During my 50-hour Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree playthrough, I set about scaling the gnarled tree branches of the Ancient Ruins of Rauh believing a secret or treasure awaited me at the very top. An hour later and over a hundred thousand runes lighter, I realized it was all for naught. Yet it's the promise of exploring a mysterious world filled with potential secrets and rewards that makes the game so special. Back in 2022, we hailed Elden Ring as FromSoftware's masterpiece, one that "lights the path ahead for open-world games in general." Its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, meanwhile, reinforces this idea even more, boasting memorable and befuddling areas and - yes - the soulslike staple of occasionally rage-inducing bosses.
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