The announcement of Elden Ring: Nightreign will attract many FromSoftware fans, especially since no news was expected from the studio to share after the release of Shadow of the Erdtree earlier this year. But here it is: a cooperative game for up to three players that uses the Elden Ring framework to provide a different kind of experience. End IGNthe outlet was able to play the game before revealing the game and interviewing game director Junya Ishizaki.
What FromSoftware is trying to do with Nightreign is take all the elements you associate with Elden Ring and try to condense them into a “shorter, more intense gaming session.” It’s like playing Elden Ring in co-op at a much faster pace. Here’s how IGN puts it:
“At the start of each round, you form a team with two other players and are thrown into a densely packed, alternate reality slice of Limgrave, where both enemy types and the placement of castles and forts are randomly shuffled at the start of each session, and it’s up to you and your companions to decide how Level up your low-level first-level character as quickly as possible by collecting runes and weapons as you slash and dash through every enemy-filled camp and castle you come through.
Here’s how a game session of Elden Ring: Nightreign goes:
- Nightreign is based on a three-day cycle, and each day lasts 15 minutes
- During the day on your first day, you can go anywhere you want
- As night approaches, your movement becomes increasingly constrained as acid rain surrounds you like a circle in Battle Royale mode
- When the circle is smallest, you start a random boss fight with both senior and recent enemies
- This process is repeated on the second and third day
- There are 8 different characters to play, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses
- Each character has unique skills and an ultimate attack that run on cooldown timers
- If you die, your teammates will be able to revive you by attacking you
- Between rounds you go to the Round Table
- In the Fortress of the Round Table, you can spend a currency called Murk on emotes and skins
- Relics offer constant upgrades to your characters, and you can place up to three in your inventory
These last few points may make Elden Ring: Nightreign sound like a live service, but it’s made clear that just purchasing the game gives you access to the “complete package.” There are no battle passes or microtransactions, and the game can be played in both single-player and offline modes.
