Is the DLC better than the base game?

[aftermath]

Serious question, I'm tempted to try it out, but also, I generally hate Elden Ring's world design. So yeah, is it better? Like, if base ER and DLC were separate games, which would you choose? I've avoided seeing any videos other than the trailers to avoid spoilers just in case I choose to give it a try. I'm afraid it'll be just more of the same open world blandness...is there any inter-connectivity reminiscent of the Dark Souls games?

[Chris1]

What exactly do you hate about Elden Ring's base game world design? It's hard to give a meaningful answer if you don't explain exactly why you didn't like Elden Ring's world.

The DLC map is quite different than the Elden Ring world. It is much more vertical in design. You will see parts of the map constantly that there are no clear ways to access. You can explore and get lost easily.

You say you don't like the base game's bland emptiness, but what about the base game do you find empty? Many consider the DLC map to be even more empty than the base game. There are far fewer mini-areas to explore (like caves, catacombs, etc.) compared to the base game, and less environmental features like ruins. The main impetus for exploration in the DLC is to find scadutree fragments, which are usually just a simple item pick up.

That said, the actual environments are pretty gorgeously designed, and the art direction in general in the DLC is amazing. If you like looking at pretty landscapes it might appeal to you. In terms of enemies, they are somewhat haphazardly scattered around the landscape, so you can be riding torrent for quite a while and not really run into anything meaningful.

In terms of difficulty the DLC is on a whole balanced towards the end game - there aren't really any harder areas than others, they all present a challenge and the enemies all hit hard (think Haligtree area).

So yeah, hard to say if you would like it more or less. Some people prefer the DLC, some people think the base game is much better. Personally I think the base game is just a better designed game, with a better map, better enemies, better boss design, and overall better balanced and polished as a gaming experience. The DLC is great, it's $40 and if you are a huge fan of Elden Ring, it provides a ton more content to explore and a ton of weapons, spirit ashes, and weapon arts to use.

Without know much more, I would say if you didn't like Elden Ring, it probably doesn't make sense to buy the DLC.

[aftermath]

Originally posted by Chris1:

What exactly do you hate about Elden Ring's base game world design? It's hard to give a meaningful answer if you don't explain exactly why you didn't like Elden Ring's world.

The DLC map is quite different than the Elden Ring world. It is much more vertical in design. You will see parts of the map constantly that there are no clear ways to access. You can explore and get lost easily.

You say you don't like the base game's bland emptiness, but what about the base game do you find empty? Many consider the DLC map to be even more empty than the base game. There are far fewer mini-areas to explore (like caves, catacombs, etc.) compared to the base game, and less environmental features like ruins. The main impetus for exploration in the DLC is to find scadutree fragments, which are usually just a simple item pick up.

That said, the actual environments are pretty gorgeously designed, and the art direction in general in the DLC is amazing. If you like looking at pretty landscapes it might appeal to you. In terms of enemies, they are somewhat haphazardly scattered around the landscape, so you can be riding torrent for quite a while and not really run into anything meaningful.

In terms of difficulty the DLC is on a whole balanced towards the end game - there aren't really any harder areas than others, they all present a challenge and the enemies all hit hard (think Haligtree area).

So yeah, hard to say if you would like it more or less. Some people prefer the DLC, some people think the base game is much better. Personally I think the base game is just a better designed game, with a better map, better enemies, better boss design, and overall better balanced and polished as a gaming experience. The DLC is great, it's $40 and if you are a huge fan of Elden Ring, it provides a ton more content to explore and a ton of weapons, spirit ashes, and weapon arts to use.

Without know much more, I would say if you didn't like Elden Ring, it probably doesn't make sense to buy the DLC.

Bland in the sense that the open world areas are not forced on you and you can just skip through them, there is essentially no "design" to it. Sure, there are enemies littered all over, but they really serve no purpose. Perhaps that doesn't make sense, so what I'm about to say next makes even less sense, but I've always thought that the game would actually be better if it was more desolate - even if the scale stayed the same. Just exploring a mostly desolate world sounds intriguing to me until find some kind of dungeon. The problem with base ER is there are too many dead-ends, which defeats the purpose of being open-world.

So ultimately, I'm in favor of having less ruins and such, because every time I encountered them it was just a reminder that they were there in a frail attempt to "fill in" the world, as opposed to just leaving it desolate - and ultimately just being a waste of time, a false "lure" of exploration.

Dark Souls 1 is my favorite FromSoft game and in essence, it has a vertical design, so that you mention it does sound interesting. "You will see parts of the map constantly that there are no clear ways to access. You can explore and get lost easily." I mean that literally sounds like Dark Souls vibes. The base game felt more like "Well there is X in the far distance I guess I'll get there eventually" not " WOW I wonder how I'm supposed to get up there".

[Horse Glue™]

The best part of the DLC is the Talisman that slowly regens your FP. Other than that the rest is pretty cool. Quite a few beyblade bosses though. They give you so many cool weapons with interesting move sets but then you can't use them because the boss has been boofing energy drinks for 16 days and all you can do is jump attacks.

Other than that, coolgame

[Xengre]

Originally posted by ZugZug:

Bland in the sense that the open world areas are not forced on you and you can just skip through them, there is essentially no "design" to it. Sure, there are enemies littered all over, but they really serve no purpose. Perhaps that doesn't make sense, so what I'm about to say next makes even less sense, but I've always thought that the game would actually be better if it was more desolate - even if the scale stayed the same. Just exploring a mostly desolate world sounds intriguing to me until find some kind of dungeon. The problem with base ER is there are too many dead-ends, which defeats the purpose of being open-world.

Here you go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdZQ98mWeto

No mobs, only massive behemoth bosses, desolate world. Bosses are split up in various regions and you get to ride through the world on horseback as you uncover each of these titans.

You might also appreciate the related Ico (afterwards) possibly, though it does have mobs in that one.

Also you may like the anime Ergo Proxy, potentially.

[aftermath]

Originally posted by Xengre:

Originally posted by ZugZug:

Bland in the sense that the open world areas are not forced on you and you can just skip through them, there is essentially no "design" to it. Sure, there are enemies littered all over, but they really serve no purpose. Perhaps that doesn't make sense, so what I'm about to say next makes even less sense, but I've always thought that the game would actually be better if it was more desolate - even if the scale stayed the same. Just exploring a mostly desolate world sounds intriguing to me until find some kind of dungeon. The problem with base ER is there are too many dead-ends, which defeats the purpose of being open-world.

Here you go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdZQ98mWeto

No mobs, only massive behemoth bosses, desolate world. Bosses are split up in various regions and you get to ride through the world on horseback as you uncover each of these titans.

You might also appreciate the related Ico (afterwards) possibly, though it does have mobs in that one.

Also you may like the anime Ergo Proxy, potentially.

Ergo Proxy...ya don't say... https://myanimelist.net/profile/bleedingdemons/favorites

I had to dig up my MAL account because I never update it anymore but I also don't really watch anime anymore...but I'm open to other suggestions. Ergo Proxy and Cashern Sins give me some vibes I can't quite explain.

Unfortunately I don't have a PlayStation but I've heard good things about that game.

[aftermath]

Originally posted by Teenis:

The best part of the DLC is the Talisman that slowly regens your FP. Other than that the rest is pretty cool. Quite a few beyblade bosses though. They give you so many cool weapons with interesting move sets but then you can't use them because the boss has been boofing energy drinks for 16 days and all you can do is jump attacks.

Other than that, coolgame

I kinda don't care about ER bosses in general at this point, I'm more than willing to just summon and be over with it. So bosses aside, DLC would be worth?

[DreadLordAvatar]

Better, no. More expensive, yes. Poor value, yes.

[cheetah1546]

Originally posted by ZTL-Altima:

Base game is better.

Yes but the DLC is worth the cost.

[Horse Glue™]

Originally posted by ZugZug:

Originally posted by Teenis:

The best part of the DLC is the Talisman that slowly regens your FP. Other than that the rest is pretty cool. Quite a few beyblade bosses though. They give you so many cool weapons with interesting move sets but then you can't use them because the boss has been boofing energy drinks for 16 days and all you can do is jump attacks.

Other than that, coolgame

I kinda don't care about ER bosses in general at this point, I'm more than willing to just summon and be over with it. So bosses aside, DLC would be worth?

It will take you 40ish hours to complete. It has great art but bad performance. The dungeons are good and some of the overworld ties in very nicely though there are a few epic looking areas which end up being massive let downs. As in the base game, there is some re-use of things you'd rather just not fight.

The DLC weapons are pretty cool and some have some pretty wacky ashes, some of the new spells are very cool but some atm are broken and do no damage so they need balancing.

Some very useful talismans that should have been in the base game, like the two handed talisman and FP regen talisman.

The last boss creates resentment and feels like a very very poor way to end the whole thing, but there are a handful of cool bosses and one which is pretty damn epic.

This is coming from someone who did a full clear run. Killed every worm, cleared every corner of the map. It's good for one run through but I wouldn't have the energy to do it again.

[Bricky strong]

Its the best dlc I've ever seen. Its bigger and better than The Dark Arisen dlc in Dragon's Dogma which was huge. Its like a game within a game.
Anyone that says its bad can't be being honest. You should give credit where credit is due. If you liked Elden Ring you'll like the dlc too.

[EF_Neo1st]

Originally posted by ZugZug:

Originally posted by Alby:

There sure is. One minute you won’t know where the ♥♥♥♥ you are, and that leads to a shortcut to another place where you won’t know where the ♥♥♥♥ you are.

Honestly though do you mean that in a good way or in the typical ER fashion of: "I got teleported across the map and I'm way too under-powered for this area"

because in no Dark Souls shortcut did I ever feel "lost" by using a shortcut, perhaps mystified by how clever the level design was, but not lost.

No, Alby did not mean it in aa "teleportation way", Alby meant as in "I can see place right in front of me and dont know how tf can I get there" and "oh look I got here going under the map or from the other side of the map and despite looking at landmaarks from here I dont know exactly where I am or where to go despite it being marked in the map" and if you just go from "large structure to laarge structure" you may follow the main path that is easy to follow but also may lose 60% to 70% of the DLC content in terms of areas.

[toughnails]

Elden Ring is the kind of game that peaks early. Limgrave, Liurnia and Caelid are by far the best zones in the game and nothing else comes close.

The DLC was definitely on a budget compared to the base game, and it feels half-baked and empty as a result. Some good vistas sure, but you're just riding your horse 50% of the time.

[Stoowox]

The world design is as good as the base game for zone exploring, so as empty or packed and mysterious depending of where you are. But in the DLC it's so cryptically inter-connected that you could either stumble upon a new region by chance or trying to find it for 3 hours, I hate this.

And also another thing I'm not a fan of is that your levels probably means nothing after 150 or whatever is this number, because there is a new "level" system where you need to find specific rare items that you spend at fire to do more damage/receive less damage (it adjust your character slowly to the DLC difficulty). I prefer the base game where I could out-grind a boss in my favorite grind spot to beat it if I wanted to. The DLC bosses are 1000% more trials and error to learn them, hate it.

I'm maybe 80% done but stopped weeks ago, could not bare anymore of this experience. Sorry for my English and it's just my opinion so yours may differ.

[EldenFarx]

I love both the basegame and DLC the only thing that i hated was the scadutree avatar and the last boss.

[Morton Koopa Jr.]

Aesthetically yes.

Everything else no.