New Soulslike Game on Steam Takes the Best of Elden Ring Nightreign and Gives It an Egyptian Setting Twist

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While Elden Ring Nightreign didn’t continue FromSoftware’s winning streak at award shows, it gave the game a unique feel that stood out in the soulslike genre. The game experimented with new ideas like a strong focus on cooperative play, pre-made character classes called Nightfarers, and a tight 3-day time limit that pushed players to quickly explore the Lands Between. Although these changes might not have appealed to all FromSoftware fans, many players enjoyed the fresh approach and are now looking for similar experiences. That’s where the Steam game Serpent’s Gaze comes in.

There are many games inspired by the challenging style of FromSoftware’s titles, like The Lords of the Fallen and Lies of P. However, finding one that focuses on cooperative play is trickier. While FromSoftware games allow you to summon other players, it can be cumbersome, and you might want to play with a specific group of friends. Plus, their upcoming game Duskbloods is only coming to the Nintendo Switch 2, leaving many players searching for alternatives. Luckily, Serpent’s Gaze, available on Steam, looks promising and aims to offer a similar experience to Nightreign. It will enter Early Access next year.

According to the game’s Steam page, the developers of Serpent’s Gaze, Feeble Minds, expect the game to be in Early Access for another one to two years. When the full game is released, it will cost a little more, so fans of souls-like games who are interested might want to buy the Early Access version if the player reviews are good.

Serpent’s Gaze Features At a Glance

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  • FIGHT difficult enemies and bosses, either solo or in 4-player co-op.
  • UPGRADE your character through a choice of various blessings, adding a roguelike element to the game.
  • SURVIVE the curse system, which introduces randomized variables on each run, ranging from environmental hazards to bosses that stalk the player as they move through the world.
  • EXPLORE an Egyptian world full of enemy factions and mysteries. Locations include cathedrals, deserts, and ruins.
  • LEARN the lore of Serpent’s Gaze, such as the reason the playable character was resurrected by the “withering tree god Magnolia.”

Serpent’s Gaze Isn’t Shy About Its FromSoftware Inspirations

Image via Feeble Minds

Although Serpent’s Gaze takes place in ancient Egypt – a departure from the worlds of FromSoftware and George R.R. Martin – much of the gameplay will feel instantly recognizable to Elden Ring fans. Combat clips on the game’s Steam page show a player dodging a massive, severed hand – a design nearly identical to the Fingercreeper enemies in Elden Ring. Other enemies also strongly resemble those from FromSoftware games, such as a heavily armored knight who charges and slams into the player. While the game does feature some creatures inspired by Egyptian mythology, like a four-armed snake creature, the severed hand enemy clearly echoes a design from Elden Ring.

Beyond the familiar dodge rolls and large enemy attacks, Serpent’s Gaze clearly draws inspiration from the Soulslike genre in many ways. Like FromSoftware’s games, it features health bars above enemies and bosses, which will feel instantly recognizable to fans. The classic “You Died” message also appears when you fail. The game also includes co-op and roguelike elements similar to Nightreign, meaning you’ll restart after each attempt with new upgrade options. It seems likely there will be permanent upgrades, perhaps similar to the Relics in Nightreign*, to help make each run a little easier. With a mysterious story about a nameless warrior fighting against gods and tyrants, this Steam game has all the hallmarks of the genre.

The cooperative mode in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree lets up to three players team up, so fans of the new Serpent’s Gaze area can explore with a couple of friends.

Serpent’s Gaze Abandoning Nightreign’s Most Divisive Feature May Be a Boon

While Serpent’s Gaze clearly takes inspiration from games like Elden Ring Nightreign, it also makes some important changes. Unlike Nightreign, there doesn’t appear to be a time limit for exploring areas, letting players progress at their own pace. Nightreign used a storm mechanic similar to battle royale games, which some players found frustrating. Serpent’s Gaze seems to have learned from this, focusing only on the elements that worked well. The game also appears to have a more traditional level structure, with connected zones similar to Dark Souls, rather than the completely open world of Elden Ring. However, details about the level design are still limited, so this is just an educated guess.

Serpent’s Gaze Launching in Early Access Could Be Its Secret Weapon

Looking back, Nightreign would have likely been more successful if it had been released as an Early Access title. Adding all the different characters and addressing balance issues with player feedback before launch could have made a big difference. FromSoftware also could have learned sooner how much players wanted features like two-player co-op and had them ready for the final release. Instead, Nightreign gradually became a more complete game after it launched. While the game was generally well-received, it didn’t get the strong critical praise that FromSoftware games usually receive. A launch strategy similar to Hades 2, which was nominated for Game of the Year, might have resulted in a bigger impact. Luckily, Serpent’s Gaze is using Early Access effectively, letting player feedback guide its development.

The developers of Serpent’s Gaze are actively seeking feedback from players, especially those familiar with soulslike games, through Steam forums and their Discord server. This will help them refine the game and ensure it’s as polished as possible before release. Players can share their thoughts on things like weapon options, character customization, and difficulty levels, and the developers are listening. Because Serpent’s Gaze aims to be a challenging game, particularly in boss fights even with a full team, the studio anticipates needing to make adjustments to things like enemy AI and health, and their openness to player feedback is a positive step.

Even in Early Access, Serpent’s Gaze Will Have Tons of Content

Image via Feeble Minds

Even though Serpent’s Gaze is planned to enter Early Access around 2026, the first version will still be packed with content. Here’s what you can expect in the initial Early Access release:

  • 2 enemy factions
  • 8 levels
  • 100 character upgrades
  • “A bunch” of weapons and classes

Because each playthrough of this game is unique, the eight levels will feel fresh thanks to randomly applied blessings and drawbacks. The developers, Feeble Minds, plan to continually improve Serpent’s Gaze with new content, starting with a third faction. This addition will include around four new levels, more enemies, and challenging new bosses. They also intend to add more weapons, upgrades, and character classes. While the initial early access version already offers plenty of cooperative fun, Serpent’s Gaze has a promising future. If you enjoyed Nightreign but want a more streamlined, traditionally cooperative soulslike experience, you should definitely wishlist Feeble Minds’ upcoming game on Steam.

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2025-12-27 17:07