This is not the Lands Between as you once knew them. What rises now is a twisted echo—familiar, yet different. Elden Ring: Nightreign, published once more by Bandai Namco and developed by FromSoftware—those same Tarnished hands that, not long ago, spoke of no sequel, no continuation. No more journeys beyond the Erdtree. And yet… the fog parts once again.

And once the fog clears, you’ll see the Erdtree as you’ve never seen it before—withered and hollow, a husk stripped of its former grace. The Nightlord has shattered the Lands Between, breaking the fabric of this world and casting it into an alternate timeline. Where night once fell quietly, it now brings a relentless downpour, threatening to wash away the land and its history. Fate, though as always, has other plans—summoning eight Nightfarers to rise against the Nightlord and end its tyranny.

The Roundtable Hold returns—and this time, it’s where your journey begins. You take on the role of Wylder at the start, one of the four playable characters first introduced to us during the network test back in February. From the outset, the Hold is fully explorable, serving as your central hub between expeditions into the rain-drenched lands and confrontations with the Nightlord. The atmosphere is immediately familiar—welcoming, yet weighty. Like in Elden Ring, soft, melancholic music drifts through the Roundtable Hold, wrapping the space calmly and safely.

As you explore the Hold, you’ll encounter several faces with their own stories, secrets, and roles to play. Uniquely, every major character you meet here, except for a couple, is playable. By ringing the bell in the main chamber, you can switch between them, offering fresh perspectives. Among the new additions is the Iron Menial, a soft-spoken caretaker who maintains the Hold and frequently offers quiet words of encouragement to the Nightfarers. His presence adds warmth to the stone and silence, which is rare in this world.

Once you’ve met the residents of the Hold, and since most of its secrets are still a mystery, it’s time to begin your first expedition. By approaching the central table in the main chamber, you can select from the available missions—though at the outset, only one lies before you: the Tricephalos Expedition. Pitting you again against Gladius, the three-headed wolf from the network test. Upon defeating the Beast of Night, six new expeditions unlock, culminating in a unique boss encounter, each crafted with the scale, spectacle, and sorrow that FromSoftware has mastered, and no two are alike.

Before I get into all the details, it’s worth looking back at the core gameplay loop you’ll be experiencing. Expeditions can be launched either completely solo or tackled in groups of three. You can set a password to ensure you’re matched with friends or let the system pair you with two fellow Nightfarers. With your expedition chosen and your team, if any, assembled, it’s time to decide which Nightfarer you’ll embody.

If you played during the network test, you’ll notice the roster is slightly different. The Priestess, a fan favourite, is notably absent at the outset—but in her place are three new faces. That gives you six Nightfarers to choose from at the start. Don’t worry, though—the Duchess quickly joins the fray, alongside the Revenant soon after, both unlocked through quests in the Roundtable Hold. More of this later. This rounds out the full roster of eight. It’s a smart progression system utilising pieces of narrative and world-building, which FromSoftware are the masters of.

Each Nightfarer offers a different playstyle, defined by three unique abilities: a passive trait, a character skill, and an ultimate art. These aren’t just minor changes; they shape how each character approaches combat and exploration. It’s worth experimenting with all of them to find the one that suits you.

Wylder is your balanced all-rounder—versatile, adaptable, and able to wield a wide range of weapons. His grappling hook skill makes him nimble in combat, perfect for quickly closing distances or repositioning. His ultimate art unleashes an explosion that deals moderate damage and can stagger even the largest enemies and bosses, making him a reliable pick. The Guardian, our Pinionfolk bird friend, fills the tank role. He has high HP and a massive shield designed to soak up damage. His whirlwind skill summons a cyclone that disrupts enemy formations. At the same time, his ultimate—Wings of Salvation—launches him into the air before he crashes back down in a massive area-of-effect slam, ideal for controlling crowds and buying breathing room for allies.

The Duchess brings a hybrid edge to the roster, combining high dexterity and intelligence to wield weapons and sorceries with finesse. Her Restage ability doubles her damage output to nearby enemies, making her deadly if you use it well. Her ultimate, Finale, cloaks her and nearby allies, concealing them from enemies. It’s perfect for reviving teammates or escaping challenging scenarios without drawing aggro.

Then, there’s the Recluse, a witch from the Deep Forest who has high intelligence and faith. Her character skill, Magic Cocktail, collects the affinities of defeated enemies and unleashes a reactive explosion. Her ultimate, Soulblood Song, brands nearby foes with blood sigils, amplifying the damage they take from all sources—an excellent tool for coordinated team takedowns.

These first four Nightfarers will be familiar to anyone who played the network test. But the next four newcomers shake up the roster and bring some fresh mechanics to the fold.

Ironeye is an archer of the Fellowship—an assassin with exceptional dexterity. He can mark enemies with his dagger, creating a temporary weak point that, when struck, staggers the target. His ultimate, Single Shot, fires a powerful arrow that pierces any foe, ignoring obstacles and terrain—making it perfect for lining up devastating long-range kills.

The Raider brings raw strength to the table. A pirate who sailed into the Lands Between, he boasts high HP and strength to wield colossal weapons easily. Retaliate’s ability reduces incoming damage, making him an unshakable frontline presence. His ultimate, Totem Stela, drives a gravekeeper’s wedge into the ground, granting a strength buff to nearby allies and can be climbed.

Then there’s the Executor, whom I enjoyed a great deal, a condemned soul who loves painting and has an affinity for blades. Built around high dexterity, he’s a dream for katana builds. His Cursed Sword skill allows him to deflect enemy attacks, echoing the rhythm of Sekiro-style parrying. His ultimate is one of the most unique: transforming into a controllable primordial beast with a fresh moveset. It’s handy when low on health, giving you a second wind in challenging battles.

Finally, we have the Revenant—the most mysterious of the Nightfarers. A doll driven by vengeance, she commands high faith and the dark art of necromancy. Her lyre summons spectral versions of her fallen family: Helen, the agile page; Frederick, the burly cook; and Sebastian, the doting butler. Each spirit fights at her side, bringing utility and flavour to every encounter. Her ultimate, Immortal March, is a fantastic support move—reviving downed allies and temporarily immortalising the entire team. It’s a clutch ability that came in handy numerous times.

Back in the Roundtable Hold, the Sparring Grounds are an excellent space to get a feel for each Nightfarer and their abilities. It lets you select any weapon you want, so you can play around with it and find the perfect build before heading out on your next run.

You’ll also come across an altar where you can perform a ritual known as Relic Rites. This system features colour-coded slots tied to each of your characters, and by placing relics into these slots, you can unlock various buffs that carry into your next run. It adds a nice layer of build flexibility, especially when collecting goblets. These goblets offer differently coloured slots, allowing you to equip relics outside of a character’s usual affinity—giving you more freedom to experiment and tailor your loadout across the Nightfarers.

It was time to dive into the action after deciding which Nightfarer and build was best for us. Each run over three in-game days begins with you soaring in on a spectral hawk. It’s the perfect time to check your map and mark key locations of interest for you and your team because once you land, the clock starts ticking. Points of interest are scattered throughout Limveld—an alternate, fractured version of Elden Ring’s Limgrave—and exploring them quickly is essential to gain the edge before night falls.

Forts, Great Churches, Camps, and Ruins made excellent targets during the first day. The enemies and minor bosses found there are generally more manageable, allowing you to take them down quickly, giving you the choice of some loot to complement your build and earning some early runes to level up. Levelling is now more streamlined—no need to sit at a Site of Grace. Just stand nearby, press a button, and you’re good to go. It’s a small change but keeps the momentum going and fits perfectly with the game’s faster pace.

By the second day, we thought it was worth setting your sights on Castles, Field Bosses, and Evergaols. These areas are home to tougher enemies and more formidable bosses, but the rewards are well worth the risk—offering better loot drops and a hefty boost in runes to help you reach those higher, more costly level thresholds. A few key Churches scattered across the map can also grant additional uses of your Sacred Flasks, which are essential for survivability.

Tunnels can also be worth delving into—they’re a solid source of smithing stones for upgrading your weapons. And keep an eye out for merchants often found near the anvils. They carry a surprisingly useful range of items that can sometimes make a real difference to your run.

You must watch the Night’s Tide closely throughout the first two days. The shrinking circle means the rain begins to close in—and if you’re caught outside its boundaries, it’ll start burning through your HP fast. It’s a constant pressure that keeps you moving, forcing intelligent routing and time management. On one occasion during the first day, we fought a dragon field boss at a low level. The fight took us quite some time, and we had to leave it on low health as the circle forced us to move on, as we had no more flasks. It was a heartbreaker for us.

Once the circle closes completely, night falls—with it, a powerful boss emerges to challenge your team. The bosses at the end of the first two days are randomised each time. You’ll fight a good mix of familiar Elden Ring enemies like Tree Sentinels, Ancient Dragons, and Crucible Knights—but the real talking point is the bosses that have crossed the fog. Bosses from the Dark Souls trilogy make plenty of appearances here. The Centipede Demon from Dark Souls, the Duke’s Dear Freja from Dark Souls II, and the Nameless King from Dark Souls III. I had pure PTSD and nostalgia when going up against the Nameless King, and his fight was just as scary and tense as ever.

I was genuinely shocked at the end of one day to see the return of the Dancer of the Boreal Valley from Dark Souls III, and plenty of other surprises are waiting for you there. I can’t wait to see people talk about them.

It isn’t just the randomised bosses—Limveld can change dramatically from run to run. Shifting Earth events alters the map in significant ways. Mountaintop adds towering, snow-covered peaks, Rotted Woods transforms part of the landscape into a Scarlet Rot–infested swamp, and the Crater drops a massive volcano right into the heart of Limveld.

We explored the Crater, which took us deep underground during one run. After nearly the entire day navigating its molten caverns, we finally discovered the unique gear hidden within. What followed was a frantic escape as the Night’s Tide began to close in around us. It was stressful and a perfect example of the game’s high-risk, high-reward gameplay.

Random events can also occur during the day. A meteorite may fall, bubbles may appear, and a unique boss fight awaits inside. A boss appeared before us one day and offered us great rewards in exchange for runes—the same boss we fought later on. This adds more storytelling and replayability to the world.

The one thing that doesn’t change is the final day—when you face off against the chosen expedition boss. Seven expeditions await, each culminating in a unique final encounter, and once again, FromSoftware has delivered.

Caligo, Miasma of Night, is a breathtaking frost dragon with devastating attacks. It sometimes vanishes into its blizzard, leaving you in near silence—only the haunting piano track plays while you wait for its next inevitable attack. It’s a tense, elegant dance that feels as chilling as it does cinematic. Libra, Creature of Night, is another standout. It is a brutal encounter packed with holy damage, but what sets it apart is that Libra can be interacted with at the beginning of the fight.

Then there’s Gnoster, Wisdom of Night, and Maris, Fathom of Night—both fierce challenges set in beautifully crafted arenas with equally stunning music. These are just a few examples, but every boss here showcases FromSoftware’s mastery: distinct mechanics, unforgettable visuals, and soundtracks that elevate the fight into something grander. Each battle feels like a true culmination of everything you’ve learned up to that point.

After defeating the final boss—or falling to them—you’re greeted with a detailed results screen. It breaks down how your run went, offering a satisfying look at your stats. The footsteps system visually shows your path across the map in real-time, much like the Hero’s Path in Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom. It’s a great way to reflect on your journey.

The visual codex awaits you back in Roundtable Hold, where you may look at these breakdowns of numbers at any time.

After completing expeditions, you will receive memory fragments tied to the Nightfarer you were playing. These are worth seeking out, as they unlock new entries in the Journal back at the Roundtable Hold—offering rich lore and backstory for each character. Some fragments even grant access to Remembrances, playable slices of their past that drop you into single-player boss encounters or set up specific quests for your next expedition.

It’s classic FromSoftware storytelling and quest design—subtle, tragic, and sorrowful. Each tale unfolds slowly, and as expected from this world, few endings are happy. This adds real emotional weight to these characters.

Murk is the main currency you’ll earn while playing, and it can be spent in a few different ways. The Small Jar Bazaar—run by one of our beloved jar friends—offers a rotating selection of relics, emotes, and goblets to enhance your runs. You can also head to the Wardrobe, where beautifully designed alternate skins await. These cosmetics are purely visual but stunningly crafted. They’re also quite pricey, which makes grinding for them feel worthwhile.

From a design and accessibility standpoint, the game does a solid job. Clear and audible audio cues let you know when an ally has gone down or when you’ve discovered an expedition. That said, loot can sometimes feel cluttered on the ground—especially in the heat of battle—and picking up specific items quickly can be a bit finicky. Slight graphical pop-ins occur occasionally while exploring, but they’re minor and rarely disrupt the experience.

Overall, Elden Ring: Nightreign isn’t just a spin-off; it’s a massive triumph. With more direct storytelling, mindblowing boss fights, including a final boss that is one of the best they’ve ever crafted and a brilliantly tense gameplay loop, it stands tall as a worthy standalone game. FromSoftware has once again delivered a haunting, unforgettable world that challenges and rewards you.

Written by: Dylan Kocins