Elden Ring Nightreign: First 8 Hours Review

kobexielite 𝕯𝖎𝖌𝖎𝖙𝖆𝖑 𝕸𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖆

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Post on Feb 13, 2025

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Elden Ring Nightreign: First 8 Hours Review - A Bleak but Beautiful Beginning

Elden Ring's open world is vast and unforgiving. From the moment you step foot into the Lands Between, you're thrown into a brutal, yet captivating, experience. This review focuses on my first eight hours with Nightreign, a character build centered around a brutal, strength-based playstyle, offering insights into the early game and the effectiveness of this specific approach.

Nightreign's Early Game Strength: A Melee Masterclass

My Nightreign build prioritized Strength, focusing on heavy weapons and close-quarters combat. This approach, while initially challenging, proved remarkably effective against the early game's varied enemies. The key is understanding enemy attack patterns and punishing their openings.

Weapon Choices: Greatswords and Beyond

I opted for a Greatsword as my primary weapon, its sweeping attacks proving devastating against weaker enemies. However, the game’s variety encouraged experimentation. I found myself switching between different weapons, adapting to enemy types. Early experimentation is crucial to finding the weapons that best suit your playstyle. The weight and stamina management are key factors in deciding the effective weapon for your style.

Early Boss Encounters: Learning the Rhythm of Combat

The early bosses presented a steep learning curve. Each encounter demanded careful observation of attack patterns, precise timing, and a willingness to learn from defeat. Patience and persistence are vital. The initial frustration quickly gave way to the immense satisfaction of overcoming these challenges. I found that understanding enemy weaknesses was key. While the Greatsword is powerful, it is essential to learn to use it effectively.

Exploring the Limgrave Region: A World of Discovery

The opening area, Limgrave, is a stunning landscape filled with secrets, hidden pathways, and challenging encounters. Spending time exploring is crucial to finding valuable items, upgrading materials, and discovering hidden areas. It's easy to get lost in the beauty of the environment, but it's essential to balance exploration with progression.

Spirit Ashes: Essential Early Game Allies

Summoning spirit ashes proved invaluable, especially in tough boss fights and when exploring more dangerous areas. Smart use of spirit ashes allows you to overcome challenges that might otherwise be too difficult. This strategy significantly impacted the survivability of my Nightreign character.

Limitations of the Strength Build (Early Game)

While the strength build excels in raw damage output, it does have its weaknesses in the early stages. Magic users and ranged attackers can pose a significant challenge, requiring careful positioning and strategic use of cover. The slower attack speed of great weapons demands precision and a good understanding of enemy behavior.

Overall First Impression After 8 Hours:

After eight hours with Nightreign, my experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The difficulty is a core part of Elden Ring's appeal, and the sense of accomplishment from overcoming challenges is incredibly rewarding. The open world encourages exploration, and the strength build offers a satisfyingly brutal approach to combat. While challenging, the game's rewards are palpable. The blend of challenge and satisfaction is captivating, and I'm eager to continue my journey through the Lands Between. While early game challenges may seem daunting, remember that patience, experimentation, and a willingness to learn are your most powerful weapons. This is a game that demands patience and rewards perseverance.

Looking Ahead: Further Exploration and Refinement

The next phase of my Nightreign journey will focus on further exploration, weapon upgrades, and refinement of my combat strategy. I anticipate facing even greater challenges, but I'm confident that my brute-force approach will continue to serve me well, although I will undoubtedly need to learn to adapt and develop a more balanced approach to ensure long-term survival.

Keywords: Elden Ring, Nightreign, First 8 Hours, Review, Strength Build, Melee, Greatsword, Limgrave, Boss Fights, Spirit Ashes, Open World, Gameplay, Difficulty, Early Game, Combat, Character Build.