Nodusfall Preview - Release Date, Combat, Monitization and More

Nodusfall is an upcoming free-to-play, dark fantasy action game from Hoyoverse. You may recognise the company, as they also made games such as Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero. However, this game is a major departure from the other titles!

Set in Unreal Engine 5, you play as a Weaver, which is someone who is connected to the divine and higher powers, and your job is to restore the world and remove the corruption that has set in within it! You will hunt monsters, claim their abilities and power up.

The game focuses on four-player co-op, but you can also play it completely solo, and in the future there will also be PvP and PvPvE.

There is no confirmed release date for Nodusfall. However, you can sign up for the upcoming beta via this link.

Nodusfall's gameplay bears a lot of similarities to games like Monster Hunter or Granblue Fantasy: Relink. You prepare your equipment, set up a contract and then go out and hunt the monsters. Before that, you can customise your character and loadout and then head out on your horse to complete the contract.

On your way, you might encounter bosses and enemies that you need to take out before completing your contract.

The game requires you to kill big bosses and monsters to earn loot, which can then help you unlock more weapons, get upgrades and progress through the game.

Combat in Nodusfall is fast-paced and more aggressive than in some other games. You will also gain abilities which are valuable for killing bosses and monsters. You can choose from several classes, including a knight who can tank, archers who attack from a distance, and a supportive backliner.

Each weapon/ability has levels; the higher the level, the more light and heavy attacks you can deal, and the more you can dodge attacks. Each character also has 3 standard abilities and an “ultimate” ability that empowers them further. For example, an archer gained wings when she activated her “ultimate”.

Boss encounters are closer to MMO raids than traditional hunting-style games, with each boss battle needing a slightly different approach. Some you can just face tank, while others will insta-kill you if you get hit by a certain ability. Kiting, reacting and dodging are key in boss encounters and combat.

The Divine Skill system allows you to acquire abilities from defeated bosses and monsters and equip them yourself. There is tons of flexibility to this system as well. You can add/remove skills or create unique combinations to adjust the fight however you want.

While the game is completely free to play, Hoyoverse is the king of gacha. They have announced that it will not use character gacha. Instead, you'll unlock characters by playing the game. However, there isn’t much information on the ins and outs of what is gacha and what isn’t, but monetization could come in the form of premium cosmetics or potentially a faster account/character progression.