The launch trailer for Elden Ring: Nightreign just released, and — in typically FromSoft fashion — it showed off a ton of new locations, bosses, and abilities that we haven’t seen in earlier reveals and gameplay segments. The nearly 2-minute long trailer features a blend of cinematic and in-game footage (set under a dramatic and mysterious voice-over, as is tradition), both of which add a lot to what we know about the game.
Specifically, there are 4 different kinds of reveals: new bosses, new character abilities, a new location, and some connections to one of From Software’s most acclaimed previous titles.
The bulk of the new information we are getting comes in the form of boss reveals for several of the Night Lord bosses. These are the final challenge that teams (or solo players) will face on the third day of each of their runs (if they survive), and are considered to be the “final bosses” of Elden Ring: Nightreign. We’ve had some information trickle in about many of these bosses before, including gameplay footage against Gladius (a Cerberus-like “Beast of Night”) and Libra (a Baphomet-themed “Creature of Night).
However, the launch trailer has given us a closer look at 4 more. We don’t know the names of most of these, but we do know their title, thanks to the Nightreign menu listings:
A one-Armed centaur, entitled “Darkdrift Knight”
An insectoid paired with a moth-like creature, entitled “Sentient Pest”
A dragon-like monster with a massive, horizontally-split maw, entitled “Gaping Maw”
An ice-themed dragon, entitled “Fissure in the Fog”
This is the one boss we know the official boss name of: “Caligo, Miasma of Night”
In addition to the new boss reveals, we also got some reveals of previously-unseen Nightfarer abilities. First, we see the Revenant entering Limveld (in the same style as most Nightfarers). She is levitating some sort of harp in front of her, and a Giant Skeleton (often summoned by Tibia Mariners in both the base Elden Ring and in Nightreign) which appears to be friendly, hinting that at the Revenant’s summon-related abilities (which seem to be a vastly-boosted version of the Spirit Summons in Elden Ring).
Next, we see the Executor transform into an omen-horn-clad red beast of some kind, much larger than their fellow Nightfarers, before it charges alongside it’s allies toward Caligo. This kind of combat-transform ability, called “Aspects of the Crucible: Beast,” is entirely new for player characters in Elden Ring, and so we don’t have many details on how it works, aside from it being Executor’s Ultimate. But, like… who wouldn’t want to transform into a deadly, miniboss-like beast?
Finally, for the last major gameplay reveal, we see a massive, walled city as a group of Nightfarers flies past it. The glance reveals that there is more to the Limveld map (where the game takes place) than we’ve previously been made aware, as this massive structure is clearly larger than any other structure we’ve seen in Nightreign so far.
Its blue coloration and architectural style most closely links it with the Raya Lucaria Academy and with the Carian bloodline from the Liurnia of the Lakes region of the original Elden Ring, and so there is a good chance it will be filled sorcerous and cosmic-themed enemies and loot. That said, it also resembles some of the cities within the original game, especially Leyndell and Enir Ilim (from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC), so we can’t be entirely sure of what to expect.
Finally, there is the elephant in the room: the Bloodborne references. Bloodborne, one of From Software’s previous titles, was a PlayStation exclusive, and is widely considered one of their best games. With it’s dark-Victorian aesthetic, Lovecraft-inspired designs, and uniquely brutal combat style, it is a well-remembered classic for a reason. But, for a variety of reasons, From Software has been unable to return to the setting in the decade-plus since its release, despite a seeming desire to. So, since Elden Ring: Nightreign seems to be a mash-up of many From Software staples, it should be no surprise that there might be some very direct references to it here.
Starting with the smaller link, we get a new look at the Duchess, a Nightfarer that we’ve had a good look at for some time. Only this time, the trailer very much accentuates her blindfold-esque mask and regal, Edwardian wardrobe in what seems to be a reference to Lady Maria, a fan-favorite boss from Bloodborne’s “Old Hunters” DLC. While Lady Maria never wore a mask, many characters in Bloodborne did, and eyesight was a pivotal theme throughout that game.
However, the real connection to Bloodborne comes elsewhere in the trailer, where we see a blue-eyed, flower-crowned woman reaching out to the camera. Only, this woman is not what she seems, as we can see when we look at her hands, which feature the kind of joint articulation that is common to for dolls.
And, while we have seen things resembling dolls in Elden Ring before, that joint articulation feature is much more similar to the doll in the Hunter’s Dream in Bloodborne. Another fan-favorite character, the doll in Bloodborne not only allowed you to level up, but was also a pivotal character for understanding the story of the game and your role within it. And, while we can’t be sure there is any relation between that doll and the very-different-looking one in this new trailer, it is possible for there to be a connection, which might place Bloodborne and Elden Ring in the same universe, at least on some level, especially since there also seems to be connections between Nightreign and Dark Souls, From Software’s other flagship series. Though, it should be mentioned, that is all just speculation.
Regardless of what this connection means, the overall feel of this launch trailer is one of big reveals and bombastic setpieces. With this trailer, we’ve been clued-in on a lot more of the game than we previously knew about, getting us even more excited for its release later this week.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, this trailer only featured one, single Bingo from my From Software bingo that I used way back when the trailer for Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC released. Honestly, I’m surprised we even got that, given how different Nightreign is from the usual From Software title.
And now that we’ve got a good look at Elden Ring: Nightreign’s trailer, I can think of no better sign-off than to leave you with the game’s slogan, and to wish you luck out on the fields of Limveld:
Together, bound by a will.
To cross the endless night, and fight on.
As Night falls, we rise.
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Graves
Graves is an avid writer, web designer, and gamer, with more ideas than he could hope to achieve in a lifetime. But, armed with a mug of coffee and an overactive imagination, he'll try. When he isn't working on a creative project, he is painting miniatures, reading cheesy sci-fi novels, or making music.
