Following Elden Ring's highly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree expansion launch, online forums buzzed with complaints about its challenging difficulty, particularly regarding the new bosses. Many players, both seasoned veterans and newcomers, voiced concerns about perceived overtuning. Johan Pilestedt, Creative Director at Arrowhead Game Studios (developers of Helldivers 2), weighed in on FromSoftware's design philosophy.
In a recent Twitter post, Pilestedt echoed streamer Rurikhan's view that FromSoftware intentionally crafts difficult boss encounters to heighten player engagement and challenge. He argued that effective game design prioritizes evoking strong emotional responses. Addressing concerns that this approach limits the game's appeal, Pilestedt succinctly stated, "a game for everyone is a game for no one," emphasizing the importance of focusing on the intended player base.
Helldivers 2 Developer's Perspective on Elden Ring DLC Difficulty
Even before the DLC's release, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki cautioned players in interviews that Shadow of the Erdtree would present a significant challenge, even for veterans. He explained that boss balancing assumed players had substantial experience with the base game. FromSoftware carefully considered player feedback regarding enjoyable and frustrating aspects of the original game's boss fights.
Shadow of the Erdtree introduced the Scadutree Blessing mechanic, boosting player damage and reducing incoming damage within the Land of Shadow. Despite this in-game explanation, many players seemingly overlooked or forgot about it, prompting Bandai Namco to issue reminders about leveling up this crucial mechanic amidst the difficulty complaints.
While Shadow of the Erdtree achieved the highest rating among video game DLCs on OpenCritic, surpassing even The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine, its Steam reception has been more divided. Negative reviews frequently cited both the high difficulty and introduced technical issues.
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