Action RPG

Elden Ring Nightreign Review

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Occasionally, I find myself reminiscing about the variety of feelings I experienced during The Game Awards in December. To be honest, an Elden Ring reveal wasn’t something I had expected for that night, but given my deep affection for the initial game and most other projects by FromSoftware, I was beyond excited.

As additional information on Elden Ring Nightreign emerged, so did queries such as, “I see it’s a multiplayer game. But doesn’t that describe many FromSoftware games? In what way is this different?

The gradual unveiling of Nightreign’s mission structure, which shrinks the Fortnite map and emphasizes squad play, sparked a flurry of discussions and debates. Given that Elden Ring was the most successful game ever produced by the company, it remained uncertain how FromSoftware would manage this unprecedented exposure to a truly mainstream audience.

Now that the wait for Nightreign is finally over, it’s time to see what gamers think of this innovative multiplayer spin-off based on one of the most iconic games ever made. Personally, my feelings towards it are quite mixed.

As a fan of solo gaming, transitioning to

Experience with Elden Ring Nightreign is generally enjoyable, yet at times… However, the level of my enjoyment varies significantly from one playthrough to another due to a multitude of elements involved. Some aspects stem from design decisions, while others are influenced by human nature. Here’s an exploration of what I imply.

A New FromSoftware Formula

For those who might not know yet, let me explain the basics of Nightreign. You, along with two other teammates, start by selecting from six pre-designed character classes, each coming with their own equipment and unique abilities. After that, you’ll be dropped into a map filled with various locations, enemy outposts, field bosses, and upgrades for gear to help you level up. With enough levels under your belt, you’ll become powerful enough to challenge the final boss.

Throughout this process, you’re working against a clock. You get two gaming sessions, each approximately 15 minutes long in real time, to harvest, fight, gather resources, and upgrade your character as much as possible. At the end of each session, you face an extremely difficult boss battle. If all three characters in your team lose simultaneously during any of these final battles, the game session ends; just start again from there.

By the way, a dangerous circle of relentless rain is approaching you from all sides, intensifying the suspense.

On one side, there are many appealing aspects to this concept in total. For quite some time now, I’ve expressed my desire for FromSoftware games to feature a mode that allows players to re-encounter bosses more conveniently. Regardless of whether this was a full-blown Boss Rush mode or simply the ability to summon a boss from their nearest bonfire, it made little difference to me.

And then, the monkey’s paw curled.

In Nightreign, you’ll encounter the boss battles more frequently, offering you an opportunity to replay specific fights without needing to progress through the entire base game. Notably, after completing your run in Nightreign, you choose which of the eight main bosses to confront, but the rest is determined by which enemies and bosses the game picks from a pool of choices.

To effectively create this game as a run-focused multiplayer title, it was essential to design it in this specific way. However, this design may result in instances where you eagerly anticipate battling the Gaping Dragon, with its iconic theme music from Dark Souls, only to encounter the Godskin Duo… for the umpteenth time.

If your team stays together throughout the entire mission, you’ll reunite to battle the ultimate adversary known as “Nightlord.” This particular Nightlord is one of eight in the game, and it brings a new group of potential bosses to challenge you, ensuring that each attempt feels exciting and unique.

During each playthrough, you acquire some artifacts with useful bonuses for your character. However, the majority of advancement comes from repeatedly entering games to find out how long you can endure against the Nightlord in your current journey, usually resulting in your character’s death.

As a dedicated FromSoftware enthusiast, let me warn you – this Elden Ring Nightreign isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s as if they’ve been waiting just to test my gaming skills to the limit. Brace yourself, because I can see death lurking around every corner.

You’re Gonna Need To Upgrade Your Stamina

I must admit, I’m quite fond of challenging video games. I’ve earned the platinum trophy for Elden Ring and several other FromSoftware games, so I’m familiar with their level of difficulty. Yet, let me make it clear: Elden Ring Nightreign is incredibly tough. Normally, I can handle this level of challenge, but what bothers me about Nightreign is that it’s unevenly difficult. This inconsistency is something I find problematic.

After accepting and understanding all the distinct aspects of Nightreign compared to regular Elden Ring, I discovered that my team and I could usually incinerate most enemies the game presented us with, well before the daily boss battles. This is largely due to the unique skills each character now possesses, some of which border on superhero capabilities.

In essence, this situation frequently transforms the rapid, tactical combat into a repetitive pattern of using R1 and quickly deploying your ultimate skill whenever its cooldown allows. Although it can be satisfying to obliterate an opponent on occasion, it becomes rather monotonous as you often encounter such scenarios run after run.

As a gamer, I’ve come to realize that Nightreign isn’t your typical FromSoftware game. Enemies don’t scale with you throughout the entire 40+ hours of gameplay. Instead, they adjust within each individual run. However, after countless runs where I find myself starting anew at Level 1, the early-game battles become a bit monotonous and tiresome.

At the conclusion of your journey, the Nightlords you encounter will be strikingly different and extremely tough. Their health pools are significantly larger than the damage you can inflict, while each Nightlord packs a powerful punch that could easily wipe out your entire team with just a couple of hits if you’re not strategically positioned in the arena.

It’s clear that what you’re describing is typical FromSoftware gameplay, and I get it. However, given my extensive experience in this genre, allow me to emphasize that the bosses in this game are exceptionally challenging. In fact, during my most recent gaming session before writing this review, I spent a full 10 hours making numerous attempts with a group of three players each time. Amazingly, we were only able to defeat one Nightlord throughout those 10 hours.

Frequently, you may find yourself confronting the final adversary, only to be defeated instantly, leaving you with a sense that you haven’t gained any new knowledge or skills.

It’s clear that challenging games can indeed be tough. However, when the level of difficulty serves no purpose other than prolonging playtime, or when it seems the game is intentionally made difficult to keep players engaged for longer periods, it raises concerns about the design choices being made.

In this game, each loss against the Nightlords means having to begin anew from the start. Frequently, you’ll find yourself facing the final boss only to be instantly annihilated, leaving you with the feeling that you’ve gained no knowledge at all. Unlike other games by FromSoftware, here, you don’t often have the chance to learn the boss’s moves and understand why you failed. Instead, you’re often forced to repeat the longest boss replay in FromSoftware game history.

Even though I’m somewhat conflicted regarding the entire situation, which might seem unusual, let me clarify. Although these bosses may appear unbalanced and poorly tuned at times, the truth is that when you eventually defeat one of them, it brings about a genuine thrill.

If you enjoy experiencing periods of ease followed by intense challenges and long, epic battles against final bosses, then this game could be for you.

As a seasoned gamer, I must admit that every boss battle in this game feels like an unparalleled test of endurance, unlike any other FromSoftware title I’ve encountered. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that defeating a single boss can easily consume 15 minutes or more, depending on the situation. This level of difficulty, let me tell you, is truly grueling – and yet, it’s somehow exhilarating. It’s not what you might anticipate if you’re familiar with the genre, but that unexpected twist is what makes this game stand out.

If you enjoy the balance of easy phases followed by tough challenges and marathon-like boss fights in Elden Ring, then this game could appeal to you. However, I find myself wondering if the game’s difficulty level is suitable for all players, given that it seems too challenging for some lower-level players who managed to progress through the main game, while also targeting a more casual audience in a multiplayer, run-based title.

100% Squad Dependent

Elden Ring Nightreign can be played either by groups of three or on your own. However, if you’re considering playing this game as a solo player, I’d advise against it. Although the game has been adjusted in difficulty for single players, the balance isn’t quite sufficient. In essence, the game is primarily designed with group play in mind.

In simpler terms, the entire team is swiftly maneuvering through the map, scaling walls and sprinting at high speed while targeting key strategic locations. We’re destroying everything in our path to avoid being defeated by the Nightlord. It might be a good idea to play the game solo initially, just to familiarize yourself with the unique aspects of Nightreign and avoid making mistakes that could potentially embarrass you in front of your team due to lack of knowledge about the new mechanics, although this could be my anxiety speaking.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but express my excitement about the potential of Nightreign as a thrilling two-player cooperative adventure. It’s somewhat perplexing to me why this option isn’t available in the current version of the game. Rumor has it that a co-op mode is being developed, but it seems unusual to mandate that players always recruit a third member. This requirement, while occasionally challenging for me during my gaming journey, could potentially make the experience even more enjoyable when shared with another player.

Finding one friend to schedule an event is usually straightforward, but it can become challenging when trying to arrange something simultaneously with three friends. In such cases, you may need to resort to a more general approach for matching up the entire team.

For some, it might be challenging since Nightreign solely relies on your team. To put it simply, the other two players you are playing with will significantly determine the outcome of the game, and I’m not entirely certain that you’ll consistently find competent partners among the general player base to ensure both success and enjoyment… or fun.

In this game, with its steep learning curve and requirement for immediate cooperation on tasks like mapping and deciding on risk/reward situations, having a teammate who isn’t fully committed or solely focuses on their own interests can significantly derail the entire playthrough.

In a game of Nightreign, runes are distributed among players as foes are vanquished; however, items remain individual possessions. If one player hoards everything greedily instead of sharing, it could lead to an unfavorable experience. Regardless, such selfish behavior will eventually rebound on that player because all three teammates must consistently contribute for success. The essence of the message still stands.

It’s fantastic when you assemble a cooperative team that works seamlessly together, and strategically deploying each character class for optimal performance is thrilling. Team members who choose characters like Ironeye or Recluse will have impressive ranged abilities right from the start, offering numerous opportunities for tactical planning and team support. A unique feature known as “Near Death” comes into play when a player falls in battle; teammates can attack the defeated until they are revived again. In these situations, Ironeye’s ability to shoot arrows from afar during this mechanic is particularly beneficial.

By the end, the final lineup of eight characters you’ll gain feels fantastic and each offers a distinct contribution.

Tanks such as Raider and Guardian are designed to get up close to the fight and deal massive damage to enemies and bosses using weapons like halberds, axes, and powerful special abilities. By the end of the game, you’ll unlock a final roster of eight characters, each offering their own unique strengths that contribute to your team or provide an advantage against specific types of bosses.

The most thrilling instances of Nightreign occur when you successfully execute a crucial stagger on an enemy boss, and the three of you simultaneously attack it with swords, axes, and daggers in a whirlwind, preventing it from rising again. This game boasts the capacity to generate exciting moments repeatedly, though your experiences may differ significantly.

A Case By Case Experience

After encountering every leader in Nightreign, I found myself somewhat torn overall. The fact that this game is from FromSoftware, and witnessing the Elden Ring universe intertwined with references to Dark Souls bosses and adversaries joining the action is genuinely exciting, even if it continues to leave me puzzled.

Eventually, I found myself questioning if this game wouldn’t have been as appealing if it wasn’t from FromSoftware. Frankly, I’m not entirely sure it would be, but there are aspects that draw me in, such as its gameplay and the memorable moments it provides. However, there are areas where the game falls short as well.

In simpler terms, relying heavily on team synergy and being vulnerable to the whims of random number generators (RNG) can lead to a challenging, yet fulfilling gaming experience. However, I’m not entirely convinced that the balance between consistent losses and a sense of progression is currently well-tuned. Additionally, frequently feeling underprepared for the final boss encounter in a run is frustrating.

FromSoftware is accustomed to adjusting and fine-tuning certain aspects after the game launch. I proudly wear the fact that I defeated both versions of Radahn before the nerf as a badge of honor. However, Nightreign seems to be different in this aspect, and I’d enjoy running expeditions repeatedly if I thought I had a chance to win without getting stuck in a prolonged loop of no progress due to factors that seemed beyond my control.

For some players, continuously playing this game with the same pair of opponents could be an exciting experience as they discover each other’s abilities, flaws, and the intricacies of the game, making it feel like a meaningful pursuit. However, others might find themselves growing weary from the monotony and repetitive nature of the game after experiencing repeated losses.

While some might argue that personal taste, Elden Ring may not perfectly fit the mold of games that are universally adaptable to this particular style. However, I have no doubt it will attract an audience. Some players will try it out, only to discover it doesn’t quite align with their expectations of a typical FromSoftware game. And that’s perfectly fine.

Despite Nightreign not fully achieving all it aimed for, it still produced a game with instances of greatness that I thoroughly enjoyed. The exhilaration I felt when eventually conquering a boss who haunted my dreams for hours was palpable. Moreover, there were moments when we found ourselves immersed in a flow-state during gameplay as my team and I hurriedly moved around the map, striving to amplify our power before the boundaries closed in on us.

The classes in Elden Ring are engaging, exploring places such as the revamped Roundtable Hold is enjoyable, and it adds depth to the world by incorporating intriguing character dialogues and occasional missions tailored for each class. These elements effectively enrich the characters’ histories and motivations. It seems like the game is making a genuine effort to win me over, and I admire the attention to detail in its polish. Moreover, it runs smoothly as a multiplayer experience, considering the importance of precise button inputs.

Despite the potential for continued updates and expansions, I find myself uncertain whether Elden Ring Nightreign will captivate me as deeply as the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC did in the long run. While it seems designed to offer ongoing support with fresh bosses, characters, and map modifications, the question remains: Will I be motivated to return to it repeatedly? My answer is not entirely confident.

Closing Comments:

The game Elden Ring: Nightreign could potentially divide FromSoftware gamers in an unprecedented manner. It deviates significantly from fan expectations and heavily relies on the group you play with, making it enjoyable for expert players but potentially laborious for average or casual ones. This puts the game in a delicate position, being too challenging for a wider audience that the new genre aims to attract, while perhaps too different for some longtime fans. Once you get the hang of Nightreign and everything falls into place, it can be quite enjoyable, especially when you have an optimal team of three, when luck is on your side, and when you’re prepared to invest a significant amount of time defeating bosses with astronomical health bars. Regrettably, the repetitive gameplay and balance issues might make it feel like an endless series of Soulslike runs—an overly lengthy journey that repeats endlessly.

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2025-05-28 17:14

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