Elden Ring Nightreign is RPG character-building in a gloriously panicked fast-forward – hands-on

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According to their creators FromSoftware, I believe there are two fundamental elements that make up the essence of a Souls game. The first one is an intense challenge – not just the toughness, but the deep emotional investment in attempting to conquer a challenging boss again and again. Success comes second, usually a result of quick reflexes, heart-pounding adrenaline, and careful character development strategies in RPG terms.

In essence, the challenge for Elden Ring Nightreign boils down to this: how can you transform these two elements into a cooperative PVE multiplayer setting, and manage to incorporate the same emotional rhythm in matches that are brief, typically under an hour? FromSoftware’s solution appears to revolve around efficient Time Management.

After spending more than six hours immersed in Elden Ring Nightreign, I can confidently assert that anyone who describes it as somewhat similar to Fortnite either lacks understanding or is being deceitful. While Fortnite’s impact is evident – with the ‘drop-in’ mechanic and a closing circle of fire – it offers much more than that. It’s a roguelike game, infused with elements reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, surprisingly enough. Despite being streamlined, it remains a dedicated role-playing game at its core.

Let’s take a look at these references together. The game is designed in a way that resembles a mini version of Majora’s Mask, as it follows a three-day structure, but with a Souls-style twist. As each day passes, you are confined to a smaller portion of the map by a ‘ring of fire’. When you begin playing, you have full freedom to explore the map, but this freedom gradually decreases as the day progresses. Once night falls, a significant boss appears on the scene. Defeating the boss allows you to survive the night and continue exploring for another day. If you manage to endure an encounter with the second night’s boss, you’ll then confront a final, final boss on the third and last day.

The structure of timing plays a significant role in solidifying Elden Ring Nightreign as one of the Souls series’ key elements. You know that sensation when you face an incredibly challenging boss who’s defeated you twenty times? Well, I experienced it abundantly while playing Elden Ring Nightreign, and it was amplified as the night fell and I sensed a tough boss battle approaching, yet I wasn’t entirely sure if my team was fully prepared. It’s a bittersweet sensation. Your gut twists, and then you bravely charge at that seemingly insurmountable obstacle. That’s what playing Souls games is all about!

Firstly, let’s discuss the roguelike aspects of this game, which are closely linked to its role-playing elements. Now, here’s an upfront confession: progress from one game session to another is minimal. In essence, you start fresh every time. There are a few power-up items you can assign to your characters, and a persistent currency that can be used for these purposes, but beyond that, everything else – such as weapons and levels – resets with each new game. I understand this mechanic might not appeal to everyone.

Instead of clicking the ‘close page’ button right away, consider that Nightreign bears little resemblance to Elden Ring structurally. To put it another way, it feels like a Souls game on fast-forward. You can level up your character five times within minutes, and you’ll quickly create a character build, only to abandon it just as swiftly. It’s in this chaos, however, that the true delight of Nightreign lies.

In Limveld’s fresh yet familiar world during the daytime, your primary objectives include vanquishing sub-bosses swiftly and efficiently navigating the map to accrue character levels and construct an effective character build before the evening boss battle. Efficient time management is crucial as you’re working against the clock – every decision matters greatly for survival since running out of time means game over, sending you back to Roundtable Hold to try again in a new run. It can be quite challenging!

In fast-paced games like Nightreign, there’s a persistent feeling of urgency, which I particularly enjoy. I’m usually a solo gamer, but even when playing online, it’s often a solo competitive experience for me. For instance, when I was hooked on Halo, I would either play Lone Wolves or Big Team Battle, a mode so expansive that you can almost play independently. I’m the typical loner portrayed on TV who growls, “I work alone” before being compelled to team up. However, Nightreign managed to pull me out of my shell. Although collaboration is theoretically optional, survival becomes more manageable when strategizing with your two teammates about where to go and what to do, and also by distributing the limited resources among us to maximize our collective contribution against a boss.

Essentially, what’s crucial is the need for streamlining due to increased speed. Unlike Elden Ring, this game has eliminated many gear slots you’re accustomed to. Instead, each character now carries eight weapon slots and two accessory slots. At first glance, this might appear as a step back, but it’s compensated by powerful accessories and a new weapon buff system. In this system, passive buffs on randomly-generated weapons that drop remain active as long as you possess the weapon, whether you’re using it or not. Frequently, I found myself holding onto weapons I had no intention of using just to benefit from their passive buffs, such as increased attack power, survivability, or an elemental damage bonus.

To reiterate, these choices need to be made swiftly. Much like a genuine roguelike game, the weapon drops are unpredictable. With time, you’ll start recognizing various map layouts and learn where to find weaker mini-bosses, specific upgrade materials, etc. However, the drops themselves remain random – this brings the excitement of an amazing find and the disappointment of one that doesn’t suit your needs. In such cases, you must act fast and adapt. I can’t remember any other RPG where I had to change a character build and combat style as rapidly as this game demands. It’s exhilarating!

What stands out most to me is that the excitement from those timeless Soulsy rhythms never fades. At some point, I identify a specific weapon during the early stages of our adventure, and I share with my fellow explorers, “Alright, I’m going for a bleed build now.” A favorable item appears, and we swiftly make a decision – then it’s full steam ahead, continue discovering, maintaining our pace, because the inferno is approaching, drawing nearer, carrying the darkness and a formidable opponent. If the next drop fails to impress, I might alter my course – or I could stubbornly persist, making things work. Given that each session lasts barely 45 minutes, there’s no room for hesitation.

As the clock ticks, decisions pile up. Should we eliminate a powerful enemy for potential loot? Rush into a church to snatch a healing potion? Hide in mines to gather upgrade materials then race to a blacksmith before dark? Time is against us – we must act swiftly. If you differ, will our trio divide or will someone yield? Clear communication is vital – ideally through voice, but if not, by marking locations on the map. Each player has a color-coded marker on the map, yet if two players select the same spot, the marker changes color to signal it’s a ‘consensus’ destination for most of the team.

One action that doesn’t require much deliberation is advancing to higher levels in the game. In Nightreign, defeating enemies and bosses still awards runes, but you swiftly spend them by repeatedly pressing the ‘OK’ button at a Site of Grace. Unlike before, there’s no need to manually select individual stats for leveling up – this is because you’re not controlling a custom character anymore. Instead, you are assuming the role (an interesting choice of words given the game’s lore, as stated by Bandai Namco representatives) of one of several iconic heroes who fit into traditional archetypes. When your character levels up, their stats will adjust automatically according to their specific archetype.

During our demonstration, there were four character options available, but the full game will offer more. Regardless, they fall under common character categories or archetypes.

  • Wylder is the all-rounder, coming with a greatsword and small shield. 
  • Guardian is your classic tank, wielding a spear and a much larger shield. 
  • The Duchess is more like a thief – reminiscent, I suppose, of Elden Ring’s Black Knives.
  • The Recluse gives Ranni vibes, and is the designated range magic mage.

Each character in this game may only have four distinct forms, yet they will all present diverse adaptations and unexpected twists on traditional RPG structures, particularly those reminiscent of the Souls series. Additionally, each character possesses a unique skillset and a signature ultimate ability that largely shapes their gameplay style when played.

Wylder utilizes a grappling tool for strategic combat, either drawing nearby adversaries into his fight zone or propelling himself towards larger opponents. The agile Duchess uses her quickstep move to bridge distances or escape dangerous situations. The enigmatic Recluse possesses a captivating skillset that requires mastery: blending elemental magic essences from friends and foes to brew powerful magic concoctions, which is the primary method for replenishing Focus Points (FP), thus creating a rhythmic dance of casting spells and crafting potions. Some character abilities will interact with specific game mechanics, like the Recluse’s ‘magic cocktail’ ability that allows you to combine different elemental attributes to unleash potent magical attacks. The Guardian’s ultimate attack is a game-altering maneuver, capable of annihilating enemies and effortlessly resurrecting allies on the brink of defeat.

It’s clear that all these pieces fit together, isn’t it? I’m the type who enjoys intricate systems and detailed mechanics in role-playing games, getting a thrill from watching numbers increase. However, this isn’t exactly what you’d expect… it’s a unique blend of elements reminiscent of Souls games with ideas borrowed from other genres. Yet, despite its novelty, it’s remarkably engaging. It evokes the same feelings, the same emotions, the same atmosphere as Elden Ring at its peak, but in a distinct and innovative manner, presented in an unusual format.

A significant aspect revolves around managing time effectively, as previously mentioned. The looming threat of the encroaching inferno creates an intense pressure that’s almost tangible. Unlike in Elden Ring, you might find yourself forced to retreat from a partially completed boss battle for self-preservation. However, this is necessary at times. Interestingly, the world possesses a kind of memory; if you make it through the night, you can return the following day to continue your assault on the weakened enemy. Whether such an effort is worthwhile is one of the many difficult choices you’ll encounter during your journey.

The structure seems solid, indeed. Naturally, there are unanswered questions with a game like this, given it’s new ground for FromSoftware and Souls series enthusiasts alike. It raises queries about the game’s substance and future updates to keep players engaged over a prolonged period – essential for any multiplayer game of this genre. Additionally, I’m intrigued by the amount of content reused from previous games, as while the mechanics are brand new, the game appears to be constructed primarily from elements borrowed from Elden Ring and even older Dark Souls titles. While reusing content isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it needs to be evaluated in light of the overall value and scope of the game.

In terms of the essentials, we’re looking at factors like server stability, the effectiveness of carry-over progression between sessions, smooth matchmaking, and the quality of solo play (either alone or with three human players, no AI allies). These aspects can only be thoroughly assessed once the complete game is available. During previews, however, our focus shifts towards evaluating the game’s core as an RPG, which on this platform, we consider to be its defining characteristic.

Oh my goodness, that foundation is fantastic! Every time I played, I was amazed by the variety in the character builds I created, even with repeated characters. The game seemed to offer me endless possibilities, and it was a raw, instant expression of the usual Souls series’ meticulous build crafting. Instead of painstakingly planning, this game lets you dive right in!

After spending six hours in Elden Ring: Nightreign, I found myself completely captivated; my mind began racing as I considered which friends would make ideal additions to my three-member team. Thoughts also turned towards strategies for optimally navigating the map and its semi-random layout, considering the right sequence of locations to explore and the best approach angles for each area.

When my thoughts keep spinning like this, and the game continues to linger in my mind even days after the pre-event has concluded… I can sense that there’s something truly captivating about it. And that’s just what Nightreign seems to be – a tantalizing mystery waiting to unfold. We’ll discover how this immense potential unfolds on May 30th, when it launches for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series consoles.

Elden Ring Nightreign – Preview Screenshots




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2025-02-12 17:27