FromSoftware has revealed one of the new foes players will meet in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. While it's currently unknown if this character is a boss or a regular enemy, fans are already hard at work trying to figure out what or who they may be.

The latest in what fans know to be a very long line of unsettling Elden Ring enemies was revealed to us in a post on FromSoftware's official Elden Ring X/Twitter account. The enemy, partially obscured by a cloak of ominous shadows, leaves quite the first impression. With its lifeless grey skin, wicked twin crescent blades, and cracked golden mask, this enemy looks like it stepped straight out of a nightmare just to cut you to ribbons.

Within minutes of this absolute nightmare's grand unveiling, the Elden Ring fandom came together to speculate over what, or who, it could be. Elden Ring loves to hide hints about its character's origins and alignment within their designs, and players were quick to form theories about this masked ghoul.

New Elden Ring enemy may be an omen of things to come in Shadow of the Erdtree

One of the most popular theories is that this enemy is related to the Omens, bloated, axe-wielding giants who pop up in several areas of the Lands Between. In addition to their massive size, Omens are known for the gigantic horns sprouting from their heads, which look very similar to the ones featured in the new enemy's rent mask. Coincidences don't happen often in Elden Ring's visual design, so this new opponent is likely connected to the Omens somehow.

Fans were also quick to notice another interesting detail: this new enemy is female, or at the very least, has feminine features. X user SweetPeachGames noted in this post that the enemy's feet were distinctly feminine, with smaller toes and a curved instep.

Other users noticed that the creature casts a distinctly uterine silhouette. Motherhood, blood ties, and birth are significant themes in Elden Ring, so I’d feel safe betting that this was an intentional decision by the designers.

Visions of dancer pic.twitter.com/Mm7Dup4LBd

— Syrobe (@SyrobeNA) May 17, 2024

Another unsettling detail about this creature is that it's much taller than it initially appears. By brightening the image, players discovered that the enemy has a hunched back, which means it will likely raise itself to its full height when players encounter it. This revelation drew X user Syrobe to compare the new enemy and Dark Souls III's Dancer of the Boreal Valley.

Elden Ring Shadows of the Erdtree is coming out on June 21, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

The post Elden Ring’s new enemy is becoming players’ new obsession appeared first on Destructoid.

Enlarge / There's a lot of meaning in this image for studied fans of Elden Ring, but confirmation will have to wait until June. (credit: Bandai Namco)

A gameplay reveal trailer for a heavily anticipated expansion to Elden Ring has arrived, and it suggests that more of the big bosses, cryptic but epic-scale storytelling, and brutal combat fans have come to expect will be available in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The downloadable content arrives June 21, 2024, and costs $40; preorders are available now (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox).

Shadow of the Erdtree takes place in "The Land of Shadow," seemingly a kind of prequel setting to the main Elden Ring, potentially inside a deity's dreams. You can never be too sure, but the presence of certain characters, and the suggestion that you will access the new content by touching the arm of a major but previously unexplored character, suggests you will be traveling through their memories, their dreams, or some combination thereof. The very first image you see is of a player character riding up to a cliff and seeing a flaming tree—perhaps not the Erdtree central to the main game, but a precursor of it that is hinted at in the game's lore.

Gameplay-wise, there are many new things to notice, including hand-to-hand combat, far more powerful crossbows, new spells and weapons, and a whole host of large, epically detailed, seemingly unfair boss battles.

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