My thoughts on Elden Ring: Nightreign – POST ‘The Forsaken Hollows’ DLC
This is the closest to a review as I’m going to write for ‘The Forsaken Hollow’ as my thoughts tie pretty nicely into my overall thoughts and honestly, I’ve probably not done enough of the DLC to review it properly.
It’s been a little while since I last played Nightreign, putting the game down somewhere post release of Everdark Gladius and definitely pre Deep of Night, so i was excited to get back to the game for the new content – Two new Nightlords, 3 raids, a new shifting Earth. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve played but I can’t help but feel like, despite the content introduced in the DLC, it’s too little too late.
I’m fully willing to admit, the problem lies with me. As fun as the game is, committing to 40 minute runs to see the new content, most likely die and repeat isn’t as tantalizing an idea 100 hours in as it is at the start, especially given that this is fairly end game content (Comparatively speaking). The additions of new Points of Interest are nice, as are the three new raids (Though they’re proving to be controversial) but I’m still playing the same game for a smidgen chance of the new content. The new Night 1 and Night 2 bosses are cool but again it’s still the stuff we’ve already seen – moveset changes and additions don’t diminish that fact.
The addition of two new characters is nice, and I love their lore but as of writing, I’ve only played a little bit of Undertaker and none of Scholar but then again, I’ve barely played any of the base roster outside of a couple favourites. Having to learn new characters on hard levels is tough but the alternative is once again running an old expedition you’ve probably done 1000 times before. I do feel bad for not giving them the time of day but they’re the victims of release circumstance.
FromSoftware have listened though, somewhat. The community asked for a new map and FromSoftware obliged in a monkey’s paw kind of way, given that the Shifting Earth is basically a new map. The problem with Shifting Earth’s is that they rotate after about 5 runs and from my brief experience with the new map, I’m not a very big fan of it. Confusing multilayered map design works well in something like the Land of Shadows from Shadow of the Erdtree but works considerably less so in one where you’re under a constant time pressure. Given more time, I’m sure I’d learn the map but The Great Hollow does nothing to usurp original and reigning champs – The Crater and Noklotea.
That’s enough whinging though, what about the Nightlords? While they’re technically (lore wise) not Nightlords, the two new end of Expedition bosses – Weapon-Bequeathed Harmonia and Traitorous Straghess. Harmonia is decent enough, it’s a gank boss handled pretty well, a top 50 contender absolutely. Traitorous Straghess though, I only took one attempt at before deciding that I just can’t be bothered with the game anymore.
If I was to take the general roadmap of updates the game received, it’d be The Forsaken Hollow first, followed by the Everdark Sovereigns then the last update would be Deep of Night. To me it makes more sense to introduce new content before the hard mode content, to keep casual players enjoying the game and giving the hardcore something to return for.
As it stands, Nightreign and it’s DLC is fun I think I just need to play the other games again and return to this one at some other point in the future. Maybe post Duskbloods.
