[h1] I Wish It Can Be More Addicting [/h1]
Roguelike is one of the most addicting genre that I've barely scratched the surface. One of the best game that I've played in 2025 is Hades 2. The game has good replayability, varied build to experiment, interesting story, and exciting characters. I've spent in total of 200 hours to finish the steam achievement and finished the story of the game around 100 hours. It was really addictting to try many build but also being attached to the game with its story and charming characters. In 2025, Elden Ring is also one of my favorite game, but not until recently I completed the steam achievement. When I saw Elden Ring attempt their Roguelike spinoff, I am sold.
Elden Ring and Roguelike have a thing in common, and that is the potential to create a variant of builds. You see, in 2025, Elden Ring didn't click with me because all I did was making one build, sword and shield. The sword and shield circled around strength and dexterity build that focuses on massive HP and Equip Load. Not only that, on my first playthrough, it was really hard to follow all side-quest and even main-quest since I really don't know the steps, location, and requirement are. But despite all that, it was really fun to explore the whole area, figuring out how to unlock the hidden places, and finding all items. After finishing it around 70 hours, I thought I had enough with it. Not until a couple months later, it was like an unfinished business seeing it on my library. I haven't find all spells, do all endings, and all secrets. Therefore, I ran it back. On 2nd playthrough, not only I'm discovering all the remaining content, I explore new builds. It was super fun. It's like a brand new experience, from trying new spells, new weapon, and I enjoyed it so much I had to buy the Shadow of The Erdtree! The fun continues!
On 2nd playthrough, It was faith blasphemous build. On 3rd, It was faith-arcane dragon/Mogh spear build. On 4th, It was faith buff vows-Marika sword build. On 5th, It was Intellegence lusat staff-Ranni greatsword build. Wait, I'm Elden Lord through and through! The game was amazing. The experience was immaculate. The NPC from Millicent, Fia, Sellen, and Alexander are nicely-written. I want more. And then I realized that I've done everything and It gets quiet boring doing all of it. The only thing I haven't try much is actually the multiplayer bit. I haven't try PvP or summoning other players to help bosses. It's always me and me (Mimic Ashes). That's why Nightreign is a medium to take out all my addiction in Elden Ring to embrace my builds. But you know, the game can't be good if it's just about that.
On the surface, Nightreign hold so much potential to embrace your build with guided characters. I love faith build so Revenant and Undertaker are my favorite characters ever. But I also like playing sword and shield, that's where Guardian will take place. Despite the characteristic of it, the game won't force you to build the way the character intended because if you find certain items with amazing passive and good setup, you can pivot it for greated damage. And since it's an online multiplayer, you can try to adapt with what others build to create The Avengers of Lands Between. These are actually favorite part about the game, so many varied characters to embrace varied build with varied route from drop point, shifting earth, and bosses. These are what differs Nightreign and Elden Ring. It's unique, it's different, and experimental. But when I'm talking about Revenant, Undertaker, or Guardian, I'm talking about the potential of their build, not their story. I really wish the story-telling doesn't follow the Elden Ring footsteps and can be something new, just like the attempt of the genre.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed all the remembrance of the characters. All of the characters above I've mentioned are probably the character's remembrance I've finished minus Scholar and Wylder. But I'm really disconnected to the story because the half part of it are told in a journal. The half good parts are when told in cutscenes and dialogue. On recent example, Undertaker story is quiet sad and disturbing the way she's being exiled as pilgrimage of salvation to the Lands Between, that's why the climax of her redemption was so good because she finally embraced of what she is instead of denying it. She reminds me of Roderika and I took a quiet liking of her story too. I wish the story can be more lengthy, I wish it get the same quality cutscenes like Revenant, I wish it can be more interactive with other Nightfarers, and I wish for more. Her story is really straightforward, because the story of the game is not even trying.
I finished the story of the game in 20 hours. I feel like that is way too short for a game about replayability. Mind you, Hades 2 takes 100 hours to get to the Epilogue, and that is doing the same thing over and over again. You may hate the comparison, but Hades 2 (and Hades) is the prime example of a fun Roguelike games. Some players might not care about the story and just wanted to play. Although it all applies to the roguelike games, but the story is what Elden Ring in general special to me. To know Millicent, Zoraya, Alexander, Goldmask, Fia, Sir Ansbach, Thiollier, Sellen, Ranni, St. Trina and Patches conclusion, are what makes Elden Ring more memorable. Their stories are not cryptic at all, most of them are really good because there's a dialogue that visualize their emotion. Although still cryptic enough because they're still in Elden Ring cage. Nightreign could be more than that by making more interraction with other Nightfarers, more NPC side-quest, cutscenes, and the goal is to make the best accomplishment despite having through the game over and over again.
Nightreign is a nice attempt to create something refreshing yet remain faithful out of the Elden Ring. Embracing your build and role-playing as Nightfarers are really fun. As you experiment new things, the run of your expedition are always varied with multiple shifting earth, bosses, and routes. The quest or remembrance of the Nightfarers are really good too but it struggles on making an interesting conclusion on a loopy narrative. The gameplay is really fun but I was hoping for greater attachment to the characters with more lengthy story, plot-twist, and being eventually more immersed into the game. I love Elden Ring and I really enjoyed Roguelike genre, but Nightreign couldn't make me addicted on both of them. I give Elden Ring Nightreign, 8,25/10.
