FromSoftwares’ games have always featured duels with non-player character enemies, but Elden Ring takes these fights to new heights. Specifically, the NPC fights in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC improve on the typical formula in several important ways and illustrate how cinematic these duels can feel when built up properly.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree made numerous improvements to the base game. Arguably, one of the best improvements came in the form of NPC fights. These are more than just typical NPC invasions, however. Instead, they act as the jewels in the crown of this massive story.
Shadow Of The Erdtree Revolutionizes NPC Fights
Player Choose Their Battles With These Characters
Players of Shadow of the Erdtree will be familiar with the disparate collection of NPCs that enter the game’s story, from the charismatic Ansbach to the kindly Moore to the leader of the bunch, Needle Knight Leda. Each plays an important part in uncovering the truth about Miquella’s scheme, and how deep the demi-god’s manipulations go. On their way through the Land of Shadow, players can help these characters fight thematically relevant bosses and discover the secrets of their related lords.
Related
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree How To Beat Needle Knight Leda (Boss Guide)
To defeat Needle Knight Leda in the finale of Elden Ring’s DLC, follow her questline and gain NPC allies to help you beat her and her comrades.
At the end of it all, after defeating Messmer the Impaler and making their way to Enir-Ilim, the many choices players have made culminate in an all-out brawl between each surviving NPC. Some support Leda, who stands by Miquella despite his crimes, while several others can be won over to the player’s side. Each enters a large arena one by one, spouting off dialogue about their journeys and their remaining goals, joining a major fight that the player must win to reach the final boss.
FromSoft Should Embrace This Change
NPC Fights Provide A Great Way To Give Players Agency
The last fight in this DLC is truly cinematic and epic, but it isn’t alone in feeling impactful. Many of the NPC brawls in the Land of Shadow feel like more than just defeating an obstacle or finishing off an enemy; they feel like choices the player is actively making, picking sides in this larger plot about gods and followers. Many of the NPC fights have to be sought out purposefully and have multiple sides that the player can take to change the ending.
In previous games, especially Dark Souls 2, NPC fights hinted at lore and character relations. However, they also just felt like events that happened to the player, regardless of their choices. It left a bit to be desired, and it’s something Elden Ring‘s DLC has seemingly fixed.
The NPC Hornsent is not involved in this final fight, but has an equally-detailed quest line involving Messmer and Marika, as well as multiple NPC fights that the player can engage in.
Shadow of the Erdtree and Elden Ring in general introduced NPCs with divergent plot lines. It made their fights feel important for reasons players understand. It’s a change that FromSoftware should bring into their future games because it gives the player more agency in picking their friends and foes.
9/10