Trying to understand what Elden Ring Nightreign actually is isn’t that easy from the start. It looks like Limgrave, but the world is wrapped in mystery. What is that bright blue fog closing in? Where am I supposed to go or what am I supposed to do? As dangerous as this place is, there is still a familiarity to it, and after a few runs it all starts to become clear. FromSoftware has managed to throw all these crazy ideas at a wall and they have all stuck. When you think you’re done with this series, the developers have found a way to drag you back in.
So what is Elden Ring Nightreign? Firstly, you pick a pre-made character, or Nightfarer, from eight different classes. The chances of finding one that matches your playstyle is highly probable. Each one comes with a unique skill set and a special power that can be used once it has built up. My favourite was Ironeye, a ranged hunter who uses his bow to destroy enemies. His Ultimate Art is a sonic arrow that deals significant damage to opponents, especially at higher levels. His passive gets you more item drops, and his agility is vital in a fight.
Once you’ve picked your Nightfarer at the Roundtable Hold, you enter a match solo or with two other players. If you go in solo, enemies bare the same difficulty as if you’re going in as a threesome. Elden Ring Nightreign is meant to be played in threes. Not just as far as the difficulty goes, but in the way different Nightfarers work together for better results. The Raider summons a huge tombstone from the ground which not only damages the enemy, but it can be climbed on, and as an Ironeye, I was able to get on top for a better vantage point for my bow.
Games take place over three days. At the end of day one, you’ll have to fight the main boss. Once killed, Day Two starts and the process begins all over again, however, there are certain changes. I don’t want to ruin much for you, but when you see dragon-like icons appear on the map, some new bosses will take everything you have to destroy them. If you survive the boss at the end of Day Two, then it’s time to move onto the final boss – the boss that you are hunting as part of the mission. Deep breath, dig deep, do what you must.
They are without a doubt some of the hardest enemies I’ve faced in Elden Ring, and doing so with others makes them no easier. Playing in threes is all about working together. Not just by firing off arrows and spells or swinging blades and axes in tandem. It is about synergising your passives, Character Skills, and Ultimate Arts to get the most out of any situation. It takes time to find out what works best, and playing with people you know is much more exciting. Regardless, teamwork is so important, and these bosses are relentless.
Whether you beat the boss or not, you return to the Roundtable Hold. Here, you can lock the Relics you’ve earned to your Nightfarer to provide permanent buffs. There’s a practice area to brush up on how all of a Nightfarer’s skills work, buy new emotes and short dialogue interactions, and also learn more about the character’s stories and lore. When you’re ready to go again, commence an expedition and go back to beat the boss you failed to destroy, or face a new threat tougher than the last.
It’s part Fortnite, part roguelike, all the while stripping back core elements from Elden Ring and making it feel streamlined in the process. There is no fall damage so you can launch yourself off of high cliffs without dying. Running around the map doesn’t deplete your stamina. Levelling up improves your health, mana, and stamina at the same time so you don’t have to decide where the points go. All of these things that made Elden Ring more of a challenge, more of a risk, have been made more accessible, but that doesn’t mean it’s any easier.
It just means your focus changes. With having these restrictions in traversal removed, your objective remains on exploring as much as you can before the Night’s Tide arrives. A blue, foggy ring begins to close in and you have to escape it or else death will come calling. Like the storm in a Battle Royale in Fortnite, you will lose health and end up dying. The only difference is death comes much quicker. It adds a threat outside of surviving the bosses and enemies, but it also moves you away from whatever you’re doing at the time.
There were times when I was halfway through a boss’ health, only to have to leave my potential spoils in an effort to survive. It’s intense as much as it’s frustrating. While you can jump off cliffs to the lowest parts of the map, the Night’s Tide can cover the map and leave you unable to climb back up. When you’re fighting for your life only to get stuck between a rock and a deadly cloud, it hurts to see the ‘You Died’ pop up on screen. If you do die, you’ll lose a level. The difficulty becomes almost unbearable, so having as many levels under your belt is vital.
Sites of Grace are everywhere, so those hard-earned runes from killing enemies can be used to up your level. Churches contain an extra charge for your health flasks. Castles contain bosses once you find them. Enemy camps might contain key items. Outside of all the structures around Limveld, random encounters happen all the time. This uncanny valley version of a familiar location features world events, switches in the locations of buildings, and fights that come out of nowhere. It’s a fascinating place, albeit brutal and unforgiving.
Another key part of Elden Ring Nightreign is your arsenal. Finding better weapons is exciting. Like Diablo or Borderlands, there’s no better feeling than finding a weapon more powerful than the last. Not only that, but certain skills, elemental damage, or buffs are locked to them. You can equip six at any one time. While your character will perform better with the weapon they’re more familiar with, you can use any weapon you find. It is just another factor of its deep gameplay that makes runs more thrilling.
Elden Ring Nightreign is a fascinating game. Once you understand how everything works, its utterly engrossing. The intensity of fights are at an all-time high. During the day the difficulty doesn’t feel as challenging, but those final bosses are so destructive and dangerous. Learning your Nightfarer of choice and going in with others to work as a team is a great feeling. Havin to beat them with your weapon to bring them back to life is a neat twist, and one that becomes tougher with each fall to their knees. Despite the odd framerate drop, this is an excellent game.
