Game images by RAWG
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
FromSoftware, Inc.
About This Game
Super ReviewElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a demanding action-RPG expansion for mature teens and adults, featuring intense combat and a dark, violent fantasy world. While offering deep customization and challenging gameplay, its Mature rating for blood, gore, violence, and suggestive themes means it is not suitable for younger players and requires careful parental consideration for teens.
Super Review
Parent verdict
This expansion is a qualified fit, best reserved for mature teens aged 17 and older. Its 'M' rating by the ESRB for significant violence, gore, suggestive themes, and strong language signals content beyond what’s appropriate for most children or younger adolescents. The high difficulty and reliance on a challenging base game means it works best for experienced players, and parents should establish clear limits around screen time and online interaction, if permitted at all for older teens.
What players actually do
- Players (mature players) explore a sprawling, dangerous fantasy world filled with hidden secrets, which rewards patience and meticulous exploration.
- Players (mature players) engage in difficult combat encounters against various enemies and large, challenging bosses, requiring strategic thinking, precise timing, and character build optimization.
- Players (mature players) customize their character with diverse weapons, armor, spells, and stats, encouraging experimentation with different playstyles to overcome obstacles.
Where it shines
- The game excels in its intricate, dark fantasy worldbuilding and environmental storytelling, offering a sense of deep mystery and discovery that rewards persistent players.
- It provides robust character customization and progression, allowing players to tailor their approach to combat and exploration in meaningful ways, fostering strategic thinking and problem-solving.
Parent watch-outs
- The game features frequent and intense violence, including blood, gore, and dismemberment, which is depicted in a graphic and often grotesque manner.
- The extremely high difficulty can lead to frustration and repetitive failure, requiring significant time and patience to overcome challenges.
- Optional online cooperative play exposes players to interactions with strangers, which can include unmoderated communication and potential for inappropriate content.
Family rules worth setting
- Strictly enforce the 'M' rating: Do not allow play for children under 17, or closely supervise for mature older teens, setting clear boundaries on content exposure.
- Set a time limit for sessions to prevent excessive play due to the game's demanding nature and potential for frustrating difficulty spikes.
Talk about this
- Discuss the difference between fantasy violence in games and real-world consequences, emphasizing that the game's mature themes are not for younger audiences.
- If online play is permitted for older teens, talk about online safety, respectful communication, and how to handle any negative interactions or inappropriate content.
Play style
This is a single-player experience at its core, but optional cooperative multiplayer allows players to summon others for help. Sessions can range from short explorations to lengthy boss attempts, often ending in frustrating defeats before eventual success. The difficulty is consistently high, demanding patience, strategic thinking, and persistence. Younger or less experienced players will likely struggle significantly and may need extensive help or guidance, even if parental discretion allows play for older teens.
Score Breakdown
Positive Aspects
Risk Factors
Why this rating
Educational Value
2/5Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, while intellectually stimulating through strategy and exploration, is designed primarily for entertainment and mature challenge. It does not offer explicit educational objectives or curricula, leading to a low Educational Value score of 2.
Addictive Monetization
2/5As a paid expansion, this game requires a one-time purchase and does not feature predatory monetization like loot boxes, gacha mechanics, or recurring microtransactions designed to exploit player psychology. This straightforward business model results in a low Addictive Monetization risk score of 2.
Content Intensity
4/5The game's ESRB M rating is due to pervasive and graphic depictions of blood, gore, and intense violence, alongside suggestive themes and strong language. This consistently mature and often grotesque content justifies a high Content Intensity risk score of 4, making it inappropriate for younger audiences.
Social Risk
3/5While the core experience is single-player, the game includes optional online cooperative play where players can summon strangers. This feature, without robust in-game moderation, presents a moderate risk of exposure to unmonitored communication and potentially inappropriate interactions, warranting a Social Risk score of 3.
Negatives
- •Mature violent content and strong language (not suitable for children)
- •high difficulty and occasional platform performance issues reported on some systems.
Positives
- •Deep, high‑quality single‑player content and worldbuilding
- •robust character/build customization and optional cooperative multiplayer.
Gameplay Videos
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Official Ratings
Online multiplayer/co-op (player summoning); requires platform online services for online play; paid expansion and premium bundle purchases available (in‑store/digital).
Age Fit
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