Mistfall Hunter feels like extraction Elden Ring, and a beta is about to begin

Elden Ring Nightreign reimagines FromSoftware's epic in a run-based format, but what if instead it went the way of extraction games like Dark and Darker? Mistfall Hunter is here to answer the call, drawing from Norse mythology to put its own, stylish spin on the format, and its next closed beta is coming up soon. Developer Bellring Games has now partnered with Skystone Games, and I recently had the chance to speak with the latter's president David Brevik, best known as one of the co-creators of Diablo, about the publisher's step into a live-service format ahead of Mistfall Hunter's third beta test.

Mistfall Hunter caught my eye the moment I saw it. While the likes of extraction RPGs such as Dark and Darker tend to be quite measured affairs that feel closer to classic dungeon crawlers, this newcomer has all the flow and panache of the best soulslikes. Jamie recently had the chance to get hands-on with it, and his Mistfall Hunter preview praises Bellring's efforts in fusing "the challenge of FromSoft-style combat with the high stakes of the extraction game."

"Extraction is a fairly new genre, and a lot of people are drawn to it because it's a really fun and exciting way to play," Brevik tells me. "It's not quite PvP, it's not quite PvE - it has this bit of a mix, which I think a lot of people enjoy." He's certainly no stranger to the live-service format, having helmed development of MMORPG Marvel Heroes during his time with Gazillion Entertainment, but it's a frontier he's now exploring more with Skystone.

"In a lot of ways, we're still an indie publisher, but then also kind of growing into a bigger publisher." Brevik says the studio is leaning more into mobile titles and other experiments, and that Mistfall is a good example of the live-service side. "I personally did Marvel Heroes," he remarks, "so I have some experience with this. Obviously we didn't really do the same kind of thing back in the Diablo days, but the plans were always keeping it up and running and allowing people to play at any time."

The new beta kicks off on Tuesday September 16, but you'll have to get your name in the hat ahead of time if you'd like to take part. It'll offer both solo and trio modes, but with two separate difficulty tiers: normal and chaos. If you took part in previous tests, you can expect sorcerers to be slightly less of a fight-swinging glass cannon; they'll still focus on burst damage, but with less ability to completely obliterate foes, and slightly more survival tools.

The Mistfall Hunter beta begins Tuesday September 16, but you'll need to request access via Steam before Monday September 15 for a chance to join. If you were in previous tests, you'll be automatically given access. Head here to sign up.

Alternatively, the best Elden Ring mods offer plenty of ways to spice up your time in the Lands Between, or you can take a look through more of the best fantasy games.

Drop by the PCGamesN community Discord server and let us know what your favorite brand of extraction game is, and what makes the PvPvE genre so appealing to you.