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[Draugoth]

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Elden Ring Nightreign, a new co-op adventure set within the Elden Ring universe, comes to PS5 and PS4 on May 30. Elden Ring Nightreign is an all-new standalone adventure by FromSoftware that thrusts players into co-op multiplayer PvE combat to take on the creeping night and the dangers within.


We recently got the chance to participate in the upcoming network test* ahead of its public release on February 14, so read on for our first impressions of our journey into the perilous realm of Limveld.


*The network test is based on a build still under development. Various elements of the game, such as specs, names, and parameters, may differ from the final product.

Experience fast-paced gameplay that encapsulates the best elements of RPGs​

Elden Ring was mainly a single player experience, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Take your time, and, provided you’ve tucked yourself away in a safe location, you’re able to put the controller down to leave your room.


By contrast, Elden Ring Nightreign’s focus on three-player co-op survival action means you must always be alert and aware of your squad’s movements, regardless of whether you’re working together or strike out to explore separately.


This is because of Nightreign’s Night’s Tide mechanic, which steadily contracts your explorable play area over time, with every session concluding with you coming face to face with a powerful boss. It is crucial then to strengthen and upgrade your characters and party by nightfall to prepare for the boss fight, so you’ll need to get used to the fast-paced gameplay and split-second decision-making.

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Upgraded movesets to match intense co-op gameplay​

While the basic move sets of Elden Ring Nightreign are akin to Elden Ring, Nightreign introduces new actions and movements. Examples include wall jumping and traversing the air by holding onto Spectral Hawks. You also won’t take any fall damage no matter how far you fall or jump.


Furthermore, you can sprint by holding down L3, in addition to the regular dash. The sprint is comparable in speed to Torrent, the spectral steed from Elden Ring. It almost felt like I was speed-running the game when I was wall-jumping and lunging off cliffs without worrying about fall damage. Overall, the game delivers a fresh new experience reminiscent of the original Elden Ring, while feeling unique.

 

[adamsapple]

and at $39.99

Smart move.

 

[MiguelItUp]

If anyone is curious about impressions/opinions...

 

[TheStam]

I am curious to see how this will sell. I guess Elden Ring multiplayer at a decent price point would pull many players in regardless. Still, it just seems such an awkward mashup. Elden Ring as some sort of battle royale with reused assets. I have zero interest in it, but I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy it. I just hope it's not the start of FROM as a GAAS centric dev.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Also...

 

[Dreathlock]

Does it have matchmaking?

 

[Schmendrick]

Elden Ring Battle Royale...

 

[MiguelItUp]

Does it have matchmaking?

Yes, it also has a private party system as well apparently.

Elden Ring Battle Royale...

Well, it's not PVP, so not really... The "drop-in" and "closing ring" mechanics are about as close as it gets AFAIK. Edit - Ah, there's also a "knock system", so when you're killed you can be resurrected by your teammates.

 

[HRK69]

The first From game/expansion I'm not buying on release

Easy fucking skip

 

[Thief1987]

and at $39.99

Smart move.

39.99 too much

 

[Metnut]

If this game is a success, it the the beginning of the end of single player Soulslike’s from From. See GTA5/online for an example.

 

[Bartski]

 

[envyzeal]

Edit: wrong thread.

39,99 I’ll be waiting for a sale

 

[Kenneth Haight]

Couldn’t be less interested in buying or playing an online only souls game. Interested to see how it sells though.

 

[MiguelItUp]

If this game is a success, it the the beginning of the end of single player Soulslike’s from From. See GTA5/online for an example.

I don't feel that way at all personally. If anything, I believe it will help fund whatever the next game will be.

To me, this game feels more like a "testing the waters" kind of thing. Maybe a potential mode that could be tacked onto a future game? Maybe a new IP could take form and follow the same formula? I feel like it could open up a number of paths. But I highly doubt it would be "the end of single player Soulslikes" considering they've made so many they should know the demand and love for them is there. If that WERE to happen, well, it'd be extremely sad, but they'd be deserving of the failure.

It's also all on the person helming this project, if it fails maybe they'll never get a shot at something like this again. The whole thing is a rather interesting approach, a very bold one as well. On one hand I respect it, on the other, it does kind of make me nervous.

 

[Clear]

Yeah, gotta say I have zero enthusiasm for this. It just doesn't seem appealing.

 

[Fess]

If anyone is curious about impressions/opinions...

This is not for me. Which feels odd since Elden Ring is my favorite game of all time. They’re adding so many ingredients I don’t like in gaming while removing many things I love in ER. Multiplayer, like Fortnite, gameplay loop of 3 days and each day is a shrinking circle of 15 stressed minutes and then a boss, no control over stats, etc.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

To me, this game feels more like a "testing the waters" kind of thing.

Could be an attempt at testing the waters for a real Live Service game.

 

[G-DannY]

meh

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

and at $39.99

Smart move.

GaaS is now good

 

[adamsapple]

GaaS is now good

lol, that ain't it Jimmy.

It's a pseudo-sequel to one of the best received games of the gen, both critically and commercially, they could have charged $60 for this and most people would have happily gobbled it up.

 

[skneogaf]

3rd helmet

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

lol, that ain't it Jimmy.

It's a pseudo-sequel to one of the best received games of the gen, both critically and commercially, they could have charged $60 for this and most people would have happily gobbled it up.

A pseudo sequel…?

 

[kikkis]

I am open to this. However gameplay doesnt feel super varied between runs and it doesn't feel like coop really supports it, more like players mostly do their own thing and maybe review each other

 

[adamsapple]

A pseudo sequel…?

..... yes ?

how would you quantify it?

 

[SJRB]

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

..... yes ?

how would you quantify it?

A cheap spinoff nobody asked for trying to jump on the GaaS train

 

[adamsapple]

A cheap spinoff nobody asked for trying to jump on the GaaS train

True to some extent but let's see if the Elden Ring name is strong enough to make it a success.

It was close to ~30m last reporting. Even 1/3rd of the original's sales would be a success.

 

[Johnny Concrete]

 

[TrebleShot]

I won't be able to hack in easy mode so I'm OUT

 

[SJRB]

 

[newtypepilot]

i aint buying ps+ just for elden fortnite so that's a no unfortunately.

 

[Dreathlock]

Playing Elden Ring with 2 randoms and under time pressure has to be the most stressful and unfun thing i can ever imagine. I loved every From-game but this is a hard pass.

 

[touchfuzzy]

Yeah this looks and sounds bad, if it was anyone other than From Software most of GAF would be dumping all over it.

Online only, GAAS, multiplayer spin-off/sort-of sequel to a beloved single player game? Yikes.

 

[peronmls]

No fall damage? I love killing my opponents by pushing them off cliffs.

 

[Antwix]

Yeah this looks and sounds bad, if it was anyone other than From Software most of GAF would be dumping all over it.

Well yeah. Fromsoft gameplay is fun though.

 

[BbMajor7th]

Hhmmm... not feeling it. Spending dozens of hours slowly peeling back a vast world and discovering all its secrets is the appeal of FromSoft games for me. Trapping me in a small circle with two other players and throwing mobs at us - not so much.

 

[diffusionx]

How the heck did they turn this around so quickly while Bluepoint needed four years to fail at making God of War live?

 

[MiguelItUp]

Could be an attempt at testing the waters for a real Live Service game.

To be fair, it could be a number of things. We really won't know until the future.

All I know is that I love FromSoft and I never want them to fail so we keep getting Souls games.

 

[DelireMan7]

I couldn't be less interested by this spinoff.

I am might play it in several months after a big price drop out of curiosity.

Somehow, I still can't believe FromSoft is going for such strategy.

 

[Arachnid]

I'll give this a proper go. I've always wanted a more solid coop experience in FROM games.

 

[DelireMan7]

All I know is that I love FromSoft and I never want them to fail so we keep getting Souls games.

I love FromSoft and the Soulsborne game. But honestly I want them to fail on this one, to keep them on track for big titles and not encouraging them doing this style of game.

 

[Skifi28]

Watched a few previews. Nope, not for me. Seems like the opposite of everything I like about their games.

 

[Gideon]

I've always wanted a mmo made by fromsoft so I guess this is the first step towards that maybe... I'll buy the game since it looks like 39.99 worth, if it was 59.99 I'd probably skip ngl.

 

[Rush2112]

I wish they would make real games instead of trying to cash in on spinoffs. This is not a good sign. They went mainstream with elden ring. Wouldnt be suprised if it turns out to be their last great game. Has happened to others, it can happen to them.

 

[Thief1987]

How the heck did they turn this around so quickly while Bluepoint needed four years to fail at making God of War live?

Bluepoint worked on Ragnarok until late 2022

 

[Shodai]

Not for me, and that's really saying something given the only games I play are FROMSOFT games, more or less.

 

[Arsic]

Day one.

Haters will come crawling back on their knees like they did with Consort buckling their buttholes.

Praise from soft. Praise Miyazaki.

 

[MiguelItUp]

I wish they would make real games instead of trying to cash in on spinoffs. This is not a good sign. They went mainstream with elden ring. Wouldnt be suprised if it turns out to be their last great game. Has happened to others, it can happen to them.

I do too. But "real games" wouldn't come out in a year, and I wonder if they were feeling pressure to get some faster releases out or something. I know their team(s) is/are only so big, so I'm sure while Shadow was being worked on, this was too. I'd like to assume the main team has already started working on another project, or will be ASAP. It's too early to tell anything, unfortunately. But for as long as they've made good calls, I'd like to still have hope for them. It's at least too early for me to grow pessimistic.

 

[kapshin]

Interesting. I am glad a game like Elden Ring was such a rounding success for the industry, wasn't for me I tried it and yes it is because I sucked at it and don't have that level of patience lol. I play games to relieve stress not add more but that's just me. Super glad so many people love and enjoy it.