It’s easy to see why – squint hard enough and the figure, a devotee of moon goddess Menasilde that underwent a drastic change under “death’s shadow,” resembles the Wylder from Elden Ring Nightreign. However, CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski has since hit back against the accusations by revealing that its armor design was finalized in July 2024, several months before Nightreign’s reveal.

“I’m pleased to prove that yesterday’s accusations of plagiarism are 100% false,” said Tyminski on Twitter, who added that it was implemented in-engine by October 2024. Once again, that’s before the existence of FromSoftware’s co-op rogue-lite title became known to the world. Chalk it up to coincidence, especially since both companies dabble so much in fantasy.

“Visual overlap can occur in medieval fantasy design. We respect FromSoftware, but we do not copy other studios,” he said. “The armour designs in Lords of the Fallen were widely praised, and we’re confident Lords 2 will be no different. We stand fully behind our artists, their originality, and the integrity of their work.”

Launching in 2026, Lords of the Fallen 2 will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC (which is published by Epic Games). The first gameplay debuted at The Game Awards 2025, showcasing epic bosses such as the Heartroot Warden and Koydreth. Brutal dismemberment was one of the highlights, and creative strategist Ryan Hill later confirmed that players could lop off all of an enemy’s limbs. Head here for more details.

If that’s appealing to you, you’re probably as much of a sucker for punishment as we are, and are going to love the ones that are on this list. Each one of them is going to test you in its own way, but the journey is certainly worth it as they are experiences you’d not want to miss.

Let’s dive in, and let the battles begin.

1. Bionic Bay

If you’re raising your eyebrows at the thought of a 2D platformer being among the hardest games of the year, allow us to warn you that this one comes with a lot of moments where you’re going to be feeling despair at the seemingly impossible challenge in front of you. That’s a sentiment that never fully leaves you as you try to navigate the complex pathways to your character’s ultimate escape that serves as the narrative framing for this adventure.

It takes a determined player to get to the end of this one, and if that’s you, strap in for a hell of a good time.

2. Elden Ring: Nightreign

Although I’d personally recommend you bring a couple of friends along to Limveld, playing with complete strangers might just be a natural part of the challenge on offer in this roguelike debut from FromSoftware. From planning the perfect route and being as efficient as possible when you take on the many threats you’re going to find along the way, this one is a rush through risky lands that can get quite addictive.

Of course, the bosses at the end of each run are going to be absolute walls that require multiple runs before you can even begin to formulate a strategy to take them down that can work with different combinations of weapons. We could go on, but you get the point.

3. Haste

While its premise, gameplay loop, and control scheme are deceptively simple, Haste is so unpredictable and reliant on precision for the best rewards that it becomes quite challenging to play it the way it wants you to. For a game that’s about running as fast as you can before you try to stick a perfect landing to preserve your momentum, it sure brings a myriad of ways to bring you to a sudden halt.

But if you’re the type to keep getting back up and trying again, you’re going to have a lot of fun (and digital concussions) with this one.

4. Escape From Tarkov

No matter the mode you pick on this extraction shooter, things are going to be challenging as you begin to trade damage with enemies and pick up a few injuries along the way. That’s thanks to the game’s emphasis on being a realistic tactical shooter, requiring you to be very cognizant of your presence in the world, and ever on the lookout for signs of life from your enemies, too.

Things can get tense with this one, especially against players who know what they’re doing with it. Approach it with caution and pay attention to its mechanics, as they could mean the difference between life and death.

5. Wuchang Fallen Feathers

This fantasy, based on the end of the Ming Dynasty, is a great example of a game that encourages you to try different approaches to insurmountable challenges until you find one that works. Its combat mechanics are sublime, with each of its weapon types coming with distinct mechanics that make them very special.

Its enemies and bosses are all excellent adversaries, while some of its harder enemies had us grinding our teeth in frustration at the errors they forced us to make. For a visually stunning world teeming with difficult fights to pick, this one is a no-brainer.

6. AI Limit

Life as a Blader isn’t easy, and Arissa is no stranger to the challenges that come her way in this sci-fi ARPG. But she’s only as good as the player guiding her actions, and the combat loop on offer makes things quite challenging to stay on top of. This game’s Soulslike trappings are proudly on display, and its enemy types make it quite hard to predict potential attacks and form strategies.

The result is an experience that needs you to think on your feet, and comes off all the more rewarding as a result.

7. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

Henry’s adventure in this sequel can get quite challenging if you don’t make good use of its excellent combat mechanics. While you can make things easy for yourself by exploring as much as you can, things are designed to remain a challenge throughout the experience in this title.

Its Hardcore mode takes the realism it presents to a whole other level, removing a lot of important assists that you might otherwise rely on. You’re going to want to master the basics of this game’s combat system and practice as much as you can to make the most of it.

8. Hollow Knight Silksong

As a worthy sequel to the original game, this one’s expanded size and scope make both exploration and combat work very well together to present a gameplay loop that constantly has you on the back foot if you’re prone to making errors in combat. Hornet’s improved agility and new moveset are a valuable addition to a game that brings a very troublesome rogues’ gallery to its levels.

You’re going to want to be precise and attack with intent if you want to survive this one’s toughest battles. To hesitate is to die, and this game does not let you forget that.

9. Blue Prince

This one is a great test of your wits for those among you who prefer that kind of a challenge. Finding the hidden 46th room in a mansion whose layout is ever-changing is going to have you thinking about potential solutions even while you’re at work. It’s maddeningly simple and yet quite hard to nail down.

When considered alongside a gameplay loop that’s designed to keep you bamboozled, this is a game that can send you in circles before you find that a solution was right in front of you all along.

10. The First Berserker: Khazan

For an exhilarating combat system backed up by a great story and some very unique visuals, Khazan’s battle is going to hit all the right notes and then some. The combat system gives you all the tools you need to face down any threats standing in your way, but makes each of those threats so memorable and challenging that you can’t help but get up and try again when they take you down.

This one’s so good that giving up on it isn’t an option, as you’re going to find out when you dive in.

11. DOOM: The Dark Ages

The Slayer might be feared by the forces of Hell, but he’s only as good as the one who wields his mighty arsenal of weapons. This prequel can get overwhelming if you don’t take full advantage of its new mechanics, and even that might not save you on its harder difficulties.

This is a game that needs you to be quite tactical as you take on enemies, planning a bloody path through their ranks with the brutal efficiency that only Earth’s mightiest defender can wield against the forces that threaten his world. The Slayer’s latest adventure is a deadly one, but it’s totally worth it if you’re up for the challenge.

12. Warriors: Abyss

Although the massive roster and a great combat system are the main draws of this one, it can get quite difficult to take on the armies it throws at you in the heat of battle. You’re going to have to master your moves to get the most out of your build, and the game’s enemies are no pushovers, ready to slice and dice you into oblivion if you allow the momentum of a battle to slip away.

While the story could have been better, it does manage to give you a reason to take on as many enemies as you like with almost reckless abandon, provided you earn your mastery through practice and perfection.

13. Ninja Gaiden 4

The new Ninja Gaiden does very well to preserve the franchise’s trademark challenge, with both Ryu and Yakumo having their abilities pushed to their limits over the course of the story. Taking on enemies with its combat system might be familiar if you’re a returning veteran, but it can get a tad challenging to master for a newcomer.

Either way, this is a game where you need to use all of the skills you learn in order to stay on top of everything it throws at you. Oh, and of course, you have to do it all with style. Otherwise, what’s the point?

14. Hell Is Us

While this game’s combat might not be too much of a challenge, it’s in how the game’s very design is aimed at making it all as opaque as possible that gets you. Hell is Us can get quite complicated if you’re not paying attention, with so much of its content hidden away behind a veil of obscurity that seems to cover its world.

Uncovering it all is going to require the best of your sleuthing skills, and of course, a bit of talent with your blades whenever the need arises. Even that might not be enough to see all it has to offer in a single playthrough. Approach this one with a suitable notepad in hand.

15. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance

Joe Musashi’s fight against the ENE is a great action-platformer that can have you retrying portions of it more often than you’d like to admit. While you do enjoy Musashi’s agility and a solid arsenal of skills and tools to make fights easier as the adventure goes on, its enemies ensure that you’re always kept on your toes and that no victory feels cheap.

It’s a deadly dance of attacks and dodges that can have you spending hours just enjoying its balance between simplicity and depth.

And that’s a wrap on the hardest games of 2025 that caught our attention. We can only wonder what the year ahead has in store for us, but no matter what, know that we’re going to be there for it all alongside you!

According to the description of the game mode found in the datamining, the game mode will not allow players to pick the boss fight they are targeting. Along with this, the difficulty will also rise the deeper players get into their run. More challenging encounters can be encountered by winning rounds of Deep of Night, which will reward players with an increase to their rating.

Ratings seemingly go from 0 all the way to over 6,000, with the system being divided into five distinct tiers. Each tier will allow a player to go deeper into the Deep of the Night mode, with the game mode starting players off at a rating of 0, allowing them to enter Depth 1, and then letting players go to Depth 2 after they get their rating up to 1,000. Similarly, these tiers are divided into 1000 points each, with the highest rating seemingly being 6,000 and beyond, allowing for entry into Depth 5.

The ratings system will also have an effect on the matchmaking, with players being matched as much as possible with others in the same Depth. If no players are found, however, the pool will expand to find players in different Depth levels as well. As for the progression system, the Relics system will be getting expanded to offer the chance to equip additional Relics that can only take effect in the Deep of Night mode. This would make players quite a bit more powerful, since the game would then allow for up to six relics to be active at the same time.

The moment-to-moment gameplay will also be changed up quite a bit, with the datamines indicating that players might run into “magmafied” enemies. Along with this, the loot that players might find in a run will also see some changes, with armaments having debuffs along with the benefits they offer.

Elden Ring Nightreign got a major update just last week. Along with bug fixes and UI adjustments, the biggest thing this update brought with it was the ability for players to set off on two-player expeditions. Since the update, players have been able to adjust the number of players that are setting off for an expedition through the Expedition Type screen.

An update, slated for release today, will be giving the Everdark treatment to Fissure in the Fog. With the update, players will be able to take on a beefed-up version of the Caligo, Miasma of Night boss, with the fight likely including new mechanics and moves that players will have to figure out how to deal with.

Elden Ring Nightreign is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Check out our review for more details.

While the company has had a good first quarter, the revenue figures for its gaming division – dubbed the Digital Business division – accounted for revenues of roughly $732 million, with around $147 million contributing to operating profits. The revenue has been attributed to a number of titles, including Tamagotchi Puchi Puchi Omisecchi: Omachidosama!, SD Gundam G Generation ETERNAL, and Elden Ring Nightreign.

Elden Ring Nightreign was released smack dab in the middle of the quarter in late May, and quickly proved itself to be incredibly popular. Despite coming out near the end of the month, the title quickly ended up topping sales charts in the US, and became the 11th best selling game in the country so far. By late July, Bandai Namco would confirm that Elden Ring Nightreign’s sales had surpassed 5 million shipments.

Since its release, Elden Ring Nightreign has seen quite a bit of post-launch support by developer FromSoftware. The most recent one of these updates, released at the end of July, brought with it the ability for players to take on the game’s various challenges in two-player expedition. For context, prior to the update, players were limited to playing the title in either a 3-player party, or completely solo. The new two-player expeditions also feature rebalanced gameplay, with enemy health having been rebalanced to account for fewer players.

Gearing up for the next major release slated to arrive this week, Elden Ring Nightreign will be getting its next Everdark Sovereign – Fissure in the Fog. Interestingly, a week later, the next bosses to get the Everdark Sovereign treatment will be Tricephalos and Equilibrius Beast. Taking on Everdark Sovereigns rewards players with Sovereign Sigils, which can then be traded with NPCs for special Relics.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an interesting experiment for FromSoftware. While making use of some of the foundations laid by the original Elden Ring, Nightreign brings in co-op gameplay into the mix along with a game structure that is closer to that of a battle royale game mixed with some roguelite elements. Shortly after release, producer Yasuhiro Kitao thanked players for indulging the studio in its experiments.

“Nightreign has some peculiar aspects to its game design and is different from our recent titles in various ways,” wrote Kitao. “Nonetheless, many of you have bravely jumped into this world, and for that we’re immensely grateful.”

Elden Ring Nightreign is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For more details about the game, check out our review. And while you’re at it, also check out our thoughts on ten weapons that we want added to the game.

It’s also become the 11th best-selling title of the year to date. Monster Hunter Wilds still rules the roost, followed by The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The other big new release of the month, id Software’s DOOM: The Dark Ages, ranked in second place on its debut.

The first-person shooter became the developer’s biggest launch in history, and also ranked second in physical and digital sales for PS5 and PC in the US. Despite also launching on day one for Game Pass, it ranked third on Xbox sales charts.

Total projected spending rose by one percent to $4.1 billion year-over-year, but year-to-date trails 2024 by six percent at $21.8 billion.

Similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the Executor can parry attacks in quick succession (seemingly with a unique blade). He can also unleash a powerful strike which seems capable of staggering foes. However, his ability to transform into a giant beast that can swipe and slam enemies is perhaps the most impressive part.

It’s a unique character who may have his own quirks for such powerful abilities. The final Nightfarer is rumored to be the Revenant, and with Elden Ring Nightreign out on May 30th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, it’s only a matter of time before we learn more.

Stay tuned for details, and check out our feature for everything you need to know.

Fortunately, the latest gameplay trailer offers more insight into his abilities, including the Sixth Sense Passive. It allows for automatically avoiding a fatal attack, but only once. Other skills include the grappling hook, which can pull the Wylder towards enemies. However, you can also stun foes with it.

Finally, there’s the Onslaught Stake, his Ultimate Art. As you probably surmised, this isn’t just an explosive crossbow shot – it’s a stake that you embed into the enemy and can stun larger targets for a critical blow.

With Elden Ring Nightreign launching on May 30th, two Nightfarers remain to be revealed – the Executor and Revenant. Stay tuned for more updates and in the meantime, check out our feature.

Straight off the bat, first thing to state with Elden Ring Nightreign is this is a standalone adventure. Not only do players require zero prior knowledge of Elden Ring’s expansive narrative and lore to get the best out of Nightreign but, unlike last year’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, players don’t even need to own the original title. This is a one-time purchase, not live service, no seasons, or battle passes – at least, there’s nothing officially announced at time of this feature’s creation. Instead, squads of three can jump right in and start battling away in a reimagined version of Elden Ring starting area Limgrave, rebranded here as Limveld.

The premise is straightforward enough: Elden Ring Nightreign is an action survival adventure with roguelike structure. Three warriors find themselves castaway in a hostile realm, an environment lulling them in with its lush pastures and golden canopies, yet bandits, soldiers, and monsters – some cameoing out of Elden Ring, some brand-new creations cooked up by FromSoftware – stalk the landscape. The task is to kill and pillage, to scavenge the loot of your slain foe to level up during each run. Runs last three days, and this scavenging phase takes place during daytime. An ever-shrinking battle royale-style perimeter – confusingly dubbed the Night Rain, as in rain shower – channels players to the map’s centre where an end-of-day boss awaits. The clock is ticking, and as a result exploration is much less cerebral than FromSoft’s usual Souls style. Exploration is still critical mind, just done at a ramped-up pace. Supporting all the bandit slaying are subterranean caves dotted with treasure, guarded bastions harbouring documents, short environmental puzzles, and middling bosses.

Should squads survive two nights in Lemveld then they’ll be transported to an arena known as the Spirit Shelter where they can put all their skills and upgrades to the test and take on one of eight pre-chosen mega bosses, known as Nightlords. If Elden Ring’s boss battles are anything to go by, these climactic showdowns at the end of a couple of days’ toil are sure to be a spectacle.

Each run begins with players at level one but Nightreign’s upgrades, via discoverable runes, come quickly. In fact, levelling up in this Elden Ring spin-off is extremely fast, and to demonstrate Nightreign’s pick-up-and-play ethos adding XP to your character isn’t as arduous a task as it is in FromSoftware’s other titles. Spending runes here levels up your character whilst boosting their overall stats. There’s no time to labour over which ability to upgrade. Furthermore, each of the game’s playable heroes can wield just about every weapon; it’s their unique skills and abilities which distinguish them from each other. So, build customisation is a shade more limited compared to traditional RPG levelling up, but it is possible in the form of randomised loot which, of course, is dropped by downed enemies. Some of this loot functions passively – weapon stat buffs, elemental and physical affinities, and numerous other effects – and some is housed in breakable chests that usually contain some sort of consumable to upgrade weapon damage or similar.

Progression outside of the action exists too in the form of advancing character stories. See, in between runs players return to an alternative version of the Roundtable Hold from Elden Ring and here, alongside affixing permanent runic upgrades, they’ll be able to experience a form of narrative progression for each of the game’s eight hero characters. Before we get into describing these characters in-depth, it’s worth pointing out that FromSoftware have stated that as each character’s story advances then the world of Limveld will re-shape and react in tandem. It’s incarnation upon starting the game is a mix of fixed structures and landmarks, but – to alleviate any staleness – there’ll be elements of variation in where enemies spawn and the like. As an aside, dramatic, unexpected changes can occur too: crashing meteorites, boss ambushes, and… uhm, sudden volcanoes.

So, onto Elden Ring Nightreign’s cast of heroes and, yes, we’re calling them heroes as FromSoftware have clearly gone down the route that’s well established by Apex Legends and Overwatch, et cetera. Each hero in Elden Ring Nightreign is uniquely skilled, with their own abilities and combat style. Together with collectable loot and upgrades, this blend of skills across three-player teams is sure to create innumerably powerful synergies. Unlike FromSoft’s usual fayre, there isn’t ability to create or customise these characters beyond permanent upgrades and collectable outfits. As you’d expect, there’s breadth to the cast though. All info on their uniqueness is available on Bandai Namco’s website, but just know that each playable hero possesses distinct passive ability, character skill, and ultimate art, the latter being a powerful signature move.

Wylder is an easy to learn tough to master hero who’s attacking and defensive capabilities are evenly balanced. Their passive ability – Sixth Sense – allows them one free respawn, presumably retaining runes that’d be dropped in any other death. Raider is tough as old boots, a powerful, armour-clad sea farer who wields humungous weapons. Ironeye is an archer with pinpoint accuracy, Recluse is the mage able to conjure powerful spells and cursed magic. Guardian is defensive, with a solid shield that can withstand the most ferocious attacks. Finally, Duchess is like the spy, nimble, swift, and evasive, with an ultimate art capable of making herself and the rest of the squad invisible.

At face value, without considering any runic powerups, there’re clear strategies that Nightreign players can pursue. For example: Ironeye’s character skill marks enemy weakpoints, Raider’s retaliate skill pummels the marked enemy until they recoil, before Wylder unleashes their powerful character art onslaught stake to finish the stunned foe off. The fact that these situations will occur at breakneck speed is enticing. FromSoftware, as per reports of early demo players, haven’t reinvented the wheel when it comes to Elden Ring’s combat. Veterans of The Lands Between will feel right at home when the skirmishes commence. With scalable difficulties – another first in FromSoftware’s Souls canon – there’s the hope here that players with less finely-tuned reflexes will finally be able to enjoy the ravishing combat upon which FromSoft have made their name.

Players cannot expect this to perform like a multi-player Soulslike though, no. Elden Ring Nightreign is very much its own thing, taking the macabre universe already established in its single player guises and translating it into an experience more akin to Apex Predators or – sacrilegiously perhaps – Fortnite. It’s a sure-fire winning combination, and one that has potential to elevate Elden Ring Nightreign above the pile of co-op games coming out before the end of the year. 

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Limveld vs. The Lands Between

Nightreign is set in the same universe as Elden Ring, emphasis on “universe.” It doesn’t exist in The Lands Between but instead runs parallel. The jury is out on how directly this connects to the original game’s events and outcomes. However, for now, you can treat the struggle as completely separate from the Shattering and the contest to become Elden Lord.

Map Size Comparison

Anyone who even glanced at the Lands Between will know just how massive it can be, and that’s before taking the Land of Shadow into account. Limveld obviously isn’t anywhere as large – it’s an island that’s more comparable to Limgrave in scale. Until we get a closer look at its verticality and depths, it’s hard to say just how play space is available, but regardless, think of it as a much more condensed location with less time to travel between the significant points of interest.

Exploration

When you landed in the Lands Between, you probably first thought, “I’m going to fight that big guy on the horse, what’s the worst that could happen?” Your second (or third, or fourth) was likely investigating the various nooks and crannies of the map, discovering caves, secrets, and loot. The exploration remains an impressive part of the experience, with almost every corner promising something special. Of course, there is a core purpose if you choose to pursue it, namely battling the Legacy Dungeon bosses and collecting the Great Runes – pieces of the Elden Ring – but you’re otherwise free to explore.

While you’re still slaying enemies, discovering weapons, and leveling up with Runes in Nightreign, you’ll do so over three days and nights, culminating in a battle with a Nightlord. Again, there’s plenty of freedom to wander around, but as the day progresses, a ring will slowly enclose the map, limiting your freedom and culminating in a boss battle.

Rogue-Like Structure vs. Open World

Both titles are open-world at heart. Whether it’s that giant castle in the center of Limveld or that totally innocent-looking Haligtree – if you can see it, you can probably die there. Nightreign is different, especially with regards to a time limit and the world slowly closing in, but the other stickler is that any weapons acquired during a run won’t carry over into the next. It’s a rogue-like, and you’ll always start from level 1, fighting your way up and becoming stronger to survive and face the Nightlord.

Changing Map vs. Static World

The Lands Between had its share of changes as Elden Ring’s story progressed, but most of it remained static throughout one’s playthrough. Nightreign’s Limveld procedurally changes with modifiers (known as Shifting Earth) that can spawn phenomena like craters surrounded by lava with tougher enemies. You’ll also occasionally fight against other invading Nightfarers controlled by the AI, stave off an attack by The Fell Omen, and deal with a boss that can take away your levels if its attacks hit (and which are lost for that run if you don’t kill it). These can all occur randomly and without warning, though the Shifting Earth can be removed or replaced if you sleep in the Roundtable Hold.

Nightlords vs. Bosses

The Nightlords are the final challenge that awaits at the end of a run, with players battling one of eight. It’s a pretty stark contrast to Elden Ring’s multitudes of bosses (not including repeats). Bosses and mini-bosses will appear while venturing through Limveld, though the Nightlords are on a different level. Some, like Libra: Creature of Night, even feature mechanics like making a deal for a powerful weapon or other bonuses in exchange for increasing the fight’s difficulty in unknown ways.

Progression Differences

Most rogue-likes offer some form of permanent progression, and in Nightreign’s case, it’s in the forms of Relics and Murk. Relics are awarded upon each run and will boost your stats or alter your skills, whether it’s reducing their cooldown, increasing their effectiveness and so on. Murk is used to purchase things from the Roundtable Hold’s vendor, including emotes, Relic Rites, and even more Relics. It’s a far cry from steadily building your personal armory in Elden Ring, but should still tip the scales in your favor for future runs.

Movement Differences

Remember when someone told you it was possible to double jump just before hitting the ground on your Spectral Steed and not die from an uncomfortably high place? Well, good news, because Nightreign doesn’t have fall damage of any kind, and to make up for the lack of Torrent, your movement speed is faster. It’s also possible to scale up cliffs and walls and utilize Spiritsprings.

Reviving Teammates

Another major change from Elden Ring is the ability to revive allies. Instead of immediately dying and returning to their world, after which they need to be summoned, allies will enter a downed state in Nightreign. You must then pummel them relentlessly to revive them. Bizarre? Sure, but also oddly satisfying.

Co-op Focused vs. Solo-Favored

Initial trailers for Nightreign raised some concerns that it would be a co-op-only title. Of course, some clarification and one network test later, and you can indeed venture into Limveld as a solo player, just like in Elden Ring. However, the experience is more challenging as a whole, especially given the changes to Spirit Ashes (with only one character, the rumored Revenant, being the only one who can seemingly use them). While the focus is on co-op, this isn’t to say that there’s no reason to go in solo, due to…

Remembrances

While Nightreign embraces the item lore, it introduces a brand new narrative device: Remembrances. These can unlock lore like journal entries for each Nightfarer, but they also grant access to separate instances where you’ll interact with other NPCs and receive personal objectives. The latter requires going to a different part of the map and possibly fighting an enemy that wouldn’t appear in normal runs. Each Nightfarer’s Remembrance unfolds differently – like the Raider and his 1v1 coliseum battles – but they’ll shine more light on their backstories.

Online-Only vs. Offline

Unfortunately, even if you’re keen on soloing everything, Elden Ring Nightreign is an online-only title. It makes sense considering the co-op focus, but if that don’t sound appealing, there’s always the base game.

Pricing

Like Helldivers 2 and the upcoming FBC: Firebreak, Elden Ring Nightreign costs $39.99, compared to the original game’s $59.99 price. Even the Deluxe Edition, which includes additional DLC to launch later this year, costs $54.99 compared to the $79.99 for the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition.

DLC

The jury is still out on what Nightreign’s DLC could offer compared to the original game. FromSoftware said it would add new playable characters and bosses before promptly removing this wording from Steam. And while new weapons and spells seem a given – alongside maybe some alternate skills for the Nightfarers – will it go even further and add another map? It’s hard to say, but you probably shouldn’t expect something on the scale of Shadow of the Erdtree, especially given the price difference.

Playtime

Elden Ring can offer up to 100 hours of gameplay if you thoroughly explore the Lands Between en route to completing the story, and even that doesn’t include everything. By comparison, a single run in Nightreign can take 45 to 50 minutes to complete. Of course, this is a rogue-like. Even if you master all the Nightfarers and unlock their Remembrances, there will be extensive replay value courtesy of the changing map and co-op play.

As for his skills, the Wylder has a wrist-mounted crossbow that fires a powerful explosive shot. His passive seems to be a modified dodge, which puts far more distance between him and his enemies. However, the most notable element is the grappling hook for traversal and latching onto enemies, pulling the Wylder close to attack.

Two more Nightfarers remain to be revealed – the rumored Executor and the summoner Revenant – so stay tuned for more updates. Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Check out our feature for everything you need to know before playing. You can also learn about Remembrances and how they add a story-telling flavor unique to FromSoftware.