FromSoftware is really smart about how they talk about their DLC. They always seem to downplay things at first, then totally blow us away with what they actually deliver. That’s definitely how it feels with Nightreign, the first DLC for Elden Ring. I mentioned to the team that it reminded me a bit of Shadow of the Erdtree, and they were quick to point out it wasn’t quite the same scale. Basically, they didn’t want us getting our hopes up too high and expecting something on that level, which is a good sign, honestly!
The Forsaken Hollows update introduces two new playable characters, the Nightfarers, and gives players a reason to revisit the world of Limveld to battle the Nightlords. While that’s the core of it, the update offers much more! The new Nightfarers are exceptionally well-designed, adding fresh strategies and gameplay options. Players will explore new swamp biomes – a welcome return – where status effects pose a greater danger. Plus, there are several new mini-bosses and challenging third-day bosses to defeat.
The biggest surprise is the new Shifting Earth event – it introduces a completely new map, separate from Limveld. This is a much larger change than the smaller environmental updates we’ve seen before.
It’s true that managing expectations is a good idea, but The Forsaken Hollows surprised me just as much as the massive scale of Shadow of the Erdtree did. After playing it, I found myself excited about Nightreign again.
Before discussing specifics with FromSoftware, I wanted to know how the studio felt about how players received their first game focused on multiplayer. FromSoftware has been upfront about the fact that Nightreign was deliberately created with tight limitations on both time and budget. I found this transparency particularly interesting, especially regarding whether they consider the game a success.
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The game’s performance has been largely as we anticipated,” said director Junya Ishizaki. “We consider it a success. Players have responded positively to the gameplay, and we were pleasantly surprised by their interpretations of the relationships between the characters – especially how players see them as friendly and kind. That wasn’t something we specifically focused on during development, so it’s great to see players creating their own narratives.
It’s no surprise that FromSoftware fans are good at finding hidden connections in their games – they’re known for digging deep. What was surprising, though, was the relatively mild reaction to what seemed like reused assets in the game. Instead of focusing on that, most discussions centered on how the game’s carefully crafted mechanics and balance felt twisted into something strange, yet strangely captivating.
Considering all of this, it’s probably not surprising that The Forsaken Hollows doesn’t feature a lot of completely original content for Nightreign. Instead, it builds upon what already exists, offering fresh perspectives on familiar elements and drawing inspiration – and some surprises – from the studio’s past games.
Consider the Scholar and the Undertaker. At first glance, these new Nightfarer characters didn’t seem very impressive – at least, that was my initial impression. But after playing with them for just a short time, I realized they have the potential to significantly change how Nightfarers play and how they deal with the obstacles in Limveld.
When I first started playing as the Scholar, I honestly thought he was going to be a bit of a weak link! He seemed like he mostly hung back, trying to help the team with buffs and debuffs. And yeah, that’s part of what he does. His special ability, Analyze, lets him switch between fighting and scanning the battlefield with this big circle. The more enemies – even allies! – he keeps in that circle, the stronger his effects get. Plus, the closer he is to what he’s analyzing, the faster those effects build up. At first, it just boosts my own stamina, which is nice. But if you can keep it going all the way to level three, he creates this awesome shield that sends out a shockwave when it’s hit. And on the enemy side, a level one debuff weakens their attacks, but level three makes their next hit take a whole lot more damage. It’s a really cool way to play a support character!
The Scholar class has a passive skill called Bagcraft, which simply allows them to carry more items. In Nightreign, many items aren’t worth the risk or effort of collecting, so most players ignore them while exploring Limveld. However, the Scholar is designed to change that. Bagcraft lets players collect larger stacks of consumables, and using items grants experience, improving their effects over time. Typically, the first upgrade makes an item stronger, while a second upgrade can add an extra benefit.
It takes a different number of uses to improve each type of item, but using any item from that type will contribute to its progress. For example, any kind of potion you throw will help level up all potions. We didn’t have time to test every item thoroughly, but we did manage to add extra effects to darts, increase the area of effect for potions, and make healing items more powerful. When you combine this new system with relics that allow the Scholar to begin a run with consumable items, you can quickly start improving those items.
Okay, so playing as the Scholar is kinda weird. At first, it feels like you’re holding the team back. While everyone else is rushing around trying to get better stuff and level up, I’m stuck collecting… well, mostly junk, and just constantly using it. Honestly, it doesn’t always feel helpful in those early stages. But here’s the thing: if you play the Scholar right, they become a total game-changer later on. I really noticed a difference in how well we survived on day three and against certain Nightlords. Take the Tricephalos, for example. That fight is terrifying when it splits into three heads, but with the Scholar, I could analyze all three at once and weaken them, which made it way easier. Good positioning and timing are key, but it’s so worth it when it works!
As a Scholar, my ultimate ability is called Communion, and it’s a total game-changer. Basically, it connects all nearby enemies and my teammates. So, if I hit one enemy, that damage spreads to all the linked ones! Even better, any healing I use affects everyone in my party who’s close by. It’s seriously powerful – when I use Communion right, I can take down tough bosses and clear out huge groups of enemies way faster. It’s all about managing the link and maximizing the damage and healing!
As a fan, I always find it fascinating when a game asks you to invest something now for a payoff later – it really comes down to trusting the game’s design, or in this case, the ‘Scholar’ behind it. It also means you can’t just rush in; you need to be patient and think things through with your whole team. That feels so classic FromSoftware to me – a core part of what makes their games special.
Okay, so The Undertaker is a seriously aggressive character – she hits almost as hard and moves as fast as Wylder. Basically, she’s all about dealing massive damage quickly and setting up big plays for my team, especially when we’re using our ultimate abilities. I’ve found she’s best with hammers because her Faith and Strength stats scale really well with them. Her health is pretty good too, but her stamina and FP are a little lower. That’s where you really have to pay attention – she can dive in and do a ton of damage, but if I’m not careful about managing her stamina, she can get stuck and really vulnerable. It’s a risk/reward kind of thing, but when she’s played right, she’s a beast.
Her ability, Trance, is really useful in tough spots. When activated, it boosts her running speed to a sprint without draining stamina. It also increases her toughness and combo attack power, and changes her dodge into a quick step. If she has her ultimate ability charged, she can use that instead for even more attack and speed, and even avoid a fatal hit – similar to Wylder. What’s unique about Trance is that it instantly restores her stamina, letting her relentlessly pressure opponents and potentially stun them.
Her ultimate ability, called Loathsome Hex, lets her quickly launch herself in a chosen direction – and directly at an enemy if one is targeted. She attacks with a strange bone pulled from her own body, delivering a fast, visually impressive, and powerful blow. This can quickly change the course of a battle, either by dealing significant damage or by rapidly reviving a fallen teammate. Because it can be used while airborne and combined with jumps, the ability offers flexibility in timing and reach. However, it’s important to be careful – any obstacles in her path will immediately halt the attack, completely wasting it. Therefore, players need to be sure of their aim and timing before using it.
The Undertaker really shines when combined with Confluence, his unique ability – and it’s arguably the most impactful in the game. Whenever another Nightfarer uses their ultimate, the Undertaker gets a short window to use his own ultimate, Loathsome Hex, for free. This means he doesn’t lose progress on charging his ultimate, or he can use it again immediately if it was already ready. With good teamwork and two other Nightfarers, you can potentially unleash five ultimates in a row with the Undertaker. Running a team with two Undertakers is also a strong strategy, and it can lead to incredibly high damage output.
The two new Nightfarer characters work incredibly well together, much better than the original group, in my opinion. Playing with The Forsaken Hollows was a constant stream of communication as we coordinated our powers, leading to some exciting moments where we easily defeated challenging mini-bosses.
From the beginning of development, we’ve been focused on how to encourage strong teamwork between players—even having them closely coordinate their actions,” Ishizaki said. “We’re not only exploring which characters complement each other, but also how effective they are individually and in various combinations.
The ideas really came from exploring how everything works together, and how these elements connect with the bigger picture and the other characters involved.
The main concern is whether the game will strike the right balance. Ishizaki notes this was already difficult in the original game, and it remains a challenge now as the team adds new content. They want to appeal to both players who enjoy a more relaxed experience and those who want a truly challenging test of skill.
After the game launched, we realized balancing the gameplay was a major challenge. Balancing is really a matter of opinion, so after release and while working on the DLC, we focused on achieving the balance we originally intended. Once we had that right, we wanted to create new enemies and characters that would really take advantage of the improved balance.
We want the game to be accessible to new players, but we also want to recapture the feeling veteran players had when they first experienced Nightreign – that sense of discovery and learning the systems. With the DLC, we’re aiming for that same experience where even long-time players will find new things to figure out. The Forsaken Hollows is a bit more challenging, but it’s designed to be a fair and engaging difficulty, not overly frustrating.
Okay, so I’m really excited about the new characters and area in The Forsaken Hollows, but something else has caught my attention! FromSoftware has actually reworked parts of the original Limveld map, and it’s brilliant. They’ve made certain areas way more dangerous, which really adds to that feeling of weighing the risks versus the rewards. As a longtime fan, I knew it was only a matter of time, but they’ve finally introduced swamps! Now, parts of Limveld are covered in these nasty swamp areas that can poison you, give you scarlet rot or frenzy, and just generally make your life difficult if you’re not careful. True to form, wading through the swamp slows you down considerably, and if you linger too long, a meter fills up and you’re stuck with whatever awful status effect is building up. It’s classic ‘Swamp Software’ design – challenging, but so satisfying when you overcome it!
Usually, defeating a boss will reward you with a weapon that has the same special quality as the boss itself, making these fights worthwhile if you plan ahead and target weaknesses or apply specific effects. I also asked the developer, Ishizaki, about the running joke among fans that FromSoftware games always include swamps, and whether director Hidetaka Miyazaki specifically requests them.
Ishizaki acknowledged the running joke about including a ‘swamp’ in their work. He explained there’s no official requirement for it, but somehow, a swamp always seems to appear before anyone even notices, and then it just develops organically from there.
You know, looking back, the original Nightreign didn’t even have a swamp! So I get why adding one with the DLC feels a little… unexpected. It’s funny, though, because it feels like every time we work on a new expansion, we somehow end up with a swamp area. It’s not like there’s a rule saying we have to include one, it just… happens. It’s become a bit of a running joke with the team, honestly.
The Limveld now features forges scattered throughout the map. Clearing these forges of enemies will activate them, allowing you to re-roll one of your weapon’s attributes. This is helpful if you have a favorite weapon that lacks useful special abilities – you can visit a forge and try to improve it. While it’s not a huge change, it adds a bit of exciting risk and reward to your adventures, making some expeditions more worthwhile.
As we discussed, the main event is the Shifting Earth. In The Forsaken Hollows, this means gliding into a new area called The Great Hollows. Imagine wide-open fields and old ruins transforming into a landscape similar to the Ashen Capital, but with the dark, underground atmosphere of Nokron, Eternal City, or the Ainsel River, all with a unique Nightreign style. The area is covered in thick white ash, but you’ll also see large crystal formations everywhere. Some areas have a Crystal Curse, which requires a short side quest to become immune. Other areas are dangerous simply because of tricky jumps or mistimed running. Expect to do a lot of jumping, as verticality is a core part of The Great Hollows’ design.
The game features both challenging deep pits to avoid and tricky platforming sections, like walking on narrow planks over ruined cathedrals hidden underground. It shares a similar intriguing contrast to the best parts of Elden Ring. While discovering this area didn’t feel quite as impactful as the first descent into Nokron and uncovering a whole civilization with its own sky, it’s still incredibly impressive in its scope and the unusual combination of ideas it presents.
The way The Forsaken Hollows built upwards reminded me of Shadow of the Erdtree, which traded a large, open world for one that focused more on height. Although the designer, Ishizaki, didn’t say Shadow of the Erdtree directly inspired this design choice, they definitely made it intentionally.
We designed the expansion to build upwards from the original map, which was primarily horizontal. When considering downloadable content, we wanted to add a new dimension without losing what players already enjoyed. The goal was to expand the gameplay by introducing more verticality and creating new opportunities for exploration.
Many of our team members have been playing Shadow of the Erdtree while we’ve been developing Nightreign, so some of its style may have naturally seeped into our work. It wasn’t a deliberate choice, but more likely a subconscious influence – though I think it’s definitely noticeable.
I know a lot of FromSoftware fans prefer to start their games knowing as little as possible, so I want to give a quick heads-up: I’m about to mention a few of the memorable enemies we encountered – or didn’t, in one instance. If you want to remain completely surprised, now’s the time to stop reading. But for those who are curious, I promise I won’t spoil anything major and will keep the details light to protect your experience.
Let’s be honest, the new boss for day three absolutely crushed us, making it hard to give a clear description. This boss, called Balancers, pits players against several aggressive enemies, requiring strong teamwork, smart movement to create space, and quick communication to adapt to changing situations. Our team struggled quite a bit, even though we made some headway. Aside from this boss, there are a few unexpected cameos from other FromSoftware games that I won’t reveal. We saw Artorias from Dark Souls, but we didn’t get a chance to fight him.
The new downloadable content for Nightreign, much like the original game, seems to show From Software making the most of limited resources. According to director Ishizaki, The Forsaken Hollows was created with tight constraints, but the team didn’t let that limit their vision.
Ishizaki explained that they constantly faced challenges with a demanding timeline and limited resources. The team always strived to deliver something both achievable and satisfying for users. Everyone on the development staff was dedicated to creating a truly exceptional and surprising experience.
It seems like everyone always strives to improve things, even when we’re aiming for something achievable. This desire to add just a little more often builds on itself. I believe it’s simply because our team is passionate about their work and dedicated to creating the best possible experience for players.
Ishizaki was eager to highlight the Nightreign team’s work on the project, but I also wanted to discuss his experience directing it. While he’d contributed to many From Software games before, Nightreign was his directorial debut, which was challenging in itself. Adding to that, the game was developed under difficult circumstances, as we’ve learned from previous information. Considering his current importance at From Software and the success of Nightreign – suggesting a potentially larger role in the future – I was curious whether he enjoyed directing and would like to do it again.
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We came up with a great concept at just the right moment, which was key to our success. It allowed us to leverage existing resources and concentrate our budget on refining the game, ensuring a unique and enjoyable gameplay experience.
We wouldn’t proactively plan to make something like this in the future. It would have to be a truly great idea that emerges naturally, and feels like the right thing to do at the right time. It’s definitely not a top priority for us right now.
Honestly, this project was a real challenge, especially since it was the first time I’d had this much responsibility. I really wanted it to succeed, and seeing the final result has given me a huge confidence boost. It’s reassured me that I’m on the right track creatively and that I can trust my gut. I’m definitely taking some time to think about what I learned, and I’m not sure what’s next, but I’d love to use those lessons to create something new that I can be really proud of. Developing Nightreign taught me a lot, and I’m excited to apply that to my next game.
Honestly, after playing what little of The Forsaken Hollows I got my hands on, I’m super hyped to see where they could take it. We only scratched the surface, and it already felt special. I don’t know if there’s a full future planned beyond the DLC, but seeing how much it affected Ishizaki, I have a feeling FromSoftware will definitely try something different and experimental again. It was a really cool experience, and I’m hoping we get to see more!
For fans interested in the game’s story, I didn’t notice any connections to Londor. Hopefully, we’ll discover some when The Forsaken Hollows is released on December 4, 2025.
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2025-12-02 03:44