Action RPG

Elden Ring Nightreign Review: The Boss Rush I’ve Always Wanted

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In most cases, game series and studios are limited to either single-player or multiplayer games, with rare exceptions for crossovers. However, FromSoftware, the creator behind Dark Souls, stands out with Elden Ring Nightreign. While it’s not traditionally considered a multiplayer game, it has managed to deliver an impressive online experience thanks to years of Souls series development. Elden Ring Nightreign, on the other hand, is a blend and contrast of that experience – it prioritizes multiplayer interactions with friends above all else while still offering solo play, and it provides the best multiplayer Souls-like experience I’ve encountered yet.

In simpler terms, Elden Ring Nightreign is a challenging spin-off of Elden Ring. While Elden Ring invites exploration, Elden Ring Nightreign pushes for efficiency. If FromSoftware makes Elden Ring 2, it’s likely that understanding the mechanics and world of Elden Ring will be crucial to playing Elden Ring Nightreign effectively. So, if you haven’t played Elden Ring or it’s been a while since you last played, you might find yourself struggling to keep up with the pace of Elden Ring Nightreign.

The rapid pace of Nightreign is largely due to the game’s toughest boss, the encroaching ring of fire, which forces players into nightly battles. FromSoftware’s distinctive storytelling often leaves us puzzled, but if you’ve played games like battle royale or extraction, you’ll grasp that staying mobile is crucial for survival, and this principle also applies to Nightreign. In Nightreign, deciding whether we have the time to do something is as important as considering whether we have the strength, sometimes even excessively so.

Struggling with progress in “Elden Ring: Nightreign” can be incredibly tough, pushing you to the brink of quitting, but abandoning your journey means forfeiting all potential rewards. Dying in “Nightreign” outside of major boss encounters results in losing a level, which affects all your essential abilities and leaves you lagging behind your teammates. You can retrieve your runes, similar to Elden Ring, only by picking them up or defeating an enemy that has absorbed them. When every moment counts, it’s extremely nerve-wracking to see a flashing level reminder of your setback while simultaneously knowing that each second spent recovering your runes is a second lost on making progress elsewhere. As players become more accustomed to the game’s pace, facing a boss battle aware of the level gap between where you should be and where you are becomes even more intimidating.

I’m depicting Nightreign and Limveld in a rather challenging manner, but the overall setup is balanced, even though it can be tough. FromSoftware clearly sets the rules and consequences, so any difficulties you encounter are largely your (or your team’s) responsibility.

In summary, Elden Ring Nightreign possesses several strengths such as impressive loot pools, harmonious character classes, and an exhilarating boss rush format. However, it lacks voice communication which is noticeably absent in Nightreign. There’s no text chat either, so teaming up with friends or relying on external services will be essential for clear communication beyond simple visual cues and assumptions. Considering FromSoftware’s history, the absence of in-game voice comms isn’t surprising, but given the unique circumstances of this game, it could have been an excellent opportunity for them to introduce this feature.

Although it received some criticism, I still cherish certain moments from Nightreign that might have been impossible with voice chat. If a teammate points out a location and dashes off, there’s an unspoken obligation to follow, contributing to the team’s success. The shared feeling of silent exploration and achievement in Limveld is palpable, even in a world without voices. Triggering events like a Recluse using Soulblood Song or a Guardian or Raider reviving you with Wings of Salvation or Totem Stela has the same impact as if someone were giving commands. When we all spam the guard input after a successful boss fight, words become superfluous.

For devoted fans of FromSoftware games, especially those who enjoy boss rush mods in Souls series like Elden Ring, Nighteign was specifically tailored to cater to your preferences. Those dismissing Nightreign as merely a boss run game might be underestimating the long-standing demand for an officially endorsed boss rush experience among FromSoftware enthusiasts. Despite the unexpected choice of their return, FromSoftware skillfully avoids overreliance on Souls bosses, instead offering the exceptional Nightlord bosses in Limveld. While personal favorites will certainly vary, the stages, scores, and designs of the Nightlord boss fights ensure that even the most tedious encounters become unforgettable experiences.

In addition to some noticeable issues in the game Elden Ring Nightreign, a few aspects could use improvement. For instance, the HUD and menus could be more detailed, and the parkour and mantling attempts might need better reliability when you’re chased by a ring of fire. However, FromSoftware has consistently delivered high-quality games, and Elden Ring Nightreign already boasts an impressive foundation. As an online-centric game, Elden Ring Nightreign should set the bar for FromSoftware’s post-launch support. Consequently, I’m more eager for Elden Ring Nightreign’s future updates than I have been for any of FromSoftware’s previous games.

Rating: 4.5/5

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2025-05-28 17:10

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