Hidetaka Miyazaki is well-known for keeping secrets about the process that goes into building some of the most fascinating worlds by FromSoftware. The arrival of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is going to mark a big point in the company’s journey.
With a brand-new expansion, fans can expect a lot of new gameplay changes and additions to the usual mechanics. However, there’s one feature that may surprise players, and it has to do with how they perceive the game’s difficulty.
Things Feel Too Challenging? Shadow of the Erdtree Will Keep This Flexible
In an interview with Zhihu, Hidetaka Miyazaki spoke about what players can expect from Elden Ring’s new DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. This expansion is going to bring a brand new area to explore, a lot of new bosses/characters to fight, and weapons to wield.
However, there’s one neat detail that is going to make this DLC much more accessible than you’d expect, and it’s how the game will shape its difficulty levels. Please note that this has been translated from Chinese, so language barriers are a bit evident:
Generally speaking, since it is the second half, the difficulty is relatively high. We also introduced a new level element in the DLC, allowing you to freely choose the challenge intensity.
As Miyazaki spoke about the player’s journey through the DLC, he emphasized how the difficulty can be a bit more flexible than usual:
For example, if the player’s level in the main body is already very high, he can choose to turn off growth and not upgrade this new attribute to challenge the enemy; but if he feels that it is already difficult for him, he can continue to improve the new attributes and character strength.
This may also hint at new features we’re not yet aware of.
Hidetaka Miyazaki May Have Revealed Something New About the DLC
Even though he likes to keep a lot of secrets from the fans, Hidetaka Miyazaki can sometimes say things that mean a lot more. Reading between the lines here, it seems that Shadow of the Erdtree is actualise new ways through which players will feel more powerful, and practice abilities they haven’t been acquainted with before.
There’s a chance that this part of the DLC will help players build new ways of experiencing the game, leading to more build types and playstyles in the future. It’s almost as if FromSoftware is bringing out a new title altogether.
We’ll have to wait and watch until Shadow of the Erdtree arrives, to truly understand how these gameplay mechanics change the way players perceive difficulty in the DLC.
What are your thoughts on the DLC’s difficulty? Do you think this time around, players will have a more flexible time figuring out how they experience the game? Let us know your opinions in the comment section below.
