Elden Ring is back with the latest release of Elden Ring: Nightreign which brings players back to the Lands Between but this time you are joined by 2 companions. These can either be your friends you have recruited or from random matchmaking but either way, the experience is drastically different from Elden Ring’s original release. You will be tasked with scouring the lands to find resources, weapons, and items to help you survive the harsh lands but also gain enough strength to take on the Nightlords to end the reign of night. Fortunately, unlike the previous release of Elden Ring, you are not starting from zero and building your character up, you initially have 6 characters to choose from that all have individual abilities including an ultimate art that can turn the tide of battle instantly. Each hero also has unique fighting styles and skills that can impact team chemistry so I would highly encourage new or old players to try each before jumping into an expedition. Regardless of which hero you choose, there are several elements to combat, and in true Elden Ring fashion, you will still need to master timing, movement, and the new abilities each character comes with to stay alive.

Why Optimized Controller Settings Matter In Elden Ring: Nightreign.

Before diving headfirst into combat it is always important to familiarize yourself with the controllers of any new game even if it is a spin-off from a larger game like Nightreign because developers are always improving and listening to the gamer community. Changes to combat typically drive the main changes you will see in the controls and Elden Ring Nightreign is a full reimagining of the previous edition. Choosing between a total of 8 new characters who all have their own skills, abilities, and weapon proficiencies you may find yourself frustrated with the default settings as I did in my first play-through. One of the most crucial factors in most “soulslike” games is locking on to your target, fortunately, this is automatically turned on along with other helpful camera settings. I think this is a major improvement from the previous Elden Ring, but you can still change the sensitivity of your camera setting if you feel you need more quickness or slowness. Control vibration is another setting that is more of a personal preference but in a game where you could choose a mage or archer hero, you may want to lower that setting to minimize aim disruption. For those who like to be up close and personal, I would encourage a higher vibration to know when you are taking damage or mastering your timing with parries/blocks.

After a few expeditions, I did find myself remapping specific controller settings and would highly encourage everyone to try the default controls first before making any drastic changes. Fortunately, you can always reset if you make a bad binding switch but there were a few I kept that felt more natural, such as swapping my flask ability with the event action button because I wasted too many flasks on accident. Another major change I made was swapping my guard control from the left bumper to the left trigger for a more natural feel to guarding and keeping the ability trigger as the bumper. Trust me, accidentally using one of your ultimate arts or skills at the wrong time will get old quickly in the heat of battle because this game will always punish you for a wrong move or being caught off guard. Another option you could choose for the bumpers is remapping your dodge or parry to this to eliminate any delay that may come from having it mapped to a button where your fingers in combat are already on the triggers. Feel free to try these alternate controller settings in the practice round to get comfortable before jumping into an expedition because you cannot leave until your team is wiped out or you choose to take the penalty for quitting early.

Recommended KontrolFreek Thumbsticks to Boost Your Combat Prowess

Now that your controller is optimized and you have the best settings for your combat and playstyle preference let’s discuss the biggest advantage which is equipping KontrolFreek’s Performance Thumbsticks. KontrolFreek has two thumbsticks that I have used for both Elden Ring and Elden Ring: Nightreign and those are the KontrolFreek CQC and Lotus Performance Thumbsticks. When you are playing any soulslike game, combat is going to be centered on three elements: how well you can dodge, block/parry attacks, and land devastating hits. The KontrolFreek CQC as the name implies is made for those who enjoy close quarter combat and during my time playing Nightreign the added comfort and surface area are needed as I felt my thumbs dig into my thumbsticks on multiple occasions. If I was only using the default thumbsticks I know for a fact my overall performance would plummet due to slippage and slower less accurate movement. The raised texture on the CQC thumbsticks provides a much-needed grip and allows you to have the confidence you need in your equipment to move, dodge, and put your character in the right position to land a fatal blow.

Similar to the CQC Performance Thumbstick, KontrolFreek’s Lotus Thumbstick is also a double mid-rise thumbstick with a beautiful laser-etched design meant to increase your thumb traction. The wide surface area and concave design are a perfect complement to anyone who is looking for an advantage in combat. Equipping both mid-rise Lotus Thumbsticks will also give you an increased range of motion impacting the level of accuracy you can expect to have which is a key advantage for anyone who chooses to play with a more ranged or mixed combat character. Nightreign has several weapons and abilities where precision is a crucial skill and although auto lock is a beneficial setting in the middle of combat you will find yourself having to choose which target and lining up your attack is not easy. I found it much easier to move my auto lock aim playing as Ironeye using the Lotus Thumbsticks and making more precise movements simultaneously to dodge oncoming attacks. This set me up to always be ready to land a killing blow or even stay out of harm's way to ensure I could revive a fallen teammate, which you do by repeatedly hitting them either up close or from range. Overall my survivability improved while using both KontrolFreek’s CQC and Lotus Performance Thumbsticks and they are also nice to mix if you feel you need more texture or grip for specific battles or characters.

Who Are The Best Heroes Starting Out In Elden Ring Nightreign

Once you complete the initial tutorial you will be sent to the RoundTable Hold which is a small area for you to upgrade relics, chat with companions, and of course practice with all the available heroes. Although there are 8 total heroes to choose from, you start out with only 5 available and each one has their own strengths and weaknesses but there are three that stood out due to their ease of learning.

• Ironeye: The trademark archer of the group, this hero comes with a kit that allows you to see and obtain more items from felled enemies which is huge when resources are much needed in this survival arena. The ranged attacks also make it easier for you to stay out of harm's way and even send a few arrows toward a fallen companion to get them a quick revival from afar.
• Wylder: The character you start with and the most balanced out of all the Heroes with easy-to-master abilities. The Sixth Sense ability will allow you to escape death a single time which you will find yourself using way too often but a major advantage when you are approaching the end by taking on a Nightlord. This hero is perfect for anyone new to Soulslike games and looking to master the basic mechanics before moving to more complex heroes.
• Guardian: The more defensive of the heroes available at the beginning you will find yourself getting up close and personal with enemies as you try to pull agro away from your companions. The Ultimate art of this hero is my favorite so far as you leap up into the air only to dive back down and land a devastating blow to the area surrounding you. When factoring in the survivability with large sweeping attacks this is a hero who is perfect for taking down Nightlords at the end of rounds.

Of course, this is only scratching the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the depths of combat styles and abilities in Elden Ring: Nightreign, and depending on what type of weapon you find there may be more powerful attacks to learn. The depth of combat and heroes of this game is one of my favorite factors and I would encourage all players to try out different heroes and team comps to see what works best for your playstyle.