Over the course of the last sixteen years, FromSoftware has become one of the most prolific developers in the industry. Just three short years ago crazily enough, they released Elden Ring, and their success and status rose to meteoric levels. We now live in an era where FromSoftware is as recognizable to the everyday video game player. This has allowed them to now experiment with their games in ways they haven’t done in nearly two decades. Nothing sums that up more than Elden Ring Nightreign. It is a complete mishmash of genres that FromSoftware has superimposed onto their Souls formula that somehow manages to make it all come together despite showing some cracks.

Elden Ring Nightreign combines the Soulslike genre with the roguelike and surprisingly the battle royale genres into something no one would expect from FromSoftware. Each expedition, as they are called in the game, has you, and preferably two other players, dropping into The Lands Between to scour for weapons, items, and levels as you build up your team over the course of three in-game days to take on the Nightlord of that expedition. You need to be prepared and thoughtful though, as you don’t have unlimited time to build up your arsenal for the final boss fights as the classic battle royale style storm is constantly closing in on you and pushing you to that final confrontation.

Elden Ring Nightreign shines brightest when it comes to the masterful FromSoftware gameplay. The eight classes you can choose and swap between before heading on an expedition are all a blast to play and all have different unique abilities and builds, so you are able to choose whichever one fits your playstlye best. You also don’t need to worry about character builds in Elden Ring Nightreign as when you level up at a site of grace you will automatically see increases in stats that fit the class you chose for that expedition.  Thus, all you need to worry about are finding weapons and items that will help your class’s build best. This is helped by the map which highlights a plethora of different locations for you to find and explore as the world changes between each time you head out, so nothing is ever going to be in the same spot it was the last time. Maneuvering around the map is a breeze as, in lieu of having Torrent this time around, characters have the most freedom of movement in any FromSoftware game. Characters sprint faster, are able to jump/climb up obstacles such as buildings or cliffs (albeit it kind of jankily), and there is no fall damage so you’re able to leap off tall areas with no regrets.

Then you have the boss fight which are the most iconic part of any FromSoftware game. There are an insane amount of boss fights in Elden Ring Nightreign. Almost every location had some sort of miniboss for you to take on. Then, you have the bosses returning from other FromSoftware games that make this game feel like an amalgamation of some of the best and most difficult bosses in FromSotware history. But, the Nightlords are the on a completely different level. These bosses have such a strong design that require teamwork, and are thrilling to take down in ways bosses in their other games have lacked when you summon a player to help you.

Where Elden Ring Nightreign truly struggles and what will hurt a lot of fan enthusiasm is the how lackluster the experience is playing it by yourself. FromSoftware has built an entire genre based on single player games that feature limited multiplayer aspects. However, playing this game as a solo player has been my least favorite experience playing a game from them. The game doesn’t feel like it balances itself when you set out on a solo expedition, almost like an afterthought, and you will most likely struggle mightily trying to tackle this version of The Lands Between when you’re on your own. Even most battle royale games have a dedicated solo mode where you can play and enjoy the game by yourself. Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer game through an through. Thus, you need to have at least two other friends to really get the most enjoyment from the game which is truly a shame. If you could start a run with two summons or bots to join you on a solo expedition could make all the difference here if they want three “players” to always be active during the game.

Elden Ring Nightreign succeeds at combining genres you would never expect FromSoftware to dabble with. When you are playing this game with a group of friends and coordinating against the bosses, it is some of the most fun multiplayer action you will get. However, the game falters severely when you try to play it by yourself. Despite that, Elden Ring Nightreign is a successful experiment for FromSotware that is sure to find success with the hardcore of the hardcore fanbase and maybe even draw in new players who want to try out a FromSoftware game with some help.

Score: 8 out of 10

Reviewed on PlayStation 5