Summary
After the DLC release in 2024, many people thought that theElden Ringsaga had come to a close. But FromSoftware shattered expectations and released another standalone experience inNightreign,letting players relive the joys of the original in a bite-sized form.With new mechanics, bosses, and map features, the game feels different in many ways, while sharing the DNA that made the title so well-loved.
The game iterates on the Soulslike formula in a new way, bringing in roguelike elements and a shifting map to freshen things up while keeping the core gameplay intact. Some things were left behind inElden Ring,while other elements are completely new, even bringing back a few features from the past.
8The Storm Creates A New Gameplay Loop
The Pressure Rises With Every Passing Moment
The most obvious difference between the two games is the core gameplay loop, withNightreignfocusing on run-based loops that take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. A big part of that loop, and what makes the game feel so intense, is the constant pressure from the rain. The Night’s tide is a threat that needs to be managed at all times, and every decision has to account for the threat of the ever-shrinking circle.
Players candrop in and farm uphowever they choose. But instead of slowly clearing castles and being able to rest and come back later, players must make split-second decisions between taking down weaker camps of foes or taking on a harder boss in the hopes of gaining a large reward. The single map might sound like a static experience, but like battle royale games, every zone is different, which adds a level of variety that the original game lacked.
7Character Selection
Preset Characters Each With Their Own Skills
When a player first loads upElden Ring, the first decisions they make are related to their character, both in appearance and starting class. Each provides a different starting weapon and a set of stats to give players a small headstart for a specific build type, while leaving them with freedom to experiment down the line.
Nightreigninstead presents players with a list of Nighfarers. Each has a starting weapon like before, but also brings their own unique skills to the fight, ranging from utility spells to devastating ultimates that tear through enemies. The player’s choices are much less static. They can switch between characters after each run, trying new things with much more flexibility.
6Increased Gameplay Speed
Twice The Tempo, Twice The Action
Elden Ringisn’t exactly the most relaxing game on the planet. The combat demands significant attention and care with every individual input, and players have a lot of pressure to stay focused and keep their energy high. ButNightreigntakes that concept and dials it to eleven. It forces a higher tempo at all times, both due to the core gameplay loop and the ability to sprint around the map faster.
One of thebiggest learning curveshas nothing to do with boss patterns or enemy types, but understanding how to efficiently clear areas and bosses, at a speed that ensures players won’t be underleveled by the time they reach night three. Everything about the game feels faster, from the movement options to each character’s fighting styles. The tempo never stops, and players need to adapt or suffer the consequences.
5The Introduction Of Relics
Passive Buffs With Specific Use Cases
When it comes to taking on a new boss or exploring a challenging area, players often look forward to the loot even more than the fight itself. Before, this took the form of new armor sets or weapons to equip that could then be carried into the next battle.Nightreigntakes a slightly different approach, keeping all the in-map rewards fixed to a single run and providing relics at the end as a way of incentivizing players.
Each Nightfarer has their own set of relic slots, which can be altered through unlockable vessels. Players will build up a collection of passive buffs that can affect anything from healing amounts to damage output. The relics vary in their power. Fixed drops from Nightlords will boast serious strengths, but randomly dropped ones can also be just as valuable, letting players customize their character before the run even begins.
4Innovations In Map Traversal
Buffed Spirit Springs And Long-Distance Gliding
The map ofElden Ringis among the largest and most diverse in gaming, offering an expansive landscape that extends high into the mountains and deep into the caverns below. While theNightreignmap might not be as large as the original, there are still plenty of areas to explore andloot to level up. But with Torrent out of the picture, a few new features were added to make up for the lack of a mount.
Wall-jumps work on almost any surface and allow players to vault over taller areas. Enhanced spirit-springs are far more abundant for the larger mountain faces. Players can take flight across the world and glide high into the sky thanks to the help of a trust hawk. The map feels open and free, and players are no longer glued to a single dimension on the floor. Itf players need to make a quick getaway, there is always a way out of any situation.
3More Versatile Equipment
Any Tool For Any Player
When moving around the Lands Between anddiscovering new weaponsand staffs, one of the most frustrating things was when the items had specific requirements in order to use them. Some needed 40+ levels in a single stat, making them unusable until much later into the game. Also, specific build types often require players to use their skill points in certain ways to make the most of the damage output and defensive nature of each armament.
Thankfully, this isn’t a problem inNightreign, as any character can use any weapon at virtually any stage in the game. Only the player’s level matters when picking up a slightly more powerful weapon, and the barrier can often be overcome with one quick visit to a boss. Also, regardless of whether the player jumps in as the Wylder or the Ironeye, they can still switch to a different weapon type if they choose, without any of the weapon class needs that were in the way before.
2Roundtable Hold
Expansion Of The Central Hub
The central hub where all the magic happens, Roundtable Hold, is theElden Ringequivalent of Firelink Shrine. Players do anything from buying consumables and progressing NPC questlines, to upgrading their weapons to higher tiers. There are a few other specific features, like the Finger Maidens, who let players consume remembrances from bosses to unlock powerful weapons, as well as a few other NPCs.
Nightreignkeeps Roundtable Holdas the primary location for all progression and additional content outside the main world. But instead of being a separate area that players can go back and forth between, it is the only location that players can access when they’re not fighting through a run. The area is also expanded quite a bit, including some outdoor sections, as well as integrating NPC questlines into the hub in a way that is far more immersive than the original game.
1Multiplayer
No More Struggling With Spirit Signs
FromSoftware has never been known for its high-quality multiplayer experiences. To maintain a sense of immersion, most of their Soulslike titles require players to use consumables and certain items in specific locations, to place and see summon signs to allow players to enter the worlds of their friends or randoms online. But this struggle is gone inNightrein.Now, players can simply press a button and match-make with online players or invite others to their party, without any of the pains of summoning signs. The connectivity also feels a lot more consistent, with less lag and issues related to disconnects.
There are even fewer restrictions when it comes to exploring the world. Rather than the allies disappearing after clearing a single boss, players can play through an entire run together without having to reconnect or re-summon at any point. On top of the fundamental connections, teammates can now be revived in a unique way that involves attacking them like an enemy to reduce a circular health pool that grows with each subsequent down. It means that even if a mistake is made, the run is never over, and plenty of hero plays can be made to carry a team to victory.
