During the gamescom 2023, our author Mark Sellner had the opportunity to see about 30 minutes of live gameplay of the new survival MMO Nightingale. A battle in the open world particularly stands out positively in his memory.
What did I see? In a roughly 45-minute presentation at Inflexion Games, I was allowed to watch the first steps in Nightingale, as well as a battle later in the game. I wasn’t able to play myself, but it wasn’t pre-recorded and “beautified” gameplay; instead, the developers played live before my eyes.
Two highlights caught my eye. On the one hand, the extremely cool building system, with which you can build your house together with your friends. It works super easily and completely freely, offers many comfort features, and generally feels very varied and coherent.
However, a building feature is something that has already existed in many games. What I had never seen before was the fight against a so-called “Sun Giant,” which the developers showed me. And that was impressive.
By the way, there was a new trailer for Nightingale at the ONL of gamescom 2023:
A fight that would be scripted in any other game
How did the fight go? The developers discovered a Sun Giant while exploring the realm; these are truly huge creatures that initially don’t want to harm anyone. The giant lives up to its name and is at least 10 times the size of the player characters.
It is a peaceful and at least partially intelligent creature. It doesn’t attack immediately. Instead, it allows the players to offer it a sacrifice. After the telescope, which one of the developers held, seemingly didn’t please it, they prepare for battle.
They do this by building a small town around the giant. With towers to shoot from and bridges over the swamp to avoid the dangerous water where the Sun Giant is currently resting comfortably.
Once the small fortress is ready, one of the developers fires the first shot from his tower. A battle begins that I have never experienced in any open world.
Players fly, buildings shatter, and the giant falls
How do they defeat the oversized enemy? During the fight, one of the developers explains to me that the giant has various weak points that he tries to hit. This also inflicts significant damage on him.
But then the giant swings, and the developer’s character is hit. And flies really far away. As far as one would fly if a ton-heavy palm hit you. With the flying umbrella, you can avoid fall damage, but are now hundreds of meters away from your comrades.
One of whom, by the way, went down at that moment. While he tries to return to the scene, you can see the players’ towers collapse and shatter as the giant strikes at them.
The bridges also cannot withstand the giant’s magical beams and catapult one of the developers directly into the toxic water, which gives him a debuff.
In early access, new content will be added regularly. However, how long the game will stay in early access is currently still unknown. The developers are not sure either, as they assured me. It will take several years, according to the CEO.
What do you think of Nightingale? Are you looking forward to the game and these gigantic battles in the open world? Or do you simply miss the PvP in a survival game that Nightingale does not offer? Feel free to write to us in the comments here at MeinMMO.
A small tour of everything Nightingale offers has been laid out in this article for you: Great survival hope Nightingale completely forgoes PvP – Focuses on exploration with umbrellas
After several deaths of all involved and a completely destroyed fortress, the giant falls and destroys the landscape beneath it.
But too soon to celebrate: Before they can collect the enemy’s loot, they are surprised by the next opponents. Because now that the giant is gone, the actual swamp dwellers return and are not happy at all about the intruders.
Another fight ensues in the water and among the debris of the destroyed towers and bridges before the developers can finally collect their loot victoriously. A battle that will stay in my memory for a long time.
Nightingale launches in February in early access and is expected to remain for years
When can you play yourselves? On February 22, 2024, Nightingale will launch in early access on Steam and will then be playable for everyone. In the 6 months leading up to this, there is expected to be mainly fine-tuning, the CEO of Inflexion Games tells us in a conversation afterwards.
The game is complete in terms of features for the planned early-access release, but technically it is still not running perfectly, which was also noticeable in the gameplay shown. However, the developers still have enough time to take care of it.
In early access, new content will be added regularly. However, how long the game will stay in early access is currently still unknown. The developers are not sure either, as they assured me. It will take several years, according to the CEO.
What do you think of Nightingale? Are you looking forward to the game and these gigantic battles in the open world? Or do you simply miss the PvP in a survival game that Nightingale does not offer? Feel free to write to us in the comments here at MeinMMO.
A small tour of everything Nightingale offers has been laid out in this article for you: Great survival hope Nightingale completely forgoes PvP – Focuses on exploration with umbrellas
