Nightreign Review: For Fans Who Love the World, Not Just the Pain

I love Elden Ring, but Elden Ring definitely doesn’t love me back. Gotta say that upfront for this Nightreign review, ’cause the series so far hasn’t really clicked with me like that. I’m more about exploring the world than getting wrecked over and over again—though that hasn’t stopped me from continuing to buy games that challenge me anyway. The dark, twisted medieval vibes FromSoft dropped in 2022 and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion? That’s totally my jam. But every time I booted it up, I knew I was gonna be riding that fine line between hype and straight-up burnout. Still, after days grinding through Nightreign’s Limveld region, I can’t stop thinking about jumping back in. Even when I log off, I’m low-key itching for just one more run.

A Brutal Roguelike Mashup of Soulsborne, Loot, and Battle Royale Chaos

Describing Nightreign in one sentence is almost as brutal as fighting its bosses. It’s a run-based roguelike with loot and different playable classes, mixed with a battle royale-style shrinking circle that keeps you on your toes, plus enough randomness to make every match feel fresh. And somehow, even with all that, it still screams Elden Ring vibes — there’s a Roundtable Hold, that signature crunchy combat, and plenty of nasty monsters blocking your path. So yeah, trying to sum this game up in a quick pitch is basically impossible, but once you jump in, the clock’s already ticking.

Limvell & the Loop: Fast-Paced Survival Through Nightreign’s Brutal Cycle

Players gotta level up, face a boss when night hits, then rinse and repeat before going head-to-head with a seriously scary Night Lord on day three. Limvell definitely feels familiar, kinda like Limgrave from Elden Ring’s start, but everything moves way faster here. Your Nightfarer can sprint long distances and even pull off a new wall jump to get around. There’s a bit of a learning curve figuring out how to use that mobility—whether it’s closing in on enemies or grabbing chests up high—and that really shows how Nightreign respects your time. No matter if I was just barely scraping by against a Night Lord or getting wrecked by a miniboss, I always walked away with some small upgrades to boost my next run.

Streamlined Souls: Nightreign Speeds Up the Elden Ring Formula

Almost everything from Elden Ring and its massive expansion has been made way smoother here. Leveling up at a Site of Grace is basically instant—you just press a button and keep moving. No more stat requirements for gear either, so I started off with my usual sword-and-shield build one run, then switched to a spellcaster with a staff I found because why not? That means within minutes of dropping into Limvell, you’ve probably killed a few enemies, leveled up, and maybe even scored some cool loot. If you struggled with Elden Ring’s slow grind (same), you’ll be glad to know you can feel kinda powerful pretty early on. There’s also some strategy in plotting your path. Spot a fortress? Make a beeline for it to take down a boss and snag some sweet gear. Even with all its different parts, Nightreign somehow flows really well each round. Death isn’t game over either. Teammates can revive you with a couple of hits, and if you do die, you drop a level and have to get your runes back from whoever killed you. So yeah, dying still matters—especially at night when it’s final—but it’s just as much a learning moment here as it is in the main Elden Ring games.

Meet Wylder: The Balanced Fighter with a Grappling Hook Twist

The first character you’ll vibe with is the Wylder—a pretty balanced dude rocking a sword and small shield, plus a grappling hook on his wrist that pulls enemies in or lets him zip right at them. Then there’s the Duchess, who’s basically a Bloodborne tribute. She’s got a magic dagger and moves with this slick, almost dance-like dodge that’s perfect for dodging and attacking, plus she can turn invisible. Other classes include the spell-slinging Recluse and the bird-like Guardian, who’s all about stamina and blocking like a boss. But honestly, the Raider might be the most fun. He can summon this huge stone pillar your squad can hide behind, climb on, or attack from, and he’s tough enough to shrug off a bunch of minor hits. Learning each character is a blast, but playing in a group amps things up even more. You never know what you’ll run into, but having a mix like a tank, a spellcaster, and someone who boosts item drops is clutch. It’s pretty rare for a multiplayer game to launch with players basically encouraged to break it, so it’s gonna be wild watching Nightreign catch fire on streams and forums over the next few weeks.