3 days ago
Do you trust your friends to tackle Elden Ring: Nightreign together?
Imagine being a solo game designer facing the challenge of crafting a satisfying experience for a single player. Now multiply that challenge by the unpredictability of coordinating multiple people—each with their own play style and impulses. FromSoftware's latest, Elden Ring: Nightreign, dares to take on that very challenge, transforming the famously solitary Elden Ring into a squad-based, battle-royale-style adventure.
At first glance, Nightreign's premise is deceptively simple: teams of three sprint across a shrinking map, scavenging weapons and gear before battling a climactic boss. But calling it 'battle royale' only scratches the surface. An Expedition unfolds over three tense 'days,' each lasting ten to fifteen minutes. Days one and two mirror familiar battle-royale conventions—a fiery barrier closes in, herding you and your allies into tighter quarters. At the end of each day, you face a powerful boss, but that's not yet the final target. Only after surviving two such encounters does a portal open to the third and final day, where you confront the true threat: the Nightlord.
Along the way, you're incentivized to seek out extra bosses for superior loot—loot you'll desperately need for that final confrontation. It's a relentless gauntlet: bosses beget better equipment, which begets more bosses, in an endless cascade of combat and progression.
All the strategic nuances—character upgrades, boss weaknesses, ring mechanics—are tucked away in the in-game 'Visual Codex.' Beyond a brief tutorial highlighting how Nightreign diverges from classic Elden Ring mechanics, you're largely on your own to discover the rules. There are only brief respites: a moment of calm as the map resets between days one and two, and a quiet staging area before the Nightlord fight. Outside of those pauses, every second of the 30–45 minute expedition demands your full, unrelenting focus.
This is a hefty commitment for any battle-royale fan, let alone one accustomed to the punishing difficulty that FromSoftware is renowned for. The ever-shrinking map clock ticks down, pressuring you to balance exploration, resource gathering, and boss fights—all while fearing that a single misstep could abruptly end your run. Yet defeat isn't crushing; even failed attempts reward materials used to bolster one of eight distinct characters for the next expedition.
Ultimately, Nightreign is a bold but challenging experiment: an Elden Ring experience built for friendship, teamwork, and shared triumphs. But make no mistake—playing it with friends demands serious dedication. It may be a game you enjoy together, but its relentless pace and high stakes make it anything but a casual hangout.
