You could get Elden Ring Nightreign for as little as $1

Elden Ring is a masterpiece of a soulslike. There's a good reason it's sold millions of copies, and three years after its initial release, it remains a popular topic for discussion. Its unique mix of exploration and brutal difficulty paves the way for a lot of fun times, with loads of huge, monstrous creatures in there for good measure. The Elden Ring Nightreign DLC turns all of that into a roguelite game, and you can grab this new standalone adventure for as little as $1 if you're lucky enough.

While roguelite games may not seem like a good combination for Elden Ring's usual, beautiful darkness, the two make for a delicious blend. Sure, it's not quite perfect, but FromSoftware seems to fix some minor problems with Elden Ring Nightreign in an effort to turn this spin-off into a certified hit like its older brother.

Credit where credit's due, the developers have done a great job of turning an action game that is grand in scale and depth into something much faster-paced and adrenaline-inducing. The classic soulslike gameplay of terrifying bosses and the fear of dying at a moment's notice remain at Nightreign's core, but it's an interesting premise on top of its foundations.

If you enjoy co-op games, you'll be pleased to hear that Nightreign can be played with two friends. Together, you'll take on a procedurally-generated version of Limgrave (now called Limveld) with a shrinking arena that forces you to face a challenging final boss. You'd better hope you're prepared.

In our Elden Ring Nightreign review, Nat Smith said the game "shoots for the stars with a clean retrofit of familiar assets into a roguelike format, but [is] dragged back down to earth with repetitive encounters." While that is quite a mixed response, a recent update makes the experience more enjoyable for solo players, and a duos mode is being worked on, too. It's already improved a lot and is likely to get even better over time. It's easily worth $1 / £1, even in its original condition.

If Elden Ring Nightreign is sitting and waiting on your wishlist, you could take the chance to get it with the Fanatical Summer Mystery Bundle. This lucky dip-style offering gives you random Steam games with each purchase. For example, you can grab one key for $1 / £1, or take a spin at ten keys for $7.49 / £7.49, and you have a small chance of getting FromSoftware's new PC game. In addition to Elden Ring Nightreign, the huge pool of potential pulls includes:

• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Blue Prince

However, even if you don't manage to get one of these games, you're not losing out. From underrated RPGs to some strategy games you'd never buy – even during a Steam sale – you'll still have plenty of new experiences and adventures to enjoy.

If you do manage to score a copy, or buy it on your own accord, make sure to check out our list of Elden Ring Nightreign bosses to prepare yourself for the challenges that lay ahead. If you're going in alone, our guide on how to play Elden Ring Nightreign solo will definitely help, too.

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