Barren But Beautiful: Analyzing the Design of Shadow of the Erdtree

[@geordiejones5618]

I think the map is most like Bloodborne, where every path links back to Cathedral Ward. In the Shadow Realm, the trunk is Gravesite, Altus and Shadow Keep, which each have around 5 or 6 branches that connect one another to everything else. It's one massive dungeon layered with a variety of smaller dungeons. The interactive and interconnected verticality is even better than in The Lands Between, and really feels like they were inspired by their counterparts working on Armored Core. My favorite path is Moorth Ruins to the Cathedral and Shadow ramparts. Also shoutout to Rauh Ruins for doing what Mountaintops failed to do by providing a good legacy dungeon for Torrent.

[@sword.scroll]

Insightful analysis! Thanks for contributing and checking out the video, I appreciate it

[@HanselFinancial]

Awesome Video!!! Great dialogue to go with the game play!

[@sword.scroll]

Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@s.k.1082]

Underrated video. Although i have to disagree on the Shadow Keep not measuring up to the base games legacy dungeons and i also found the smaller dungeons on average to be a vast improvement to the base game. But otherwise? As much as i enjoyed Shadow of the Erdtree, i felt myself mostly nodding along to your criticisms. It´s just so barren most of the time and they couldn´t come up with enough "end game" loot to make exploration worthwhile. I really wish they´d took another year or so to flesh out that amazing map they´ve built and made it a proper sequel. As a full price, tight, 50 hours or so standalone game it probably would´ve been my favorite Soulsborne experience ever. But as it stands now, it´s "just" a very good, very big DLC. Ah well.

[@sword.scroll]

Thanks for checking out the video! I appreciate your well thought out and detailed take. I do agree as well that some of the smaller dungeons were better on average than the base game.

[@NewOO1]

I think I'm in this exact boat, between the countless smaller, repetitive dungeons of the base game vs the much less in number but imo higher in quality/complexity/uniqueness I think they were a huge improvement, also found them to have more unique bosses. The thought of taking a bit more time and making a true sequel is interesting as well...I think it would have taken alot more than 1 year to do it justice and potentially it would feel too overly similar to the first one...but maybe not, will need to think about that. Everything else I think is spot on though, another great video agreed and I in no way was unsatisfied with Shadow of the Erdtree, had a blast diving back into that world and getting the rest of the story.

[@austin0_bandit05]

Catacombs =/= Legacy Dungeons. I think the catacombs are a huge improvement. The legacy dungeons on the other hand I find to be a downgrade. Besides Shadow Keep there's really nothing that compares to Stormveil, or Leyendell, or Raya Lucaria, or Farum Azula, or Volcano Manor, etc. I mean, Belurat is decent. But its like a Castle Morne/Sol level dungeon. Like its good but it doesnt compare.

[@stephenmartland-buck9590]

Great video but i didnt mind getting all the lower level smithing stones. I upgraded weapons i hadnt bothered with before and had fun trying them out. As you said, i think the bar is just insanely high with fromsoft.

[@sword.scroll]

Thanks for checking out the video! Yes, definitely nice to have extra smithing stones to try out new weapons. I already had all of the bell bearings by the time I did the DLC, so just wasn’t needed for me. Appreciate your comment!