Now That I've Played Nightreign, I've Changed My Mind About FromSoft's Limitations
After playing Elden Ring Nightreign during the recent network test, I realized that I vastly underestimated what FromSoftware is capable of doing with the Elden Ring formula. The developer has managed to create something completely unique while still giving players the sense of challenge, wonder, and excitement they get from playing Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and more. Nightreign retains elements from its predecessors that made them successful, gets the heart racing in similar yet completely different ways, and it has me rethinking FromSoftware's limitations.
Nightreign is somehow both the same and the opposite of Elden Ring, with almost identical weapons, items, consumables, enemies, and locations, and yet all of these pieces function differently enough to create something one-of-a-kind. The challenge of navigating around the impending acid rain combined with finding synergy with party members equates to a novel and (more importantly) fun gameplay experience. Frustrating as it may be at times, cooperative multiplayer has its merits, and its success in Nightreign shows that FromSoftware is not simply recycling an old IP because it's out of fresh ideas.
Nightreign Gets Your Heart Racing Just Like Elden Ring Or Sekiro
The Sense Of Impending Night Adds Pressure & Excitement
Perhaps the best gauge for a successful FromSoftware installment is whether it gets the adrenaline pumping and the heart racing. Nightreign manages to do this in a fresh and interesting new way. The encroaching blue flames, caused by a violent and magical rain known as the Night's Tide,adds pressure and time constraints, and because leveling up is so important, the cost of dying feels substantial, even if it is only one level lost. As the layout of Limveld becomes more familiar, bosses, enemies, loot, etc., all change, adding a layer of randomness that requires some getting used to. However, this also makes each session relatively different and exciting.
Only four playable characters and one Nightlord were made available during the network test, but there are eight of each planned for the full release.
Getting into a flow of combat with a team is incredibly gratifying, and after taking down a boss successfully as a unit, it's simply not quite as fun to go back and try things solo. Nightreign's playable characters all feel very distinct and require different play styles or strategies depending on their strengths. Guardian, for example, is a defensive character with strong shield abilities and a flying dive-bomb Art, while Duchess is a dodging aficionado with stealth capabilities. Bosses are almost as challenging as in Elden Ring, but when taken on together, they are not nearly as formidable.
I Was Skeptical At First, But Fast-Paced Multiplayer Has Its Merit
Nightreign Requires Teamwork & Quick Decision-Making
The shift to focusing primarily on cooperative multiplayer is a big change from the Elden Ring formula, one that might be too much of a departure for some players. Nightreign incentivizes multiplayer in a major way, and it can be painstaking to lose both other players and be stuck out there all alone. Playing solo is viable, and players can still level up on their own and take on bosses without support, though this is significantly more challenging. I was pretty skeptical of the multiplayer experience in Nightreign, but after getting saved from near death multiple times while learning how things worked, that changed rather quickly.
Elden Ring Nightreign: Release Date, Platforms, Trailer, Gameplay & Story Details
Elden Ring Nightreign was announced with a trailer, but more information is still coming, including a release date, and platform and gameplay details.
Within the short network test window, seeing how other players take on enemies or utilize their unique arts and skills was incredibly useful. There were learning experiences where one player's missteps resulted in catastrophe, but when things clicked with all three players, enemies were a piece of cake. Part of the learning curve with Nightreign will be in adapting to less-skilled players' abilities; knowing when to stick together and when to divide and conquer is all part of the communication process, and helpful map pins make this a bit easier, especially for players who aren't keen on multiplayer voice chat.
FromSoftware Has Managed To Create Something Unique & Familiar, But It Isn't Perfect
Nightreign Might Not Be For Everyone, And That's Okay
The combat in Nightreign is familiar enough that any Elden Ring veterans will feel right at home, with similar parrying, blocking, heavy/light attacks, stance breaking, etc. Similarly, Limveld is a familiar area that looks much like Limgrave and will have recognizable landmarks. The randomized elements, incentives to work as a group, and the pacing, among other features, make Nightreign a truly unique experience, different enough from Elden Ring to stand on its own merit. However, the formula isn't perfect, and some of Elden Ring's most beloved features, such as narrative depth, lore, character development, etc., are almost completely absent.
You're Making A Mistake If You've Already Dismissed Elden Ring Nightreign
Dismissing Nightreign's lore this early is a mistake and there's a good chance FromSoftware will produce a story just as rich as Elden Ring's.
Playable characters in Nightreign don't have much backstory (at least not yet), and it is largely focused on gameplay, combat, and exploration. It's unclear how much the narrative elements will matter to Nightreign's audience, if at all. Further, the pacing of Nightreign is considerably faster than Elden Ring and SOTE, which will certainly alienate players who prefer to take their time. While the world is fully explorable with plenty to discover, it doesn't feel quite as expansive as Elden Ring's Lands Between. Elden Ring Nightreign isn't perfect, but it delivers on its promises and proves that FromSoftware isn't limited or lacking when it comes to reimagining its winning formula.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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