With FromSoftware’s upcoming release, Elden Ring Nightreign, they are pushing the boundaries in the Soulslike genre they’ve refined over the years. Traditionally, their games have focused on a single-player experience enriched with some multiplayer features, like limited co-op and PvP encounters. Elden Ring Nightreign, however, is charting a new course by being designed with multiplayer in mind from the outset. This ambitious shift could symbolize FromSoftware’s next evolutionary step. Yet, there’s a peculiar twist in their design that might pose some challenges.
Considering the rave reviews about multiplayer in the original Elden Ring, it’s no shocker that FromSoft is delving deeper into co-op gameplay. But the catch is, in Nightreign, they’ve chosen to eliminate the option for two-player sessions altogether—a decision that’s left many scratching their heads. This limitation could sideline a convenient feature that made the first game so appealing. By focusing solely on group experiences, they risk disappointing fans who prefer the option to pair up for adventures.
In a recent chat with the game’s director shortly after the big unveiling, we learned that Nightreign’s co-op mandates a trio. This setup, as explained, optimizes the game’s challenge and balance, especially with its procedural, cyclical nature. Solo players, though, needn’t worry much. The game will adjust the strength of enemies and bosses depending on whether you’re flying solo or rallying a party. This means you can still enjoy the game in traditional FromSoft style, but it holds back the player flexibility that defined the original Elden Ring.
Requiring a team of three in Nightreign might feel polarizing for long-time fans of FromSoftware’s multiplayer format. Elden Ring excelled as a two-player adventure, allowing partners to tackle game bosses in a balanced and fulfilling way without making battles feel tedious or artificially difficult. By stripping away this dynamic, Nightreign might oversimplify the experience into a choice between difficult solo play or a more manageable but mandatory group effort—potentially alienating those who thrive on intimate, two-player game sessions.
Skipping out on two-player capability could be a missed opportunity for what makes multiplayer gaming naturally engaging, especially in a genre like Soulslike, renowned for fostering partnerships. Gaming today is more than just a pastime; it forms connections. Removing the layer of a duo’s camaraderie seems counterproductive to the intrinsic social nature of multiplayer experiences. If FromSoft can design balanced three-player challenges, surely they could adapt Nightreign to suit pairs, much like they’ve done with other games. Whether this bold experiment pays off remains to be seen.
