Elden Ring’s long-awaitedShadow Of The Erdtreeexpansion is nearly upon us, and I recently got the chance to go hands-on with the first few hours of FromSoftware’s latest gauntlet.
You’ve no doubt already heard thatShadow Of The Erdtreeis massive. It’sFromSoftware’sbiggest expansion ever, featuring more than 10 new bosses, 100 new weapons, and a huge new open-world area to explore filled with dungeons, secrets, and new challenges.
Shadow Of The Erdtreealso answers a question I’m not sure ever needed answering. Certainly, it didn’t need answering in the deeply disturbing way it has been. You see, the upcoming DLC finally reveals what, exactly, is hiding insideElden Ring’s living jars. I’m fairly certain you’ll wish you never got the answer, though.
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It’s no secret that there’s organic matter inside every living jar. If you’ve fought one inElden Ringyou’ll know they explode in a hail of viscera. ButShadow Of The Erdtreehas a hidden dungeon that explicitly lays out how these living jars came to be, and the creepy crockery has a tragic backstory you’ll never forget.
Before we go any further, I should make it clear I’m noElden Ringlore expert. As such I can only really report on what I found. I’ve no doubt proper FromSoftware scholars will have much more to say onceShadow Of The Erdtreelaunches later in the month. Oh, and if you want to go into the DLC completely fresh, probably best you stay away from the rest of this article. You’ve been warned.
During my hands-on preview ofShadow Of The Erdtree, I came across a small cavern tucked away in the expansion’s starting area. In typicalElden Ringfashion, this seemingly tiny crevice gave way to a huge underground complex: a prison.
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Bandai Namco
Toward the very bottom of this macabre jail I came across a new type of enemy: the contents of a living jar, spilled out. I’m not sure I’ll be able (or allowed) to share a screenshot, but these enemies are essentially a hulking fleshy mass of pulsating organs, pulped and screaming and lumbering towards you.
My interpretation is that unfortunate prisoners were stuffed inside the jars and condemned to a life of agony. Whether this is the origin of every living jar we meet in the game, I don’t know - though I’m inclined to doubt it. As I say, I reckon the lore experts will have a field day with this.
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What Idoknow is that this twisted hidden dungeon turnsElden Ringinto a full-on survival horror as you navigate a maze of jars, some bursting and lunging at you with their fleshy tendrils, others stoically charging towards you with their shells intact. It’s a phenomenal experience, and one that provesShadow Of The Erdtreeis so much more than a straight rehash of the base game.
Topics:Elden Ring,Fromsoftware,Bandai Namco
