Action RPG

What The Reception To Elden Ring Nightreign Tells Us About The Duskbloods

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Elden Ring: Nightreign was bound to be unique, given that FromSoftware isn’t new to online multiplayer. They’ve been pushing boundaries in this area for quite some time, with intricate player-versus-player interactions featured in games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Moreover, they’ve utilized a communication system that has significantly enhanced the exploration of mystical open worlds in modern times.

The initial game was a complete masterpiece right from its debut, boasting a rich and fully-fledged experience, which only grew with the addition of Shadow of the Erdtree, enriching The Lands Between by offering more places to discover and adversaries to defeat. When Nightreign, a multiplayer-centric title, was unveiled last year as a reimagining of decades of the studio’s work into a tough new journey, I found myself uncertain about my reaction.

Elden Ring Nightreign Deserves The Benefit Of A Doubt

FromSoftware games draw players in due to the combined sense of freedom and exploration they offer. Although the games generally follow a main storyline, there’s an exhilarating feeling of discovery while uncovering Drangleic or Yharnam, solving their enigmas, and figuring out how to vanquish their formidable foes independently.

In most situations, you’ll have the ability to call upon NPCs or other players to aid you in fighting powerful enemies, but this feature is restricted to certain zones, and you’ll often find yourself battling alone. Despite being somewhat nerve-wracking, the prospect of a familiar formula being expanded with multiplayer and battle royale elements is difficult for me, as a dedicated fan, to accept. However, after reading James Lucas’s review, a Soulsborne expert, I’ve decided to put my doubts aside and give Nightreign a try.

The game has been positively received, which has been intriguing to observe. Nightreign insists on multiplayer action as it isn’t designed for solo play at this time, and duos won’t be introduced anytime soon. The exploration in Elden Ring is distinct due to a shrinking boundary that requires quick thinking and discarding old strategies to stay alive while playing predefined characters.

FromSoftware aims to provide a less expensive, triple-A quality experience that deviates from the typical feel of playing Elden Ring. Nightreign is an innovative tribute to decades of FromSoftware’s work, reimagined in a multiplayer format they haven’t explored as deeply before, and one they’ve been open about their intentions for since the project began.

The Duskbloods for Nintendo Switch 2, however, is a tiny bit different.

But The Same Can’t Be Said For The Duskbloods

Under the guidance of Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game titled The Duskbloods was unveiled during this year’s Nintendo Switch showcase, leaving quite an impression. At first sight, it appeared to many as if it were Bloodborne 2’s sequel. It shares a similar approach to gothic design, exudes a somber and melancholic ambiance, and features grotesque, dark creatures that we must vanquish. Notably, it is marketed as a PvPvE experience, much like Nightreign before it, with a strong focus on multiplayer rather than being a purely solo journey.

Although I’m open to the idea of Elden Ring branching out into a multiplayer expansion like Nightreign, I find myself in a bit of a dilemma when it comes to a new IP from FromSoftware. The prospect of a fresh world and mechanics to discover excites me, but the revelation that Miyazaki told Nintendo the game won’t have a single open world, but rather offer multiple vampiric character archetypes with unique weapons or abilities, each player being dropped onto a map to either compete or cooperate with others, leaves me somewhat torn.

Afterward, they’ll go back to a central location, much like the Roundtable Hold, for customizing or enhancing their characters. These battles, if that’s what we end up calling them, can be influenced by the emergence of uncommon creatures and unforeseen occurrences that will require players to adapt quickly, fostering replay value. I’m eager to have compelling motivations to dive into games repeatedly with distinct characters and strategies, so let’s hope there’s enough complexity in the gameplay.

Each character you can control comes with a unique “lineage and destiny” that intertwines with their backstory, and offers different angles for customization within the game mechanics.

There’s still plenty we don’t know about The Duskbloods, but it’s already showing potential that surpasses Nightreign. It’s not just a new game, but also a fresh intellectual property from the creator of Dark Souls. What makes it even more intriguing is its focus on multiplayer gameplay, which brings its own set of challenges and expectations. Could this be the direction FromSoftware is heading towards, or will we continue to see single-player experiences in their future projects?

As a fan excitedly anticipating The Duskbloods, I can’t help but wonder: Will this game cater well enough for those of us who prefer the solitary journey through a sprawling world, making our own discoveries? Time will unveil whether it successfully pulls off its ambitious landing. And while Nightreign may have hinted at promising developments, it also serves as a potential cautionary tale that we should have heeded more closely.

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2025-06-02 22:05

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