We all have our guys—the true freaks and sickos online whose trials move us in ways we can scarcely explain. For me, that person is eauvni, a YouTuber who silently and implacably keeps playing Elden Ring Nightreign solo. Watching their relentless uploads of the game's hard mode feels like watching someone trapped in a purgatory of their own making.

The Relentless Routine of an Elden Ring Nightreign Specialist

eauvni is incredibly skilled, uploading multiple VODs every week like clockwork. While they rotate through the entire cast, they seem to have a particular affinity for the Sekiro-parrying Executor. Since the release of the Deep of Night mode at the end of last year, their focus has shifted toward specific challenges:

  • Exclusively uploading Depth Three of Five runs in recent months.
  • Mastering mathematically perfect relic builds for every character.
  • Navigating the massive difficulty spikes inherent in the mode.

The jump in difficulty from Depth Three to Four is where the real carnage happens. In Depth Four, enemies deal twice as much damage compared to Depth Three—and that’s on top of the existing DoN advancements. This barrier is what separates the "freaks" from the "perverts" among Elden Ring Nightreign players, while the Four/Five divide splits the perverts from the reprobates.

The Malicious Intelligence of Depth of Night

There is a certain spite lurking beneath Elden Ring Nightreign. Whether it is glitches, enemy AI, or pure RNG, it feels like a malicious intelligence is working against you at all times. This makes eauvni’s stoic, meditative repetition even more disquieting.

Even legendary no-hit maestro Ongbal has noted that soloing Depth Five simply isn't fun. For eauvni, however, the repetition is staggering. They have played so much of the same maps and bosses that you start to see the Matrix code, anticipating individual boss placements before they even appear.

I feel this struggle personally. Every day during our lunch break, PCG writers Tyler Colp, Sean Martin, and I attempt a run. We are currently in the latter half of Depth Four, approaching Depth Five, and I have never felt more hated by a game. eauvni's "Thank You Nightreign Compilation" perfectly illustrates this chaotic energy through feats like:

  • A flawless level two takedown of a red (read: turbocharged) Erdtree Avatar at Limveld castle.
  • 1v1ing the memetically difficult Bell Bearing Hunter at level one so many times it barely warrants comment.

Will Nightreign Ruin Future FromSoft Games?

As much as I admire this obsession, I worry about the future. With the Tarnished Edition patch allegedly due out later this year, I fear my palate for FromSoft games has been permanently altered.

When I finally replay Elden Ring again, will it just feel too fair and well-balanced for me to enjoy? When I'm not instakilled by an overtuned area of effect attack in FromSoft's next mainline release, will I miss the thrill?