Several friends have asked for my thoughts on the recently concluded Elden Ring Nighreign closed beta. After playing for over 10 hours across the five network tests conducted for the game, I'm still deciding how to best respond to their questions.
While I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the ever-changing world of Limveld, I’m still not convinced it fits quite well into the Souls formula — or, for that matter, into the purview of the wider Souls audience. As one of FromSoftware’s most passionate fans, with PlayStation platinum trophies spanning several of its biggest releases (some even twice), I’m left to ponder who exactly Nightreign is for.
There’s a glimmer of hope, of course, and it’s also important to note that my opinions are based on an early build of the game. I’m left to assume there's much more content missing from its main release. FromSoftware wouldn’t drop a network test that shows all of its cards, and there is room for additional content down the road. Is this all Nightreign has to offer? I hope not (and highly doubt it).
I have some thoughts I need to unpack for my own sanity (and to get my friends off my back). After all, I don’t want to end up hollow ahead of Elden Ring Nightreign’s big release on May 30.
Despite my current feelings about the experience, I’m curious how the final build might shake out, even if there are games I’m far more stoked to play this year.
Fortnite meets Hades with an Elden Ring coat of paint
Elden Ring Nightreign is a vast departure from other FromSoftware titles. The $40 experience targets Elden Ring fans but deviates from the base experience, opting instead for PvE multiplayer co-op gameplay with some battle royale and rogue-lite elements baked in.
On the surface, it's actually an interesting experience that feels like a mashup of Fortnite, Hades, and Elden Ring. It makes sense why FromSoftware would pick the Elden Ring IP for this adventure, given its mass appeal. And there may well be an even larger audience for this type of game as opposed to the conventional Souls-like. Just look at how big Fortnite is.
But that's one of the main issues I have with Nightreign. I worry it takes too much inspiration from battle royale concepts, with its enclosing circle surrounding each map being a major culprit. While playing Nightreign, I ran into several moments where I had to face major bosses with no healing flasks, largely because I'd used them up trudging through the storm to make it to that final area.
It's frustrating because I want to explore this world, but that's not quite what this game's all about.
It doesn't help that the Limveld map is littered with caves and mines, much like the original game. This makes it tough to tell when and where the storm is in the overworld when venturing into these places. Thus, you have to consistently keep your eye on the map to ensure you don't get swallowed whole by the storm before you know it's even coming.
There is a warning when the storm starts to move. In fact, there are two separate warnings, but you really have to pay attention to them. They pop up as text at the bottom of the screen and can be easily missed, which is why it would be nice if there was an audible sound or a tune that went along with it, ensuring that you know exactly when the storm's closing so you have ample enough time to get out of its reach.
It also doesn't help that the map of Limveld is pretty tough to navigate. Nightreign offers several different modes of transportation, like a purple spring that shoots players up into the sky or a spirit bird tree that lets you fly in a set direction through a wind current. But why not give us extra forms of transportation, like Elden Ring's mount, Torrent, or other alternative methods for getting around?
One way I could see this materialized is by killing a certain boss for their steed, like the Royal Knight bosses that roam the map, or finding the ring of Torrent in the overworld. That could add extra incentive for going out of your way to kill special bosses.
I mean, how cool would it be to kill and tame an ancient dragon, then ride it around like you're the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3? Maybe a bit too wishful thinking on my part, but that would be a sight to behold.
Souls without the RPG
Dark Souls, Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and even Demon's Souls before them all proved especially popular primarily for their RPG elements, specifically in the way you can build out your own character. It's why I've come to love these games so dearly and why I think Nightreign will be an uphill battle for some players.
In Nightreign, instead of building your own character, the game has variations for you to pick from. There's a tanky bird-man with a halberd, a conventional knight character with an Armored Core-esque pile bunker, a mage with ranged abilities, and a rogue-like assassin who is reminiscent of Maria from Bloodborne.
I'm sure there will be more in the final product (evidenced by several in-game photos provided by Bandai Namco), but this limitation might be a tough pill to swallow for some Souls veterans.
The major issue is that you can't decide where your stats go when leveling up. When you hit a lost grace (or bonfire, as I still call them), you just level up, there's no picking your individual stats — the game does this automatically.
It makes sense for this kind of experience, where time is of the essence and you don't exactly have those precious minutes to run through every stat for leveling. But it leaves a lot of player choice on the floor, and that's what makes Souls games so special.
Of course, you can still pick up weapons and use whatever you find in the overworld to your advantage, but it doesn't mean they all will be useful to that specific character, no matter how much you level up.
I mostly ran as the mage (called Recluse), but one thing I quickly realized was that I needed to find an armament beyond the gifted staff at the very start of each run. Otherwise, I'd be cooked as you can deplete your magic pretty quickly in those early stages.
And then there's the whole PvE elephant in the room. One thing I've always loved about the Souls series is the player-on-player action, which can be annoying to some newer players. It doesn't feel great when you're invaded at the very start of the game by a try-hard with a strength weapon.
Personally, those are the very kinds of moments I adore. They make you really grind, dig in, and get used to the experience, adding weight and variety to an already exceptionally built world. Nightreign sort of has similar concepts, as Margit will randomly appear out of nowhere to stand in your way — but it's not quite the same.
Though (again) it might be wishful thinking, I really hope FromSoft reconsiders its approach. Maybe a different mode could be worked into the game later down the line that adds the potential for random player invasions or PvP of some aspect.
I mean, it sounds crazy but a Fortnite battle royale in the guise of Elden Ring, with medieval weaponry and special characters, could actually be pretty sick if done right. After all, PvP in the base Elden Ring experience has not only fizzled out, but it never quite matched the quality present in Dark Souls 3 (or even Dark Souls 2, for that matter).
Fans are itching for an apt Elden Ring PvP experience, and Nightreign could be it, but only with the right amount of tweaking.
The hype still intensifies
I must note that it's not like I detested my entire time with Elden Ring Nightreign. There were bright spots I enjoyed, like the comradery of the whole experience. You really need to keep together as a team (provided you're playing with three extras) otherwise you're going to get pummeled by the bosses. In true Souls fashion, it's no cakewalk.
The idea goes hand-in-hand with Miyazaki's original conception of the Demon's Souls multiplayer formula. He explained it in a Eurogamer interview from 2010, which is utterly fascinating and I highly recommend a read if you love all things Souls.
But, in Nightreign, you have to rely on your teammates and can't dawdle or go off on your own. You have to stick together and, lending credence to my previous comments, that might not be for everyone.
Another thing I will give Nightreign credit for is its reuse of certain items that were pretty useless in the base game. Two in particular are the consumables that fill your MP and heal you, the Starlight Shard and Warming Stone (respectively). These two items are utterly crucial for getting to night three in Nightreign and will be quite helpful in varied runs.
I also am particularly fond of Nightreign's use of classic Dark Souls bosses. Though doubtful, I do hope FromSoft can get the go-ahead from PlayStation to use certain fan-favorite characters from Demon's Souls and Bloodborne. I wouldn't mind facing off against Old King Allant and Lady Maria once more. If anything, I'd settle for a Patches cameo.
Putting aside the critic in me, I am thoroughly hyped for Elden Ring Nighteign. I'll be there in Limveld alongside all the other fans come May 30, and I don't doubt it will draw a massive crowd. Until then, I'll be dashing through the Lands Between practicing my parrying.
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