Throughout the years, there have been only a handful of transformative games that have truly helped redefine gaming. Whether it’s the more recentBaldur’s Gate 3or classics such asThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, these games helped revitalize gaming in different sectors of the industry. Another just so happens to beElden Ring. While FromSoftware has been known for their challenging but highly rewarding Souls games, it wasn’t untilElden Ringthree years ago that they really hit the perfect stride. A vast open world to explore, a familiar vague narrative that keeps the player intrigued and challenging boss battles that you will gladly beat your head against for hours on end. It’s no surprise that FromSoftware is capitalizing on its success by experimenting with different forms of content, and the most recent is in the form of a cooperative roguelike.
Elden Ring Heads to Nintendo Switch 2
Bandai Namco’s Elden Ring will grace the Nintendo Switch 2.
A Different Spin of Elden Ring
As mentioned, this is very much a different type of game fromElden Ring. Combat remains roughly the same as you remember it, finding weapons around the world and having certain requirements to use them. With that said, because we’re placed in a cooperative match, things are different this time around. Instead of having set positions for weapons, spells and talismans, every single match will have completely random items spread throughout.
The whole idea is being dropped into the world and having to prioritize specific things before the walls begin to close in. Maybe you want more weapons or maybe you want more flasks for healing. As soon as the match starts, you’ll need to plan out exactly where you’re going and make sure the entire group is on the same page. WhileElden Ringhas always been about exploring and taking your time with content,Elden Ring Nightreignthrows you into the deep end and tells you to get going. There’s no time for a breather; in order to survive you’ll need quick thinking and a means of cooperating with others, even though there really isn’t a good means of doing so outside of poses.
This is where the difficulty comes into play. While FromSoftware games likeElden Ringand Dark Souls have been difficult but fair,Nightreignpunishes you for a single failure. While the encounters inNightreignaren’t particularly difficult, the end bosses offer a huge difficulty spike, which can be frustrating. One run usually takes around forty-five minutes where you’ll likely cruise through most enemies that are thrown at you, but then you reach the final boss and one poorly timed roll erases the entire group. That’s nearly an hour lost. This is very much a roguelike, but even if you’re prepared, some of the bosses require an immense amount of coordination unless you know the fight inside and out.
Quality Over Quantity
Speaking of which, FromSoftware definitely went the approach of quality over quantity with the bosses inNightreign. While we’ve become used to going through what feels like hundreds of fog doors,Nightreignonly has a handful of new and unique bosses, with the rest being randomized throughout your adventures in Limveld. Each of the new bosses takes place more or less in the same battle arena at the end of Day 3, and they offer a significant challenge, each having multi-phases to them. There’s no bad boss in the bunch, making your adventures all the more enjoyable when you finally get to their encounter – even though you’ll likely lose a lot of time when wiping to them.
There are numerous smaller bosses spread throughout the world that can be taken down. These are generally enemies we’ve seen inElden Ringthat were used on repeat, such as a Magma Wyrm or a Deathbird, just to name a couple. The two main bosses that occur at the end of Day 1 and 2 are more distinct, not only fromElden Ring, but from past FromSoftware Souls games, as well. For example, we ran into the Centipede Demon from Dark Souls, Duke’s Dear Freja from Dark Souls II and the Nameless King from Dark Souls III. Then there are lesser-involved ones such as Nox Dragonkin Soldier or Royal Revenant. It’s almost entirely random who you get, and depending on your party, you could be more or less capable of taking them down.
…FromSoftware definitely went the approach of quality over quantity with the bosses inNightreign.
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Class-Based Variety
There are eight different classes to pick between, each with their own unique traits. There will no doubt be metas for facing specific bosses because some offer far more valuable buffs and traits, but then there are just some that are overly fun to play. For example, the Revenant is essentially a necromancer who can draw enemy attention away from you or your teammates, which comes in handy when needing to pick someone up off the ground. Then there’s someone like the Guardian who starts with a shield and has a lengthy Ultimate attack that can quickly stagger enemies. Depending on the scenario, some will be more useful than others, but overall, each has something to offer.
Traversal has been made somewhat better, with the ability to climb up and even jump off of walls, although the latter can be finicky and sometimes lead to instances where you’re losing more time than if you didn’t double jump. A sprint has also been added, and rightfully so considering the speed at which each match moves at. Overall, due to the speed at whichNightreignpushes the player, having these new traversal abilities feels perfect and almost desirable in the core game.
There’s only really one map in Nightreign, but it’s varied enough to keep things interesting, and there are instances where some of the areas will change into more elemental-based sections. There’s a slight randomness to what appears in the world, but there’s still a structure to everything, with specific mini-bosses and encampments being locked in. It’s the instances where the unexpected occur that really shake things up. Whether it’s being invaded by a group of “Condemned,” or having a story-based boss appear out of nowhere as if he was stalking you, there’s more variety than the game leads on. With that said, we do hope FromSoftware will build upon this, as while Limveld is varied enough,Elden Ringholds an immense amount of potential for different settings.
Closing Comments:
Elden Ring: Nightreignis a drastically different game fromElden Ring, meshing some of the mechanics we’ve become used to in the award-winning RPG with a rougelike adventure. It’s a fantastic and highly engaging side ofElden Ringwe didn’t think we needed, and yet it somehow works perfectly. Putting the player on a timer and having to quickly think on their feet is rewarding, at least until you wipe at the end of a long run. There’s a significant difficulty spike playingNightreignas it’s a borderline randomizer. On some runs, it will hand out equipment that will be helpful for your character, while other times give you the short end of the stick. And because each match can take upwards of 45 minutes, getting to the final boss and wiping almost immediately feels discouraging. With that said, the highs outweigh the lows as FromSoftware has created a fantastic template we hope they will expand upon in the future.
Elden Ring Nightreign
Version Reviewed: PC
ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!
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