I Don't Love Elden Ring, But Nightreign Could Fix That

Elden Ring, its huge DLC, and the upcoming spin-off Elden Ring Nightreign have always fascinated me. Similarly, the soulslike genre, and, naturally, the series that started it all, FromSoftware's very own Dark Souls, has had a hold on me that I can't quite explain. I am very much enthralled by the discussion surrounding difficulty it has created, as well as its signature punishingly challenging boss fights that leverage skill and pattern-learning to overcome some of the best-designed encounters in gaming history.

There's also Elden Ring's engrossing lore that requires hours of dissecting and a handful of well-written tomes to truly grasp but is nevertheless rewarding for those who truly invest in it. However, despite all of its interesting components, I've always struggled to actually enjoy any soulslike, let alone the unsurprisingly popular and infinitely more accessible Elden Ring. Fortunately, the aforementioned Nightreign spin-off appears to be rectifying a lot of the issues I have with not just Elden Ring but soulslikes in general, and I can't wait to finally try it out.

I Couldn't Get Into Elden Ring

It Just Isn't For Me

By the time I had first heard about Elden Ring and the many ways it makes the soulslike formula more approachable for those who are new to it or, like myself, simply couldn't wrap their heads around it, I wasn't particularly interested. My interest in games that take as long to complete as mastering a new skill does had significantly waned, not aided by the unending Ubisoft busywork that had seeped into practically every open-world game. I was also not particularly keen on spending upwards of $70 on a soulslike game, no matter how glowing the Elden Ring reviews were.

Of course, not only is it my job to be immersed in the world of popular gaming culture, but my FOMO-riddled brain cannot handle missing out on something that garners such critical acclaim. So, eventually, I caved, bought a far-too-expensive copy of Elden Ring, and got stuck in. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying it. The challenge that had eluded me before evaporated, or at least became more endurable, and the Breath of the Wild-inspired exploration was endlessly engrossing. For a fairly lengthy moment, I actually loved Elden Ring and completely understood the hype.

After overcoming a tumultuous fight against Margit, I started to wonder if Elden Ring was too easy. Confidently, I made my way to the next boss fight against Godrick, and quickly found myself face-first on the floor, the "You Died" message splashing across my screen more times than I could count. So, like any good Elden Ring player, I furiously searched for guides and strategies, attempted to figure out the best builds, went hunting for better loot and gear, and explored more of the Lands Between, all to no avail.

Nightreign is fixing Elden Ring's biggest problems, and that could be enough to pull me back in.

After around 30 hours, I gave up. Elden Ring, much to my dismay and despite hours of genuine enjoyment, was not for me. The soulslike genre had, much like Godrick, beaten me again and again. I haven't played another soulslike since - outside a little testing of Shadows of the Erdtree, because I evidently have little respect for myself. However, when I saw the trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign, I felt excited once more. The trailer alone showcased that Nightreign is fixing Elden Ring's biggest problems, and that could be enough to pull me back in.

Elden Ring Nightreign Fixes My Biggest Elden Ring Problems

Everything From Combat To Co-Op

Recluse, Wylder, and Guardian approaching a large, gray, stone door in Elden Ring Nightreign.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a fundamentally different experience from the original game. It lacks a consistent open world, instead replacing it with randomized maps and enemies; there's character customization, armor sets, or even the ability to craft builds, as the game has pre-set characters for the player to choose from; it's a multiplayer-focused game, with the ability to revive downed allies; there is even faster traversal with new movement mechanics. All of these huge Elden Ring Nightreign changes may not appeal to hardcore soulslike fans, but they're ideal for me.

One of my biggest frustrations with Elden Ring, and really the whole souslike genre as a whole, is the ambiguous leveling system with a plethora of cryptic skills, a multitude of weapon types each with a steep learning curve, and impressive build variety. Don't get me wrong; all of these are amazing in their own right and understandably appeal to the right kind of player. I, unfortunately, am not the right kind of player. Elden Ring Nightreign feels like a streamlined version of the base game's experience thanks to its set class design replacing builds and the focus on customization.

Naturally, theseNightreign changes are divisive, and I understand that. In no uncertain terms, Elden Ring Nightreign feels like an entirely different game and that is going to upset dedicated fans who wanted more of the same. However, I'm always excited by developers trying something new, especially within an established formula or franchise, and FromSoftware is absolutely doing that with Nightreign. It's also yet another attempt at drawing in a different kind of audience, not just one that prefers online games to single-player soulslikes, but also those who want a more streamlined expression of the Elden Ring format, like me.

I Can't Wait To Try Nightreign

It Is Launching Very Soon

Elden Ring Nightreign characters flying over Limveld holding onto spectral birds.

Luckily for me,Nightreign's release date is right around the corner, and I won't have long to wait before I can try it out for myself. I suspect that the excitement I feel for Nightreign is akin to that of those who were elated at the ability to jump in Elden Ringafter decades of running against walls in Dark Souls. However, I feel that even were I to be disappointed with the final product - something that may be possible considering my inherent flip-flopping when it comes to soulslike games - I'd still feel warmly towards Nightreign.

It can be easy to look at the current gaming landscape - specifically from a consumer's perspective - and feel as if games are too similar, or that the golden age has passed. Obviously, those who've invested hundreds of hours in Baldur's Gate 3 or managed to somehow stay away from the Starfield discourse may feel a tad differently, but even I've been known to get sucked into the live-service hate train. However, experiments like Nightreign and the incredible output from Capcom have proven that games are only getting better.

It's great to see smaller projects being pushed into the mainstream, like Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess and even Nightreign. I understand the weight and pedigree that both the Elden Ring brand and FromSoftware's legacy hold, but Nightreign nevertheless feels smaller in scope than its developer's past titles. It's also an expansion into territory that FromSoftware isn't as familiar with, which makes it a riskier move financially. I hope that it pays off - if Elden Ring Nightreign's previews are anything to go by, then it will - and that FromSoftware, and other developers that can afford to, continue making experimental games.

Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment America/YouTube