came to realize just how compact everything was.

The Ringed City is staggeringly vertical in its design, which is both a blessing and a curse. While its compactness makes it easier for players to explore, it can also make the environment look bleak at times.

This is not something that players will see in Shadow of the Erdtree. The DLC takes place in the Land of Shadow, which is a separate mass of land. Much like the other areas in Elden Ring, this area will also be filled with caves, dungeons, and ruins to explore.

Sticking to the world design of the first game will help Shadow of the Erdtree surpass The Ringed City.

5) More enemy types

You will face a new enemy within seconds of starting Elden Ring's DLC (Image via FromSoftware || YouTube/VaatiVidya)

One thing that held The Ringed City back was the enemies you encountered in the overworld. FromSoftware did just enough to make them seem like new enemies. However, they weren't all that new when inspected further. This is one area where Elden Ring already has the upper hand over The Ringed City.

From Shadow of the Erdtree's preview, it is clear to see that FromSoftware has added tons of new enemies to the DLC. A new boss and enemy type can be spotted merely seconds after you step into the Land of Shadow.

The increase in new enemies will surely help Shadow of the Erdtree surpass Dark Souls III's DLC.

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About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh