Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is currently top notch Metacritical score of any DLC ever released, with a rating of 95. This includes the PS5 version, which is the platform with the most critical reviews. The huge score means it is even more highly rated than other expansions released over the years, such as both The Witcher 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV DLC.
Here’s a selection of the highest-rated expansions and how they compare to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree on Metacritic, in rating order:
As you can see from the comparisons, Shadow of the Erdtree is not only the highest rated DLC ever, but it is also the best received compared to other FromSoftware expansions. The closest content to it is the Dark Souls Artorias of the Abyss DLC, but its score of 89 is based on just seven verdicts.
In our own Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review on PS5, we gave it an 8/10 rating and praised the up-to-date environments and rewarding exploration, while warning that the expansion can feel a little too familiar at times. “Building on what made the base game so sublime, FromSoftware has created an Elden Ring expansion that is as wonderful as it is famous,” we explained. “Shadow of the Erdtree delivers more of the same style of content you loved two years ago, rather than introducing up-to-date ways to interact. That’s enough to consider it a fantastic extension, although it’s challenging not to feel like you’re just doing everything again.”
