Elden Ring Nightreign: A Souls Exception

Elden Ring Newbie Takes on Nightreign: Surprisingly Fun!

Bandai Namco asked me to check out Elden Ring Nightreign. Honestly, I thought they mixed me up with someone else. See, Dark Souls games? Not really my thing. I get why folks love a tough challenge. Beating super hard games can feel amazing. But, me? I’m 34 now. I don’t need to prove anything. If I want a challenge, I might learn a new language or try rock climbing instead. Video games are my chill time these days. That’s why I never got into Elden Ring.

Curiosity Wins Out

Still, I couldn’t say no to the invite. Nightreign actually sounded interesting. It’s like a team-based game where you replay levels. Think roguelike, but with some cool twists. It mixes in battle royale, MMO, and even Monster Hunter vibes. Could be awesome, or a total mess of trends. Turns out, it’s surprisingly good! FromSoftware found a way to make a Souls game even I can enjoy. And I’m a lifelong Souls hater!

“Git Gud” Not Required Here

Figuring out Nightreign can be tricky until you play. But, imagine Risk of Rain 2. It’s kinda like that – and not just the “rain” part! Each round starts with your team on a map. Enemies, items, and challenges are everywhere. Your goal? Get XP and upgrades before time runs out and a boss shows up. Beat the boss, and you enter a new round. Enemies get tougher, but rewards get better too. Nightreign has final bosses after just two “days” of play – shorter than Risk of Rain 2. Think of it like Risk of Rain’s structure meets Apex Legends’ item hunting and level design. Then, add Elden Ring combat, story, and physics. That’s Nightreign in a nutshell.

Beginner-Friendly Gameplay

Before the preview, Bandai Namco hinted I should practice Elden Ring. This made me nervous! What if I was the weak link? Turns out, no worries at all. Sure, my dodges and blocks aren’t pro-level. And my spear attack sometimes misses by miles (oops!). But honestly, being the newbie didn’t hurt the team. Maybe it even helped!

While my teammates fought the big, scary monsters head-on, I could sneak around. Surprise attacks from behind are pretty effective! Sometimes they even turn into those cool, powerful hits. When battles got crazy, I’d step back and regroup. Often, I was the last one standing after my teammates went down fighting hard. Then I could revive them and help finish the fight. Maybe we could have been faster and stronger if I was an expert player. But we weren’t losing because of me, which was my biggest fear.

Soulslike Frustrations? Turned into Fun!

Souls games are known for being tough. And they punish you for failing. Lose your souls (or runes in Elden Ring!), then you have to fight back to the boss every time. This is another reason I stayed away. I don’t like feeling like my time is wasted.

Nightreign, being a roguelite, does have some setbacks when you die. But get this – even winning makes you start over! Beat the final boss or die on day one, you begin again. This makes dying way less annoying. It’s just part of the game! Starting over is actually exciting. Nightreign’s world stays the same, but events change each time. New runs mean new chances. Find better gear, learn the maps, and try different strategies.

And the best part? You’re never alone in failing. Messing up at the boss at the very end? It’s way funnier when your friends are right there with you. It doesn’t feel so bad when you all fail together. Plus, you can always blame someone else, right? “Definitely wasn’t me!”

Look, I actually like the game styles Nightreign borrows from other games more than Elden Ring itself! The combat can be clunky. The world can feel a bit plain. And the bosses are still pretty tough. It’s got some of the stuff I don’t love about FromSoftware games. However, it mixes in enough of what I do enjoy to make it enjoyable, maybe even really enjoyable.