Nightingale early-access review: A rough but promising showcase of magic and wonder

The recent early-access release of Nightingale brought Inflexion Games' debut open-world survival to players. After a period of eager anticipation, fans finally got to experience the magic of the Fae Realms. Does this game have the potential to be a hit, or will it fizzle out amid the sea of survival games on the oversaturated market?

Thankfully, first impressions are positive - for the most part, at least. Here's why Nightingale is worth checking out despite a rough start.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions.

The open-world survival/crafting genre has a massive audience, as seen with games like Minecraft, Rust, No Man's Sky, and the recent hit Palworld. These titles also distinguish themselves from one another with distinct mechanics and elements, but Nightingale has loftier goals.

Described as a "gas-lamp fantasy" adventure, it puts players in the shoes of a Realmwalker - a human stranded in mystical lands of the supernatural after a catastrophe hits Earth. The goal is to traverse various worlds of the Faelands and find a way to the titular Nightingale - a massive city that is the final Bastion of mankind.

These realms are rich with discovery and danger - and this is where genre veteran players will feel most comfortable with. The same core loop of resource gathering from the open world, item crafting for progression, and exploration is present here. Players will also craft different workstations like hide tanning benches, crafting benches, and more.

How Nightingale approaches these aspects is what makes it unique.

Before we touch on how players can modify their open worlds, the first thing users will do after launching Nightingale is create a custom character. A plethora of options are