Elden Ring Nightreign will be a singular FromSoftware game in more ways than one. Of course, there are the obvious oddities, like its cooperative roguelike formula and ostensible crossing-over with Dark Souls, but there are other elements that stand out as well. All in all, Nightreign is shaping up to be one of FromSoftware's more experimental projects, so it will be interesting to see how it lands.
One of the more publicized departures from FromSoftware RPG tradition is the lack of a character creator. Indeed, while Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Demon's Souls all allow the player to customize their own in-game avatar, determining their appearance and starting stats, Elden Ring Nightreign's playable characters are already determined. This will certainly have a significant impact on moment-to-moment gameplay and progression, as Nightreign will be less about sculpting a custom avatar to one's specifications and more about mastering specific archetypes. Hopefully, this will have a positive effect on the cooperative nature of Nightreign, as players will be able to leverage class synergy in a manner similar to a hero shooter like Overwatch. But the benefits of this design approach could go beyond just gameplay.
Elden Ring Nightreign Could Throw a New Twist on a Classic Community Saying
Elden Ring Nightreign is primed to redefine many aspects of the FromSoftware formula, one of which has inspired an almost ubiquitous turn of phrase.
Elden Ring Nightreign's Predetermined Characters Could Lead To Interesting Narrative Elements
Elden Ring Nightreign will feature a total of eight playable characters, called Nightfarers, at launch. Of these eight, only five have been fully revealed, and they can be roughly described as follows:
- Duchess: a rogue-like woman who attacks swiftly and cleverly
- Guardian: a tank-like avian humanoid, belonging to the Stormhawk species
- Recluse: a standard mage-type character wielding heretical magic
- Wylder: a well-rounded, knight-like warrior
- Ironeye: a sniper specializing in long-range combat
Presumably, Nightreign will feature a narrative of some kind: the game's reveal trailer certainly gestures toward some narrative content, describing a burgeoning war with the mysterious Night Lord. There are also several cutscenes in the trailer, suggesting that such cinematics will appear in-game as well. Whatever style of narrative delivery Nightreign adopts, it's not too great a stretch to imagine that players will get to learn more about the Nightfarers they spend so much time with. FromSoftware has a penchant for expounding upon even the smallest details of its world, either through item descriptions, cutscenes, or environmental storytelling, and no character is included without reason; characters in FromSoftware games almost always have in-depth backstories. The Nightfarers should be no different.
How Nightreign's Possible Player-Character Backstories Will Set It Apart
FromSoftware RPGs tend to follow the blank-slate approach, meaning that they present the protagonist as a canvas upon which the player is free to paint whatever fantasy they wish. The most notable exception to this would be in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which features a named, predetermined protagonist with distinct goals and traits. But Sekiro is different enough from the likes of Dark Souls and Elden Ring that this narrative choice doesn't feel so significant. It's just another way in which the game departs from the so-called soulslike formula.
Elden Ring Nightreign is a bit different, though. It's explicitly described as being set in the Elden Ring universe, and its gameplay is decidedly soulslike in ways that Sekiro's is not. With this new cast of playable characters, many of whom are already intriguing (Guardian is a friendly bipedal Stormhawk while other Stormhawks are more birdlike and hostile, for instance), Nightreign has a golden opportunity to deepen Elden Ring's worldbuilding. Knowing FromSoftware, most of Nightreign's character-building will probably be delivered subtly, perhaps through item descriptions and the like, but nevertheless, this could have a transformative effect on how players engage with the game on an emotional level.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 78%
- Released
- May 30, 2025
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software
WHERE TO PLAY
"ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.
Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.
Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.
While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.
Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!"
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
- 1-3
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- May 30, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- May 30, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- May 30, 2025
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Soulslike, Roguelite
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
