FromSoftware’s latest foray into the Lands Between, Elden Ring Nightreign, arrived on May 30, 2025, offering a radical departure from the sprawling open-world epic that captivated millions. Pitched as a roguelike, co-op focused spin-off, Nightreign condenses the familiar challenges and exquisite combat into bite-sized, high-octane runs. While it doesn’t quite capture the same magic as its predecessor, it carves out a surprisingly addictive niche for itself, especially when played with a squad.
The core loop of Nightreign is deceptively simple: choose from one of eight distinct Nightfarers, each with unique abilities and playstyles, and plunge into a randomized version of Limgrave. Your goal is to gather resources, overcome increasingly difficult enemy encounters, and eventually confront a Nightlord boss, all while a “Night Tide” relentlessly encroaches on the map, forcing you to move quickly. This time limit, reminiscent of battle royales, injects a constant sense of urgency that dictates your every move.
FromSoftware’s renowned combat system translates beautifully into this new format. The fluidity of movement, the weight of each strike, and the satisfying parries and dodges are all present and accounted for. What’s new are the various mobility options, including a robust sprint and wall-jumping, which feel almost necessary to keep pace with the game’s relentless rhythm. Boss battles, a FromSoftware hallmark, remain a highlight. Nightreign features a mix of familiar faces and challenging new Nightlords, all designed with the three-player co-op in mind. The opportunities for coordinated attacks and timely revivals (a new mechanic that allows teammates to “attack” downed allies to bring them back) make these encounters truly thrilling.
However, the game’s focus on co-op undeniably impacts the solo experience. While technically playable alone, Nightreign feels balanced around a three-player team, making single-player runs a significantly more punishing and often frustrating endeavor. The lack of standard multiplayer features like in-game voice chat or cross-play (beyond same-generation consoles) is also a curious omission for a game so heavily reliant on cooperative play.
The roguelike elements, while providing replayability, can sometimes feel a bit too random. Loot drops, weapon skills, and passive buffs are all procedurally generated, which can lead to runs where your character build simply doesn’t gel, or where you’re constantly fighting against unfavorable RNG. This contrasts with the more deliberate character progression of the main Elden Ring, and some players might find it less rewarding.
Visually and audibly, Nightreign reuses many assets from Elden Ring, which is understandable for a spin-off. However, the condensed Limgrave and familiar enemies can sometimes feel a little less impactful without the grand scale and sense of discovery that defined the original. The lore, too, is far less pronounced, taking a backseat to the gameplay loop.
Despite its quirks and a few missteps, Elden Ring Nightreign is a bold experiment that largely succeeds. It’s a faster, more chaotic, and undeniably fun way to experience FromSoftware’s masterful combat, particularly with a couple of friends by your side. It might not be the epic journey of the original, but it’s a fantastic distillation of its most exhilarating elements.
Score: 4/5
Pros:
- Excellent FromSoftware Combat: The signature weighty, fluid combat system translates incredibly well to a faster-paced environment.
- Thrilling Co-op Focus: Designed with three-player teams in mind, leading to exciting and strategic boss battles and teamwork.
- Urgent and Addictive Gameplay Loop: The time limit and randomized elements create a constant push for action and replayability.
- Distinct Playable Characters: Eight unique Nightfarers offer varied abilities and playstyles, encouraging experimentation.
- Rewarding Boss Fights: Both new and returning bosses are challenging and designed to leverage cooperative play.
Cons:
- Poor Solo Experience: The game is clearly balanced for co-op, making solo runs disproportionately difficult and less enjoyable.
- Lack of Core Multiplayer Features: No in-game voice chat or cross-play (between PC/consoles) is a significant oversight for a co-op game.
- Overly Random Progression: The procedural generation of loot and buffs can sometimes lead to frustratingly weak builds.
- Limited Exploration & Lore: Lacks the deep world-building and expansive exploration that defines the original Elden Ring.
- Asset Reuse: While expected, the heavy reliance on existing Elden Ring assets can sometimes feel a little less fresh.
