Elden Ring Nightreign

Elden Ring Nightreign does its best to let players have fun, get stronger, and take down big, bad bosses together. I can't speak for the greater FromSoftware fanbase, but after these shared triumphs, I'll have a hard time going back to doing it alone.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a game that understands its own identity and hones in on that. The returning bosses are a treat for older FromSoft players, and the new mechanics are fun yet challenging to wrap your head around. With future content planned, I see myself returning to Nightreign with each new boss drop for years to come.

Despite a few technical hiccups and some shortcomings in long-term replayability, Elden Ring: Nightreign is an ambitious and surprisingly well-executed twist on the Soulslike formula. Its roguelike structure, new cooperative gameplay mechanics, and signature FromSoftware difficulty combine for a thrilling, fast-paced experience that rewards teamwork and adaptation. For fans of Elden Ring looking for something familiar yet fresh, Nightreign is a confident contender.

Elden Ring Nightreign isn’t your dad’s Dark Souls game. It’s not a slow, methodical, and exploration-driven experience. It is high octane, caffeine into the veins, run until you drop. The game kept me up at night, well past my bedtime, as I tried to clear just one more Expedition – maybe this next run would be the one. I went to sleep with it on my mind and woke up ready to dive back in. Even after rolling credits, I wanted to get in and keep playing. FromSoftware has done it again.

Even with a few minor gripes against it, Elden Ring Nightreign never stops being fun, whether it's your first Expedition or your hundredth. For fans of roguelikes and FromSoftware games, Elden Ring Nightreign's gameplay feels like a match made in heaven, and FromSoftware deserves praise for its skillful pivot of the award-winning Elden Ring formula into a whole new subgenre that is bound to become one of 2025's most-played games.

Elden Ring Nightreign's announcement was a genuine surprise. The details explaining the kind of game it was were even more surprising. This peculiar mix of a From Software RPG spliced with elements of roguelites and battle royales sounds like the kind of experimental concept no game studio would actually devote money to. But here's From Software, tapping into its creativity to put its own weird, bold spin on a thrilling cooperative multiplayer experience. Even if the end result were middling, this is the kind of risk worth celebrating, but doubly so now that it turned out to be such a fantastic, anomalous thing. The part of From Software's collective brain that created oddities like Metal Wolf Chaos and Otogi: Myth of Demons is still very much alive and well.

Elden Ring Nightreign already has a phenomenal foundation, and an online-focused game like Elden Ring Nightreign should be the pinnacle of FromSoftware's post-launch support, so I'm more excited for the future of Nightreign than I have been for any of FromSoftware's games before it.

In its imperfect but quirky shell, Elden Ring Nightreign will attract many people with its siren's song.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer game for people who prefer single player games. It’s a celebration of the power of silent connection, of fleeting virtual bonds, of giddy celebratory gesturing between strangers, and of collective, gruelling perseverance. It's a fresh take on the steep challenge of the Souls formula that burrows into you, begging to be repeated. It delivers a frenzied high that’s quite unlike anything FromSoftware has produced so far.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is one of the most unique titles ever developed by FromSoftware, and arguably one of their best to date. Adapting the traditionally slow-paced Souls formula into a fast-paced, co-op-focused experience with roguelike elements was no easy feat, but the Japanese studio has fully delivered, once again proving why they remain masters of their craft.

Elden Ring Nightreign proves that even Soulslikes can become fully-fledged co-op experiences. While it has its shortcomings, there's no denying the quality of its design. The only concern is that FromSoftware has little to no experience with live service models—here's hoping they don’t abandon it post-launch.

A strangely, but ultimately fun and interesting spin-off from Elden Ring that works surprisingly well despite its odd choice of mechanics and lingering issues.

Elden Ring Nightreign impressed me with its clever gameplay, stunning game world, but also numerous nightlords and enemy design. Sure, there were some issues at launch, but those were mostly ironed out, and matchmaking now runs very well. Of course, you can still choose to go on solo expeditions, if playing with others is not your cup of tea. However, Elden Ring Nightreign is clearly designed as a multiplayer-first experience. It’s very intense, fun to play, and there’s a reason to come back and do more expeditions. The roguelike approach might not seem great for everyone at first, but you slowly get engulfed in it and want to do one more expedition. I found myself spending hours and hours in Elden Ring Nightreign, switching between solo expeditions and coop. I hope the devs will continue supporting the game beyond its forthcoming DLC, because we have a great foundation for what could become an excellent soulslike live service game.

Elden Ring: Nightreign reimagines FromSoftware’s soulslike formula as a thrilling cooperative experience, blending roguelike and Battle Royale elements. Fast-paced movement complements strategic, pattern-based combat across dynamic biomes, with emergent gameplay systems keeping every run fresh. Addictive and accessible, Nightreign shines brightest with friends to vanquish Night Lords. It’s a bold evolution for fans.

Elden Ring: Nightreign offers FromSoftware's trademark challenging combat, all in seamless co-op, combined with the roguelike elements of games like Hades, with some of the urgency of battle royale games sprinkled in.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a multiplayer experience that is challenging but satisfying. Solo play is possible, but it is clear that the game is built and balanced for a multiplayer party. Along with this, at times it can feel like progress is either luck based or time consuming, even for From Software. Nightreign is an interesting experience, and while the emphasis on multiplayer and the roguelike elements may not be for everyone that enjoyed Elden Ring or other From Software games, it makes for an enjoyable variation on a concept that this company has polished to a shine.

Elden Ring Nightreign is the “greatest hits” album of FromSoftware games. With bosses from Dark Souls, builds inspired by Bloodborne and Sekiro, and the world of Elden Ring, it has something for every Soulslike fan. And it’s multiplayer. It throws a lot into one pot and ends up as more of a cracked pot. But patches may fix it over time. No, not that Patches.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a fascinating, albeit uneven, experiment. While its fast-paced, pure gameplay moments are some of FromSoftware's best, these highs are often undercut by puzzling decisions, including an overly random progression system and the baffling omission of multiplayer. Despite offering an addictive and challenging twist on the familiar formula, impressively translating the atmosphere and world of Elden Ring into a new format, the unpolished roguelike elements and lack of a multiplayer support prevent it from reaching the heights of its predecessor. Ultimately, it's a must-play for dedicated fans seeking a new and distinct challenge, yet it might not be the ideal entry point for newcomers to the Lands Between.

Elden Ring: Nightreign lays the foundations for an incredibly promising multiplayer experience. The rush of completing runs and banding together to banish Nightlords is nothing short of euphoric, as FromSoftware finally makes teaming up with friends a mostly painless experience. The world of Limveld could do with fresh ideas, but it’s a world that I’ll be coming back to again and again.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a game in which FROMSOFTWARE builds on its core strengths while pushing into new territory. Although it falls short in areas like network performance, difficulty customization, and the enjoyment of combining Perks, it remains a worthwhile experience—so long as expectations are kept in check.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an unusual yet well-executed effort by FromSoftware, blending rogue-like progression and battle royale mechanics into a fun co-op experience despite some nagging issues.

Elden Ring Nightreign is aimed at the most dedicated of FromSoftware's titles, as it condenses the best and the worst into a new, original format. At last, a Soulslike designed for true cooperative play. It's an intense, non-stop race, requiring you to concentrate for 45 minutes, while taking on difficult bosses and having to avoid making almost the slightest mistake. It's very addictive and you literally can't see the time go by, but it's exhausting and clearly not for everyone. It's a lot of fun, but you can't help but be frustrated by the studio's bad habits: an archaic interface, missing features, dubious balancing, but also a massive amount of recycling from previous titles, without offering the rich content we'd expect in return.

I walk away from Elden Ring Nightreign with an admiration for the weird thing the team at FromSofware has crafted. Something that doesn't feel like a cheap cash-in of the namesake but an idea that the team wanted to explore. It doesn't get everything perfect, but I'd rather see developers take big swings than stay stagnant. Much like Nightreign's speedy pace, FromSoftware once again proves it's not standing still.

Nightreign offers hours of entertainment, frenetic battles, and spectacular boss fights to all players who are lucky enough to visit Limveld with two friends by their side, as well as the experienced Elden Ring veterans looking for a good challenge. The same cannot be said for those who have to find their allies through online matchmaking, due to an in-game communication system particularly inadequate for such a complex and punishing game.

The game, which will upset those who want to develop tactics and progress at a slower pace, and those who want to play a fun game alone, will satisfy players who say "let's gather friends and beat Souls bosses" to a certain extent. Its price is already determined accordingly, it is a game where we can spend 50-80 hours of fun with friends by paying 40 dollars.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a bold co-op roguelike offshoot from FromSoftware that creatively and satisfyingly brings Soulsborne gameplay to a new genre of RPG — even if issues with map and enemy variety hold it back from true greatness.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a drastically different game from Elden Ring, meshing some of the mechanics we’ve become used to in the award-winning RPG with a rougelike adventure. It’s a fantastic and highly engaging side of Elden Ring we didn’t think we needed, and yet it somehow works perfectly. Putting the player on a timer and having to quickly think on their feet is rewarding, at least until you wipe at the end of a long run. There’s a significant difficulty spike playing Nightreign as it’s a borderline randomizer. On some runs, it will hand out equipment that will be helpful for your character, while other times give you the short end of the stick. And because each match can take upwards of 45 minutes, getting to the final boss and wiping almost immediately feels discouraging. With that said, the highs outweigh the lows as FromSoftware has created a fantastic template we hope they will expand upon in the future.

Elden Ring Nightreign is definitely a game apart in FromSoftware's catalog. Despite a clear requirement primarily geared toward three-player co-op, we legitimately had many memorable moments on this "Rogue-Lite Survival" spin-off in a generally successful and frankly addictive way, despite obvious balancing issues and questionable choices for a title focused on multiplayer. To fully appreciate the game in all its glory, however, we can only strongly advise you to play it with a group of friends. If you are primarily a solo player, unless you are a true Souls-like god, it is clearly better to move on, or bitterly suffer the consequences.

Even though we find the same graphic style and some familiar areas, we feel a slight lack of artistic risk-taking, a somewhat recycled bestiary and menus that haven't changed one iota. On the gameplay side, class balancing still needs adjustments and world events like raids, rare terrains or cataclysms remain too rare to permanently break the routine. The communication system boils down to a ping that isn't always precise, and attempting the adventure solo borders on a feat, given the high difficulty and the need for a cohesive team. However, the game manages to create a strong addiction: even when a run turns into a disaster, we want to try our luck again to take advantage of our character's progression curve and the pride of defeating a boss. Nightreign won't appeal to all players, its severity and small flaws may frustrate more than a few, but it brings a breath of fresh air to the studio. It's a good start, we'll say.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is a bold experiment that successfully combines addictive roguelite gameplay with the best of Souls – an excellent combat system and a constant sense of challenge. The game excels in multiplayer, where it delivers strong moments of cooperation, effective party roles and constant action without dead spots. On the other hand, it hits its limits in the single-player game – frustration from lost runs, lack of communication options and some lackluster boss fights prevent it from being a full-fledged experience on the level of the main game. Nightreign is ideal for experienced Elden Ring players who want a good dose of combat and experimentation with builds. However, it will probably discourage newcomers.

Elden Ring Nightreign is just as confusing and abrasive as FromSoftware's other games, but there's really nothing else like it.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is more Elden Ring, but it also isn’t. It’s a brave new multiplayer experiment, and a bold recycling of older assets, to mixed results. Parts of Nightreign will likely define your fondest gaming moments of 2025, while the frustration caused by others might haunt your dreams. Nightreign’s budget price indicates that this isn’t the next big FromSoftware Souls experience, but it is something incredibly special. If you’re a FromSoft fan that wants an interesting co-op experience with no Ultra Instinct Comet Azurs, Elden Ring: Nightreign shouldn’t be missed.

After Elden Ring set the bar impossibly high for what's expected of open-world RPGs, Nightreign delivers a fantastic accompaniment to FromSoftware's core portfolio. It's unafraid to turn the established Souls formula on its head and ask if it can mesh well with other genres. While the answer is a resounding yes, Nightreign won't be for everyone. For series veteran fans with no interest in multiplayer, it's a hard sell. Solo play is an officially supported mode, but it feels much like an afterthought. Played with the intended group size, however, Nightreign is an irresistible co-op experience with far more depth than I expected.

Elden Ring: Nightreign takes the franchise into cooperative territory with a bold, punishing multiplayer expedition mode. While its demanding design may alienate casual players, the game delivers deep combat, rich class variety, and satisfying progression for veteran Souls fans.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is my game of the year—but it’s not for everyone. Its punishing gameplay and frustrating setbacks demand patience and resilience.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an experience that, while sharing similarities with the main game, sets itself apart in subtle ways. It’s a distilled version of the massive 2022 title, but its greatest strengths lie in its fast-paced combat, shorter runtime, and high-speed gameplay. It offers an engaging challenge for veterans, while also serving as a great entry point for those who don’t want to deal with the monumental scale of FromSoftware’s larger works.

If Elden Ring perfected FromSoftware’s classic formula, Nightreign is certainly an attempt to bring that formula into the multiplayer era. While much of the original charm may have been lost in translation—as is often the case—there's still a way to enjoy it on its own terms.

A new generation of From Software directors is maturing and Elden Ring Nightreign is among the first of their fresh crops. Even as a roguelike co-op spinoff it shines like one of the brightest stars held back by the mighty Starscourge Radahn. However, if you unfavour the RNG gods or Miyazaki himself, not only bad luck but horrible connection and inconsistent designs shall rain upon you and your teammates. Therefore, be brave Nightfarers and join forces against the powerful Nightlords!

Nightreign is stressful, merciless and sometimes unfair, even for an Elden Ring. It's a shame, because there's a good game underneath.

Elden Ring Nightreign blends Soulslike combat with roguelike mechanics, resulting in a mostly dynamic cooperative adventure. However, the game’s lack of crossplay and duo support makes grouping inconvenient, and reuses too many assets while offering somewhat shallow progression.

When I finally completed the main Expeditions in Nightreign, I felt equal parts exhausted and relieved. Exhausted because you’ll never escape that paralyzing feeling of having so many different things onscreen vying for your attention, and relieved because I never have to go through that experience again.

Elden Ring: Nightreign swaps the expansive and striking world of Lands Between for a shorter, more intense experience designed with multiplayer in mind. While the combat remains as incredible as you'd expect, the roguelike nature upsets the balance of Elden Ring, not always in the best way, thanks to an underwhelming meta progression. Some performance problems affect the PC version, but when you're in the company of friends, it's hard to resist the Limveld's appeal, even when you taste defeat.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is undoubtedly an interesting experiment that could bring a much-needed breath of fresh air to the soulslike genre. Its gameplay loop, built around relatively short matches, offers an intriguing alternative to the traditional, hours-long campaigns FromSoftware is known for. However, as the studio’s first foray into multiplayer-focused gameplay, it suffers from some early growing pains - issues unlikely to be fully resolved through patches alone. The lack of built-in voice chat is a major drawback, and I wouldn't recommend the game to players who don’t have at least one reliable teammate and access to an external communication tool. Playing with randoms can be a frustrating experience.

When Elden Ring Nightreign is played exactly as it was designed to be played, it’s one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around. The eight character classes are each fun to use and feature a surprising amount of depth despite their limited movesets, the new Nightlord boss battles are among the best FromSoft has ever crafted and make the most of the three-player dynamic, and the fast-paced, race-against-the-clock nature of each run leads to exciting moments of split-second decision making and frantic rushes to try and finish up a fight before the circle closes in. But a lack of crossplay, duo matchmaking, and built-in communication tools makes it hard to create the conditions needed to have this kind of experience unless you’re bringing two real-life friends on every run, and if you want to just play by yourself, I can’t recommend it because of the poor solo mode balancing. All of this amounts to an ambitious spin-off that’s exhilarating when you’re able to create the proper conditions, and one that quickly flips to incredibly frustrating when you’re not.

There's no denying it — Elden Ring Nightreign is a somewhat broken and bizarre concept that won’t appeal to everyone. But if this unusual mix manages to win you over, it quickly becomes hard to resist the urge to keep playing for hours on end, even when it demands a significant mental investment. The boss fights are satisfying, the various characters each bring something unique to the table, and there’s a genuine sense of progression and reward as your playstyle evolves over time. As a first attempt focused on multiplayer, it may not be a masterpiece, but it’s still a bold and intriguing proposition.

Nightreign is, in my opinion, a highly successful experiment at a fair price, and while there are some obvious kinks to iron out - the lack of new enemies and maps other than Limveld being the most acute - the gameplay foundation is rock solid, and that's what matters most.

From Software's newest game is a surprisingly kick-ass experiment that suffers greatly from balancing issues. Nightreign delivers a brutally hard team-building exercise full of breakneck action that plays fabulously. Unfortunately, it fails to duly reward you for your efforts - be it with worthwhile permanent upgrades or final bosses where your hard-earned builds actually make a difference. It’s far from unfixable, but you should probably wait for a balancing patch or two.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a fun multiplayer offshoot, but it also doesn't come close to the dizzying heights we're used to seeing from FromSoftware. It's an interesting experiment, and I am glad it exists despite my mixed feelings, but it's a shallow happiness when I expect far more profound experiences from this company.

Elden Ring Nightreign is an interesting attempt to build a “session-based” game in the Elden Ring universe. But some things just don't work together.

Elden Ring Nightreign is not the most unusual game FromSoftware has released in its modern era, but it might be the most dense in terms of experimentation. In the spots where the team got to push at the boundaries of what its games are capable of, it’s easy to spot the new, exciting ideas at play. As a roguelike, it can’t quite support the variety expected of the genre. And yet, the core of FromSoftware’s combat is still strong enough that the game is still a blast with friends and so is still somewhat successful at what it sets out to achieve — just don’t expect it to be a big RPG.

Nightreign is a mediocre experience that I can only recommend to groups of friends who are hardcore Elden Ring fans looking for something to play together.

Elden Ring Nightreign shoots for the stars with a clean retrofit of familiar assets into a roguelike format, but it’s dragged back down to earth with repetitive encounters, overtuned bosses, and lacklustre meta-progression. Random chance and an urgent pace rewards blind haste over careful buildcraft, but I'm confident its biggest issues can still be fixed.