Alright, folks, buckle up. Here’s the thing about FromSoftware’s latest concoction, Elden Ring Nightreign. It’s like they took the Soulsborne vibe, tossed in some roguelike spices, and sprinkled a chaotic co-op sauce over it. And guess what? They cooked up eight crazy “Nightlord” bosses. Slayed ’em all myself just for you, before jotting this down. Seriously, the lineup’s gold. But man, there’s this one boss, Libra, Creature of Night – image a goat with a bad attitude – that really got under my skin. You meet this dude at the end of the Equilibrious Beast Expedition, and it’s something else.
So, picture this: I stroll into his lair, right? Hooded human standing there. My first thought? “Let’s dance!” So, I fired an arrow at him. Wrong move, apparently. He growls, something about being “unwise.” Whoops. Turns out, dude wants to chat. A golden scale icon pops up over his head, like “Hey, let’s make a deal!” Offers some monkey’s paw-type bargains, you know? Trade three levels for a legendary weapon or both get a damage buff. My fave deal? You get extra levels but lose one each time you sip a healing flask. No deal? Boring.
Once everyone’s done wheeling and dealing, he’s like, “The time is ripe.” Boom, he goes full-on monster mode. Picture this: magical chaos, Madness everywhere – makes you grab your head like you’ve got the worst migraine and, bam, you’re wide open for more attacks. But, here’s the trick – you see these golden glyphs? They’re like warning signs, saying, “Move or die.” It’s bullet hell unless you get up close, which annoys him into swinging that giant staff. And if you think you’re safe from Madness, think again. He’s got this ground-smashing move that spreads Madness like wild pancakes. But – and this is key – those little golden crystals during his magic? They heal you and calm the Madness meter.
Where was I? Oh yeah, Libra’s Madness mechanic is like, one of those rare gems in a Soulsborne fight. It’s not just about watching the world burn – it’s got a Dionysian twist. And I like that – more trickster than pyromaniac. All those Nightlord battles come packed with these surprise mechanics, and I’m there for it.
Libra’s got this achilles’ heel though: Madness gets to him, too. Smack him with enough of it and he goes wild – melee frenzy and all. Gives him a power boost to boot. But you dodge his rampage? Big counter-attack opportunity right there.
Madness damage sources? Rare treasures. Look out for points of interest with Madness icons. Or, if not that, he doesn’t like Fire or Holy much either – handy tips if you’re struggling.
So, even if Madness isn’t in your kit, poke him enough, he meditates – weird golden glyph ritual starts. Smash the glyphs, or him, ritual breaks, then he’s all enraged. Like, again, bullet-time dodging.
Overall, Libra’s like a chaotic cocktail of wildness and creativity. I do love each of the Nightlord matchups, but he’s something else. Been a great ride tussling with this guy and oh boy, ready to do it over and over with friends – madness and all.
Elden Ring Nightreign, seriously, it flips the game on its head. Roguelike touch and all that jazz, but still retaining that Soulsborne core. Sure, it’s got a few hiccups, like a single map and limited enemy types. But for $39.99 ($33.99 if you snag it with those promo codes), it’s shaping up to be a banger for Xbox and PC players who love a challenge.
