Why God of War Ragnarok Valhalla Fans Should Play Elden Ring Nightreign

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The game “Elden Ring Nightreign” represents one of FromSoftware’s less conventional endeavors, yet it aligns with the gaming industry’s current fascination with the roguelike genre. While roguelikes have been around for many years, their surge in popularity truly took off in the 2010s, to a point where even casual gamers are acquainted with titles such as “Hades” and “The Binding of Isaac”.

Besides the independent scene, other sources are also contributing to the genre’s growth. For instance, in late 2023, Santa Monica Studios astonished gamers by providing the Valhalla DLC for God of War Ragnarok at no cost to those who owned the main game. What made this DLC exceptional wasn’t just its free price tag, but its quality – it was genuinely good, both in terms of narrative and gameplay. Rather than being a mere add-on or cheap gimmick, Valhalla significantly enhanced the base game experience. If Santa Monica had added a few more features or embellishments, they might have been able to charge for it. In a similar vein, FromSoftware seems to be following this approach with Elden Ring Nightreign.

Elden Ring Nightreign Is Basically Elden Ring’s ‘Valhalla’ Moment

How God of War Ragnarok’s Valhalla DLC Recontextualizes Its Combat Loop

It might seem surprising that Valhalla is so effective given its limited changes to the base game’s combat system. Instead of adding numerous new weapons and skills (although additional tools are introduced through DLC), the expansion primarily excels through reinterpretation. To put it another way, Valhalla streamlines the progression systems of the original game, rewarding players with long-term benefits for brief periods of dedication. This allows players some level of control over their progression path by choosing which paths to take and which upgrades to prioritize.

In the realm of Valhalla, I find that control empowers and encourages experimentation like no other. This game doesn’t make me wait for ages to craft my perfect combat build; instead, it speeds up progression and keeps things temporary. That means I can switch things up quickly if a build isn’t quite clicking with me. The intricate yet subtle adjustments in Valhalla breathe new life into its core combat mechanics, making the combat sandbox more engaging and enjoyable. And let me tell you, Elden Ring Nightreign seems to share those same innovative traits!

Elden Ring Nightreign Pulls Similar Design Tricks as the Valhalla DLC

Just as the Valhalla expansion does, the Nightreign adds fresh weapons and capabilities to the mix; the distinctive powers for Nightfarer stand out particularly. However, most of the combat experience remains similar to that in the original Elden Ring game. Players will continue to deplete enemy health with both melee and ranged weapons, they’ll still need to watch their stamina, and they’ll have to skillfully dodge rolls and I-frames to avoid taking damage.

Similar to Valhalla, Nightreign embodies the essence of Elden Ring by compacting its fundamental gameplay and advancement mechanisms. The ability to swiftly and efficiently test out various weapons, skills, charms, and more gives Nightreign a sense of adaptability and concentration that surpasses its ancestor. While Elden Ring’s combat and character building are initially open-ended, they gradually solidify over countless hours. However, shrinking Elden Ring’s progression systems doesn’t just make Nightreign feel like a scaled-down version of the 2022 game; it fosters a unique combat experience that wouldn’t have been achievable without its roguelike structure. This resemblance to Valhalla in spirit suggests a possible broader trend towards this approach in future games.

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2025-06-06 18:34