Nodusfall Looks Like Elden Ring But Plays Its Own Game, Review Says

HoYoverse’s Nodusfall looks like Elden Ring, but it plays nothing like it. That is the promise the game delivers in a Gamescom demo, and the reviewer says the proof is in the fighting. The game trades the bright colors of a typical HoYoverse title for a darker fantasy setting full of mysterious magic and vicious monsters. The comparison to FromSoftware’s game is obvious at first glance. But Nodusfall has its own identity, according to Eurogamer’s preview, and the combat systems are built to reward players who think about cooldowns and positioning.

Four Roles, One Archer

The demo offered four character classes to choose from, split evenly between melee fighters and ranged attackers. Each class has a basic attack that builds a gauge toward a more powerful move, plus a secondary move and four abilities tied to cooldowns. The reviewer picked the archer with a mechanical arm, reasoning that dealing heavy damage from a distance while handling emergencies fit their strengths better than a healer role.

The archer’s secondary move was a bomb arrow that deals extra damage when struck. Her abilities included a dodge move that lets her jump backward before firing a powerful arrow, and a summon that unleashes a spirit wolf. Because the wolf only deals damage in close quarters, the reviewer had to dash toward an enemy before using it, then dodge back to keep distance. Stamina matters. The bar is generous, the reviewer notes, but every move depletes it.

Bosses From Mythology

Nodusfall draws enemy designs from mythologies across the world. The demo featured Qiongqi, a Chinese creature depicted as a griffin-like beast, and the Maldrake, a traditional dragon. The reviewer describes stopping to properly appreciate these encounters, even as the enemies try to bite their heads off.

Boss fights follow a standard structure of multiple stages, each with a new health bar. The Maldrake fight stood out as the favorite. It breathes fire, snaps jaws, and beats wings like a typical dragon. Then something odd happens: human-like arms protrude from its chest. Midway through the battle, a knight rips itself out of the Maldrake’s torso and kills it, turning the fight into a Maldrake Knight fight. The knight is fast with a sword and polearm, loves tossing people in the air, and can unleash black-goo puddles that sap health. Every strategy built for the dragon had to be thrown away.

Free-to-Play Questions

Nodusfall is a free-to-play title from a studio known for gacha games. How it will be monetized is a fair question. The developer says characters will be unlockable through continuous play rather than the banner system used by other HoYoverse games like Genshin Impact. Cosmetic monetization is being considered, but specifics are limited.

The preview raises the question without answering it fully. The reviewer’s curiosity about the monetization model is shared by anyone following the game’s development.

A Co-op Preview

The reviewer admits worry at the start, since the preview consisted of two boss battles fought in groups of four. Their co-op experience comes from RuneScape, a 25-year-old MMORPG played mostly with a mouse. Nobody wants to let their team down.

Combat settled into a satisfying rhythm quickly. The archer’s range allowed the reviewer to circle the battlefield safely, helping teammates with additional firepower or revivals. The fighting is fast-paced without becoming overwhelming, the reviewer says. The Maldrake Knight fight, in particular, required constant adjustment, and the co-op format kept the chaos manageable rather than chaotic.

What Remains To Be Seen

The reviewer went into the preview with no expectations. They came out with a surprisingly great time. Combat is fast-paced, bosses are compelling, and co-op is engaging while remaining approachable.

The big unknown is solo play. The preview focused on group battles, and the reviewer expresses curiosity about how the game handles single-player sessions. Whether Nodusfall can carve out its own niche among the games it clearly draws inspiration from remains to be seen.

From what has been played, though, it is looking promising.

The Verdict On Nodusfall

The reviewer’s honest reaction is curiosity turned to approval. The combat rewards ranged play and careful cooldown management, and the Maldrake’s knight twist adds welcome chaos. The boss fights demand adaptation, and the preview suggests HoYoverse is willing to bring that unpredictability elsewhere.

Here is what stands out from the demo:

1. Four character classes, split between melee and ranged.
2. A bomb arrow secondary move for the archer.
3. The Maldrake fight, which turns into a Maldrake Knight fight.
4. Black-goo puddles that sap health.
5. Unlockable characters through continuous play, not banners.

The demo showed a game with ambition beyond its visual comparisons. Whether that ambition survives the free-to-play model remains to be tested.

Source material: “HoYoverse's Nodusfall might look like Elden Ring, but there's a promising dark fantasy action game here that took me by surprise,” Eurogamer.

boss battles · co-op · Elden Ring · HoYoverse · Nodusfall