Elden Ring Nightreignstill has its talons in me. Every time I discuss it with people, I end up finding new friends to play with, and all of those folks share the same sentiment.Nightreignis addicting and cathartic for anySekiSoulsBourneRingfan, and a great way to test out everything you’ve learned since theKing’s Fieldseries. It’s also a good gateway for newcomers, as the community has been a fantastic resource both in and out of the game.
So far,Elden Ring Nightreignis my Game of the Year. It’s been a fantastic GOTY competition so far, withgames likeClair Obscur: Expedition 33lighting up the RPG scene, andsome killer titles were coming out of Summer Game Festthat I can’t wait to play later in 2025. For now, most of my free time is dedicated toNightreign, and that won’t change anytime soon.
Even With Launch Blemishes, I Couldn’t Stop Playing Nightreign
It Hooked Me Immediately
One of the most fascinating aspects ofNightreignishow the lore managed to pull me further in. To be clear, this is not a fully narrative-based game. However, each individual character (there are eight so far) has a unique storyline told through a journal system, which highlights their forgotten past, and how they relate to other classes (this whole process is called a “Remembrance”). Slowly but surely, you’ll discover the social links between them, spicing up the world and thematic party combinations.
This was the first step in my journey to 100% and PlatinumElden Ring Nightreign(I only have one achievement/trophy left). Initially, I wandered into the Wylder’s storyline, and once I got comfortable, I moved to trying out all the other classes.The loop is what hooked me, and the class system is what made me stay. It was utterly freeing to be able to try out new styles at the drop of a hat, without laboriously respeccing in a mainlineSoulsgame every time I wanted to try out a new combat type or strategy.
Nightreigneffortlessly allows easy access to new playstyles. The Duchess class has a special dodge that’s unlocked by default (that turns up the heat in combat), instead of equipping a special one-of-a-kind item. The Executor, also dubbed “John Sekiro” by someone I know, lets you live out your dream of parrying like you were Wolf inSekiro. Plus, I’ve experimented with more spells and incantations inNightreignthan any other FromSoft game combined. They make it that easy.
I also cannot stress enoughhow unlimited arrows have significantly improved ranged classes.Nightreignmight feel limiting in many ways (especially since it still has one core map with minor alterations), but the combat system was blown wide open. Having to adapt on the fly, alongside two other people doing the same thing, is a rush. Combat is king inElden Ring Nightreign, and I love it for that.
The “one more run” feeling is all-consuming,not just because I want the rewards and the glory. I want to experiment as much as possible with every class, and every weapon/item combination to try and find the best builds possible. Even if the RNG doesn’t line up how you want it, there arestill plenty of ways to account for that through game knowledge. I’m still learning things 70 hours in.
Since Launch, Nightreign Has Improved
Solo Mode Is A Lot Better Now
One key element that was dragged atNightreign’s launch was the lack of a balanced solo mode.True solo support simply did not exist in 1.0, forcing the vast majority of the playerbase to group up, whether they had friends to play with or not.That all changed with the first major patch, which increased XP gains for solo play, and added extra opportunities for self-revives.
There’s still work to be done for sure.Cross-play isn’t in, which is a misfire. Additionally,the team is still working on providing proper support for duos, which should have been available at launch. Thankfully, with at least one DLC already confirmed, there’s still plenty of time to address at least some of these concerns.
The Everdark Sovereign Bosses Sit Among The Best Souls Content
Go Back And Try Them If You Stopped Playing
The remembrances and class diversity were already enough to keep me satisfied for a while, butthe real cherry on top ofElden Ring Nightreignis the addition of Everdark Sovereigns. Think of these as superbosses: juiced-up versions of core encounters from the main game, starting on phase two, and adding an extra phase with more attacks and mishaps to counter. As a friend of mine put it, there are plenty of chances for “hero moments.”
I had the chance to take down the two bosses so far with a friend group, and both of them were among my favoriteSoulscontent to date.They feel like MMO raids with three players(my 25-person Black Temple group fromWorld of Warcraftwas thrilling but exhausting at times). We’re all in there together, learning the new phases, strategizing, and executing. For an ostensibly arcade-like game, this is a level of depth I didn’t expect out ofNightreign.
There’s no end in sight forElden Ring Nightreignsessions when it comes to my household. I’m going to keep at it until all of my groups get bored, and even then, I’ll be diving back into solo mode and random matchmaking for months to come. Hopefully, the DLC later this year is more of a main course than an appetizer. But for now, there’s plenty to eat.
