Summary
After what feels like an eternity for many fans,Elden Ring’s DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, was finally unveiled in yesterday’s brand-new gameplay trailer. The footage showed off many new elements for fans to mull over, including new weapons, locales, and perhaps most excitingly, new ominous-looking bosses. While the primary new antagonist, Messmer the Impaler, understandably grabbed the most attention, there was another new boss that probably struck fear into the hearts of manyElden Ringveterans: a foe that looks like a revamped version of the Fire Giant.
Those who have managed to seeElden Ringthrough to its conclusion will likely remember the Fire Giantwell. The non-optional encounter takes place towards the game’s climax, atop the Valley of the Giants. The Fire Giant is a huge, hulking boss who can wield fire and will quickly make short work of under-prepared players. His sheer power, combined with a speed that belies his size, make him a formidable opponent, and many players struggled to overcome him when the game was first released two years ago. The sight of this new Fire Giant, who looks even tougher than the original, was likely not a welcome one for many.
Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Will Add Several New Exciting Bosses
FromSoftware notoriously saves its best content for its DLC. Each of itsDark Soulsgames has been greatly enhanced by their respective expansions, and the unforgiving, memorable boss fights within them. The likes of Artorias of the Abyss, Sister Friede, and Fume Knight are regularly referred to as some of FromSoftware’s best boss fights ever, and all made their debuts in DLC. Shadow of the Erdtree should be no different, then, and the gameplay trailer showed off several intriguing new possible bosses, with the new Fire Giant being one of them.
Much ofShadow of the Erdtree’s traileris shrouded in mystery, but it’s pretty safe to assume that this new Fire Giant will serve as a boss for players to overcome. A recent Eurogamer interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that there will be over 10 new bosses for players to fight in the upcoming expansion, but some of these will likely be optional. Exactly where the new Fire Giant fits into this, and if it is a mandatory encounter or an optional one, remains to be seen.
Elden Ring’s New Fire Giant Could be Tricky to Overcome
Historically,FromSoftware’s boss fightsagainst giants have been hit or miss when compared to smaller, more mobile opponents, but Fire Giant was one of its more diverse offerings, so fans will be hoping that the new Fire Giant encounter will be equally innovative. Aesthetically, this new Fire Giant is significantly creepier than the last. Its body seems to be made up of several giant cages, each one set ablaze, creating a bonfire-like effect. Closer inspection reveals that these bonfires use a special type of kindling: human corpses.
Historically, FromSoftware’s boss fights against giants have been hit or miss when compared to smaller, more mobile opponents, but Fire Giant was one of its more diverse offerings, so fans will be hoping that the new Fire Giant encounter will be equally innovative.
The new Fire Giant can be seen in the trailer stomping the ground, which ignites a large surface area around it in flames. It cuts an imposing figure and probably has many other tricks up its sleeve that have yet to be shown. Set to beFromSoftware’s largest expansion to date, Shadow of the Erdtree will be released on June 21, so players don’t have much longer to wait before their journey through the Lands Between can continue.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
