Elden Ring Nightreignhas brought out its second wave of Everdark Sovereigns, with the first being a re-imagined Augur expedition, and it comes with a classic FromSoftware twist. While Maris, Fathom of Night, has not really been one of the community’s favoriteNightreignNightlord bosses, it is one of the most serene, and the Everdark version of the fight amplifies that feeling of cosmic otherworldliness.
Upon being defeated rather easily, the sky overhead darkens, the stars emerge, and the real fight begins. Maris is larger than ever, like a dark star plucked from the sky, and is even more reminiscent of the Elden Beast than before. But players will have quickly noticed that this time, they have a lot of health, far too much in fact, and something doesn’t quite feel right. Then, a teammate starts firing off enormous waves of magic, projectiles that seem far more powerful than any single spell inElden Ring Nightreign, and that’s when Augur’s gimmick is put on full display, and some fans of past games will recognize exactly what is going on.
The new Everdark cycle was released for Elden Ring Nightreign on July 31.
FromSoftware’s Storm Ruler Gimmick Is Back in Elden Ring Nightreign’s Augur Fight, and It’s a Sight to Behold
More than likely, a number of players will have beaten Maris’ first phase and noticed something strange - there was a weapon drop, but it held only one item, a golden version of theirNightfarers' starting weapon. Considering it doesn’t look particularly special, they may have ignored it until teammates started firing off those aforementioned blue streaks, and everything fell into place. But once acquired, the fight becomes this beautiful dance of a dark cosmic entity versus glistening arcs of blue, and much like Caligo’s boss fight, it becomes quite cinematic.
TheEverdark Sovereign Augurfight isNightreign’s answer to the Storm Ruler gimmick, a classic weapon of FromSoftware tradition that first appeared inDemon’s Souls. In that game, players challenging the Storm King boss needed the weapon just to be able to hit the enormous flying enemy, and it was an idea that has stuck with FromSoftware ever since. InDark Souls 3, players facing Yhorm the Giant would race for the Storm Ruler, charging it up to unleash waves of wind upon Yhorm. Though it didn’t appear inSekiro, the Divine Dragon relied on a similar gimmick, as it was taken down purely through lightning deflects. EvenElden Ringhad a version of the fight, as Rykard’s famously large health bar can only be safely challenged by the conveniently located Serpent Hunter spear.
Augur is often considered theweakest boss inNightreign, and when it isn’t weak, it’s frustrating, as many melee characters can struggle to get to grips with it flying all around the arena. But the Everdark Sovereign version of the fight finds a way to elevate it into something that isn’t necessarily more challenging, but is definitely much more satisfying.
There’s a serenity to the fight rarely found inNightreign, and while gimmick bosses don’t usually rank well forFromSoftware’s best boss fights, this is one of the rare occasions where the experience is made better by one. Augur is the fourth boss in the game to receive the Everdark Sovereign treatment, and over the next few weeks, three more will be given the same treatment, although it’s unlikely that there will be any more gimmicks again.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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“ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!”
