Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree vs Stellar Blade
FromSoftware's sprawling DLC versus SHIFT UP's tight parry fest — which punishing RPG should you play?
Updated 10d ago
Best-in-class single-player DLC if you finished base Elden Ring — Land of Shadow rivals a full game, and patch 1.14 tamed Consort Radahn's combos.
Nails Sekiro-tier parry combat in third-person — the June 2025 PC port hits 70+ FPS at native 4K and runs at 60 on handhelds.
By the numbers
Prices checked Aug 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Aug 7.
| Measure | Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | Stellar Blade |
|---|---|---|
| Value Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree wins on value | ||
| Price now | $35.17 −12% · GameBillet | $44.99 −25% · GameBillet |
| All-time low | $31.49 | $35.40 |
| Cost / hour | $1.37/hr $35.17 · 26 h main story | $1.99/hr $44.99 · 23 h main story |
| Off its low | +12% vs $31.49 low | +27% vs $35.40 low |
| Main story | 26 h | 23 h |
| Health Stellar Blade wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 70% 104k reviews | 94% 93k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 58% 186 votes · vs 70% lifetime · souring | 90% 2k votes · vs 94% lifetime |
| Peak players | — Not yet charted | 13,271 Jul 2026 · ↑ 8% MoM |
| All-time peak | — | 130,770 Jun 2025 · now at 10% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | — | 10 months ago |
| Patch cadence | — | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | — | Platinum |
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
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Stellar Blade
Jun 2025 – Jul 2026
Key differences
Combat system
Shadow of the Erdtree retains Elden Ring's flexible combat with Spirit Ashes and jumping attacks.
Stellar Blade demands precise parry timing like Sekiro, with a high skill ceiling on bosses.
World layout
Land of Shadow is a large open-world map with branching paths and hidden Scadutree Fragments.
Stellar Blade features linear levels connected by a hub, no open-world sprawl to distract.
Progression system
DLC progress hinges on finding Scadutree Fragments through exploration, not Runes or leveling.
Stellar Blade's difficulty is fixed; you must master parry timing to advance past each boss.
Which one is for you?
Pick Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree if
- You finished Elden Ring base game and want 35–40 more hours
- You enjoy exploring for hidden progression items like Scadutree Fragments
- You accept FromSoftware's vague questline tracking and steep boss fights
Pick Stellar Blade if
- You seek Sekiro-style parry combat with a high skill ceiling
- You prefer linear level design over open-world exploration
- You play on PC and want a port that runs well on diverse hardware
Bottom line
Choose Shadow of the Erdtree if you've already beaten Elden Ring; otherwise, pick Stellar Blade for its focused parry combat despite a weaker narrative.