Elden Ring Nightreigncame as quite a surprise when it was announced at The Game Awards 2024, considering that FromSoftware had confidently stated that it wasn’t working onElden Ring2. Although it isn’t a true sequel, itisa spin-off set in a world parallel to the one seen in the originalElden Ringand is set to deliver on a co-op experience that many fans of Soulsbornes have wanted for a long time. In fact, this is the main premise and draw ofNightreign, being more of a co-op rogue-lite than a traditional soulslike.
It should be noted thatSoulsborne games have had online featuresin the past, with players able to summon others to help with certain sequences or bosses, but these online systems were not conducive to playing with friends for an entire playthrough. It could still be done, but players would have to do sequences twice, once for them, and once for their friend; however,Nightreignis taking what the seamless co-op mod did forElden Ringand making it official. Still, playingNightreignwith a friend might not be as simple as it should be.
Elden Ring Nightreign Players Won’t Be Able To Duo
It’s Either Single Player Or In A Trio
AlthoughElden Ring Nightreignis already known as the co-op souls game withFortnite-like elements, it doesn’t allow for two characters to attempt a three-day run.Players can either go it alone or play in a group of three, according toIGN. There is no in-between, and this is a strange choice considering that many players tend to pair up when going through Soulsborne games. FromSoftware games have always been known for making odd choices here and there, but this could be a massive turn-off for players looking to pick up the game with a friend.
A completeNightreignrun will take three nights, with each day taking roughly fifteen minutes, being forty-five minutes in total.
This doesn’t mean that players won’t be able to play in a duo at all, as random matchmaking will likely make up the final spot. It doesn’t seem like this spot can be made up by an NPC either, sinceoffline play has been described as single-player-only thus far, and players won’t have a mimic to carry them. It seems like FromSoftware is trying to encourage random matchmaking and a vast pool of online play, but it should be noted thatNightreignwon’t be a live-servicetitle likeFortnite, which it gets mockingly referenced to.
FromSoftware choosing to base the game around three people over two is odd, and it wasstated by Junya Ishizaki (the game’s director) that it was an intentional choice to make the game unique. In truth, the game does seem to be a unique combination of many elements, from the ring closing in to dropping in with a bird on the map, and even the enemies are based around fighting three opponents. The three-headed dog enemy can split up into three to chase the players, and the Centipede (based onDS1’s Centipede Demon) can attack in three directions at once.
Nightreignis Ishizaki’s first game as director, having worked with Hidetaka Miyazaki during the conceptual stages of the game.
The game will play differently depending on whether there is a squad of three or a single player, andthe changes will likely be the number of enemies on the map or the kind of bosses faced. It does seem like these modular difficulty settings could have been used to change the enemies when there is a duo, butNightreignand FromSoftware are adamant thatthe game will have either one or three players. There is a chance that this could change in the future, if there is enough of an outcry, but that chance is slim to none.
Nightreign Could Be The Future Of Soulsborne Co-op Play
It Is One Big FromSoftware Experiment
Nightreign’s trailer seems to paint the gameas a massive experiment for FromSoftware, making it a faster title than ever. There are more traversal options, characters with over-the-top abilities, andco-op exploration which could be the future of FromSoftware’s co-op play. Instead of reviving at a Site of Grace or Bonfire, players will have a downed state in which they can be revived by fellow squad members by being hit by them, which doubles as a unique revival method and a fun way to illustrate frustrations with the downed player.
How Elden Ring Nightreign Could Connect To Dark Souls 3
Elden Ring: Nightreign has referenced many aspects from the Dark Souls series, particularly from DS3, and it could imply that the worlds are linked.
There’s so much going on withNightreignthat, although the game will have elements from other titles, it will be unique for a Soulsborne game. UsingElden Ringas a base allows this game to try something brand-new, and these experiments could be taken to future, large-scale games. The traversal options and co-op exploration could go beyond just this rouge-lite title, and be part of aDark Souls 4or anElden Ring 2, provided that FromSoftware delivers withElden Ring Nightreign.
