Entering into the latter half of 2024 has given way to Game of the Year discussions already beginning, and it should come as no surprise that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is already a top contender. Truthfully, FromSoftware could have released Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC as the base game back in 2022 and there's every chance it also would have won Game of the Year, especially with how substantial it is in comparison to other DLC expansions. Of course, as the second major part of an expansive whole, Shadow of the Erdtree makes Elden Ring even better in hindsight, especially when looking at how it changes the base game's lore.