TheDarkPhantom
Member
OK, now that I've beaten the game I'm checking what I potentially missed, first playthrough is *always* no guides the way Marika intended, praise her name. Turns out I found 76 out of the 78 bosses (all solo except final boss, no mimic tear)! The two I missed are in the same location where I've already been but didn't return to yet having defeated *another* secret boss so I'll be doing that today.
My overall thoughts are that this is the best DLC ever made (they kind of could have gotten away calling this ER2 and charged $60 for it). Having said that, it's hard for lightning to strike twice. Even judging the two proportionally based on their size, scope and scale, ER had *a lot* more moments that made me say "WOW!" This is to be expected as SOTET is an extension of a world I'd already spent 200+ hours in, it was never going to surprise in quite the same way.
When looking at individual bosses and level/environmental design there are a couple of standouts that for me are worthy of the FromSoft 'Hall of Fame'. Mesmer and Shadow Keep are god-tier. My journey into the Keep began in the Church District where I immediately got Anor Londo vibes. From there it only got more impressive revealing a level of multi-layered, intricate design full of surprises culminating in an epic battle this side of the Erdtree. Looking at the finale, the cutscenes/presentation of the final battle had the same quality as Malenia (particularly phase 2...) beautiful and awe-inspiring.
With each Souls entry I tend to play a different class. I never use build guides (fundamentally goes against the philosophy of these games, at least on a first playthrough) and with ER I went all-in on Faith. Imagine my delight playing through the DLC and all the new incantations/weapons my Confessor has been blessed with including two which have become *permanent* staples with Mesmer's Orb and Knight's Lightning Spears. I do wonder how other classes feel with the offerings though.
Moving forward it will be fascinating to see what FROM do next. The commercial and critical success of Elden Ring would suggest a sequel is all but inevitable but I don't believe it *has to* go that way. I'd welcome a completely new IP, Sekiro sequel or BB2 with just as much excitement as an ER follow up and I believe a BB sequel in particular could do similar numbers, even keeping the classic, non-open world structure. If they do stick with ER we need to move either far forward or far back in the timeline, lots of other areas to explore based on the various lore entries (an entire game in the Land of Reeds would be like combining Sekiro with ER).
Overall I loved this package, been up past 2am every night since it's release which just doesn't happen anymore and I'm feeling stiffness in my hands from the marathon sessions lol. I'd be shocked if anything could dethrone Elden Ring as my GOTG, nearing 300 hours it has long become my single most played game of all time which is saying a lot because I play a *fuck ton* of games and tend to move on once I've completed one. Can't wait to see what Lord Miyazaki and the FROM Gods do next, day 1 forever and always, Praise the Erdtree!
My overall thoughts are that this is the best DLC ever made (they kind of could have gotten away calling this ER2 and charged $60 for it). Having said that, it's hard for lightning to strike twice. Even judging the two proportionally based on their size, scope and scale, ER had *a lot* more moments that made me say "WOW!" This is to be expected as SOTET is an extension of a world I'd already spent 200+ hours in, it was never going to surprise in quite the same way.
When looking at individual bosses and level/environmental design there are a couple of standouts that for me are worthy of the FromSoft 'Hall of Fame'. Mesmer and Shadow Keep are god-tier. My journey into the Keep began in the Church District where I immediately got Anor Londo vibes. From there it only got more impressive revealing a level of multi-layered, intricate design full of surprises culminating in an epic battle this side of the Erdtree. Looking at the finale, the cutscenes/presentation of the final battle had the same quality as Malenia (particularly phase 2...) beautiful and awe-inspiring.
With each Souls entry I tend to play a different class. I never use build guides (fundamentally goes against the philosophy of these games, at least on a first playthrough) and with ER I went all-in on Faith. Imagine my delight playing through the DLC and all the new incantations/weapons my Confessor has been blessed with including two which have become *permanent* staples with Mesmer's Orb and Knight's Lightning Spears. I do wonder how other classes feel with the offerings though.
Moving forward it will be fascinating to see what FROM do next. The commercial and critical success of Elden Ring would suggest a sequel is all but inevitable but I don't believe it *has to* go that way. I'd welcome a completely new IP, Sekiro sequel or BB2 with just as much excitement as an ER follow up and I believe a BB sequel in particular could do similar numbers, even keeping the classic, non-open world structure. If they do stick with ER we need to move either far forward or far back in the timeline, lots of other areas to explore based on the various lore entries (an entire game in the Land of Reeds would be like combining Sekiro with ER).
Overall I loved this package, been up past 2am every night since it's release which just doesn't happen anymore and I'm feeling stiffness in my hands from the marathon sessions lol. I'd be shocked if anything could dethrone Elden Ring as my GOTG, nearing 300 hours it has long become my single most played game of all time which is saying a lot because I play a *fuck ton* of games and tend to move on once I've completed one. Can't wait to see what Lord Miyazaki and the FROM Gods do next, day 1 forever and always, Praise the Erdtree!

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