Elden Ring Nightreign is a Co-Op Combine Royale-Spin on Soulful Games

Elden Ring Nightreign Isn’t that what I was expecting. I knew from the game’s message last year that it would be a co-op Elden Ring Spinoff that it would task players to survive for three nights and turn against a number of new and old from software managers. What I didn’t know until I played the game at a recent Bandai Namco event, ahead of this weekend’s network test is that in many ways it would feel more like a hectic, Pve Battle Royale than it would the original Elden Ring. What is even more surprising is how well all these elements are mixed together in a package that feels both true to the soul -like genre and brand new at the same time.

Every match of Nightreign Starts with each player choosing their character, each with their own set of starting equipment, specific statistics and unique abilities. There is a guardian who starts with a massive shield and whose abilities allow him to crowd control enemies and protect his allies; There are wylliters, a traditional strength -based character that focuses on dealing with damage all over; The Duchess, a dexterity character who can turn her allied invisible or reinforce their injury; And the magic-focused loner who has abilities that feel unique and different from everything from software has done before. The network test only includes these four archetypes, but the game will eventually include eight characters that players can choose from.

After the players have chosen their characters, the Battle Royale comparisons begin to arise. Everyone is dropped via a magical bird on a randomly generated map full of enemies, terrain and gear you recognize from your time in the countries between. The network test has only a small series of random elements, but we are told that the base game will contain significant more. Once you hit the ground, your team can immediately start killing enemies ranging from small cannon feed to named bosses; You cleanse for new weapons and souls for upgrading, all while a huge ring slowly shuts in, which forces you to a place where a boss will eventually spawn.

The one thing I can’t emphasize is that all this happens quickly. Many of Elden RingThe mechanics have been smartly streamlined in service to help players get from point A to point B as soon as possible. Guides are activated by just before, which means that players can now launch themselves from rocks to reach their destination just a little faster.

All this may sound Anathema for some people’s experience to play the original Elden RingBut it is shocking how well it is played mechanics fits this new experience. The fight is just as crispy and satisfying, and although smaller enemies can roll over when facing three nightfarers crying on them at once, bosses still feel like a real challenge, especially the harder that spawns at the end of Every night. Enemy attacks still need to be avoided, timing must still be precise, and the bosses have been set to be as deadly for three people as they could be for one in the original game. In other words, it all still plays like Elden Ring.

Someone on our preview — session compared to playing Elden Ring To cycle, and I think it’s surprising how true it is. But if Elden Ring is the bike in this analogy then Nightreign Looks more like a motorcycle. All the same basic mechanics apply, but it requires you to use these skills in a slightly different way. It’s faster, it’s ridiculously fun and it’s a great group activity.

One of the highlights of our Play session was coordinated as a group to find out which parts of the map we should explore, how to help each other with matches, and how to distribute the gears and weapons we would find along the way. Like much of the rest of the game, this feels like an excellent remix of the original game’s focus on investigation, while expanding it to a group activity that just happened to pass by at a broken pace. Every day only lasts a short time, and whole matches go in under 40 minutes, at least in our test so far.

Because of this Nightreign don’t feel like a game designed for the meditative Elden Ring Plays whose time in the countries between was a contemplative journey with self -improvement and self -reflection. Instead, it’s a game for speed demons and degenerates. It’s a game for the players who searched every weapon and tried to kill the elden Beast with it. Or maybe more precisely, it feels like a carefully thoughtful, official version of Randomizer Mods that froms software players have used for years to keep the games they love fresh.

All this does NightreignExistence feels both surprising and perfect for from software at the same time. It’s not really a follow -up of Elden Ring – At least it’s not the study’s next full game (something that the $ 40 price tags make clear) – and it doesn’t try to give people an expansive new experience. Instead it is a great remix designed for the most hardcore Elden Ring Fans there are.

Based on what we’ve been playing so far, Nightbreign is not the broad open invitation to new fans who Elden Ring was – even though the chance of tagging with their fromsoft veteran friends will definitely attract some new players. Instead, it is a love letter to the fans looking for a fresh way of experiencing the game’s mechanics with a thousand random challenging phrases on top. And if you are a soul -like veteran, Nightreign Propagated to be a spectacular way to make sure you and your friends never leave the countries between again.