One Revamped Elden Ring Feature is the Unsung Hero of Nightreign

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Summary

  • Elden Ring Nightreign features revamped traversal, fast-paced movement, and fluid exploration.
  • Nightreign’s traversal borrows elements from Sekiro, offering increased speed and vertical movement.
  • While Nightreign’s traversal is rewarding, future FromSoftware games may benefit from grounded movement to maintain vulnerability.

In a fresh twist on FromSoftware’s world design, Elden Ring paved the way, and now Elden Ring Nightreign has further refined this innovation. Before Elden Ring, the tried-and-true formula of Soulslike games was mainly confined to linear adventures. However, the Lands Between introduced a ‘roam freely, explore at will’ approach, which instantly resonated with players. One of the most appealing features of Elden Ring is its expansive open world, offering an adventure that even surpasses the captivating locales found in Dark Souls.

In shifting to a Roguelike style, the game Elden Ring Nightreign was bound to bring some adjustments to its approach, and many didn’t anticipate how dramatically it would diverge. Nightreign, unlike other games in the series, is remarkably swift, not just in terms of speed but also literally, as Nightfarers can run nearly as fast as Torrent gallops. A session in Nightreign could effortlessly transport players from one end of Limveld to the other on foot, a significant departure from the deliberate, slow-paced style that defined the Dark Souls series. However, this swift and dynamic gameplay feels well-suited to Nightreign’s unique requirements, offering a rhythm that seems tailor-made for the game.

The Revamped Traversal Is One of Elden Ring Nightreign’s Best Features

In Elden Ring, some elements stand out immediately, like its diverse influences and recurring bosses from Dark Souls in Nightreign. However, there are certain aspects that can’t be observed but rather experienced. One such aspect is the traversal. When exploring the Lands Between, players are granted Torrent to access places they wouldn’t normally reach. But without Torrent, navigating Limveld becomes a unique challenge for Nightfarers, making it feel extraordinary.

Nightreign combines some of Torrent’s features into the Nightfarers, such as using Spiritsprings.

In Nightreign, the way you move through Elden Ring’s vast landscape is significantly altered, drawing heavily from Sekiro’s climbing mechanics. This allows Nightfarers to access areas that very few other FromSoftware heroes can reach. It’s not just about going up, but also down, as jumping from high places to the ground becomes commonplace, making a refreshing change for fans of FromSoftware games who have had a tricky past with gravity. The swift movement, vertical traversal, and daring leaps give Nightreign a smooth, fluid feel that’s incredibly enjoyable. It’s liberating to be able to move freely around Limveld, turning what was once a tedious task in Elden Ring’s expansive world without Torrent into an enjoyable experience instead.

In contrast to some games, Nightreign’s map is not just one piece, but a blend of a kit and a global design, crafted by FromSoftware. This unique layout allows for seamless travel, with spiritsprings and grave piles scattered throughout, making it easy to reach high areas. Rarely will players find themselves stuck or trapped in Nightreign’s map due to its open-ended structure, reminiscent of Skyrim’s world design, albeit with a faster pace, much like a Khajiit on Skooma. The environment is always full of surprises, and even as the night falls, Nightreign usually provides players with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about how many tasks they can accomplish in a specific timeframe.

As Good as It Is in Nightreign, the Traversal Should Probably Not Make a Comeback in Future FromSoftware Games

In the context of video games, Nightreign’s swift, smooth gameplay is enjoyable and satisfying, but it might not be ideal for reappearance in future single-player titles from FromSoftware. The limited, grounded movement in many Soulslikes creates an atmosphere of vulnerability, which is often what makes these games feel rewarding when tackling new challenges. Although Nightreign is challenging, its gameplay style offers more freedom in strategy, which could make future FromSoftware games less immersive if they followed a similar approach. Instead, it would be beneficial for future titles to maintain a more earthbound feel, allowing experimental games like Nightreign and The Duskbloods to explore movement mechanics more freely.

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2025-06-06 04:05