Elden Ring: Nightreign proves that The Duskbloods will be amazing

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Multiple live-action games launched recently claim they won’t induce fear of missing out (FOMO), however, their success varies. Helldivers 2 maintains access to Warbonds (essentially Battle Passes) and allows you to unlock items at your own pace, but if you’ve been away for several months, you might have missed a substantial amount of player-generated storyline. Remedy’s FBC: Firebreak also offers a stress-free live service experience, primarily by offering minimal content and gradually releasing updates, according to reports.

It might have seemed that Elden Ring: Nightreign would fail given the transformation of a massive single-player action RPG from recent years into a multiplayer soft-live service. However, FromSoftware’s Souls series has consistently featured a multiplayer aspect, albeit one that was largely unnoticed by most players. Though primarily designed as a single-player game, it accommodates multiplayer, with many players overlooking this feature until they encounter challenging bosses and seek assistance or find themselves ambushed by invaders.

In Nightreign, they’ve redefined the usually underestimated aspect as the central focus. Imagine if those challenging bosses weren’t merely difficult but crushing, leaving you yearning for assistance? Consider a scenario where the character you meticulously develop over an 80-hour RPG can be swiftly implemented in just half an hour? What if it was designed like a roguelike game?

If another RPG series attempted this, I’d consider it sacrilege. The Tales series has historically allowed friends to control your secondary party members, but that doesn’t mean Namco should transform it into a live-service game. Nightreign has been ingeniously adapted in numerous ways to make multiplayer the most enjoyable experience — however, dedicated fans can undoubtedly opt for a solo playthrough, taking on one of FromSoftware’s most challenging creations yet.

To prepare for our Elden Ring: Nightreign review before its release, I spent countless hours playing it day and night. Almost every moment was enjoyable. However, there were aspects that got overlooked in the race to complete it. Our goal was to experience and explore as much as possible to create a review truly representative of the game. However, it’s clear that Nightreign is at its best when played leisurely.

After the initial launch, we resumed playing Nightreign on PS5 with my friends, but for an entire month, we barely touched the game. Instead, it accumulated dust. However, a casual “let’s play just one more game” morphed into three, followed by another session a few nights later, and then yet another. Soon enough, I found myself regularly returning to Nightreign once more.

Due to our adult obligations, we’ve found ourselves playing at a slower rate and fewer sessions, which has led us to team up with online strangers quite frequently. Unfortunately, this strategy doesn’t always work out smoothly, and we’ve faced more challenges against the Nightlords. On the bright side, this experience has forced us to study the bosses’ attack patterns in greater detail, learning when to dodge, when to strike, and how to avoid getting hit. Instead of relying on brute force, we’re now focusing on strategy and precision.

One notable advantage of this leisurely method is that it leaves us feeling completely satisfied, as though we haven’t missed out on anything at all. Several Everdark Sovereigns, formidable iterations of the game’s Nightlords, have appeared and vanished, but they’ve been confirmed to become permanent fixtures in the game. Even more excitingly, our perseverance has been repaid, allowing us to face challenges as a pair rather than a trio. This means we can engage in combat with an ally instead of a stranger, unless we choose to use them as a diversion.

In Nightreign, there aren’t any Warbond or Battle Pass systems, and even though additional DLC has been confirmed (and it comes with the Deluxe Edition), I’m content to be patient. I’ve finished a few Battle Passes on Apex Legends and Call of Duty, and they seem to consume my free gaming time excessively. To get the rewards I feel I’ve already paid for, I need to invest all my time into unlocking them. Games like Helldivers 2 and FBC: Firebreak are an improvement, but I find myself struggling to keep up with the crowd in the first one, and I’ve pretty much seen everything the second one has to offer.

It’s valid to say that the content release pace might be gradual, but a great game remains enjoyable regardless. Sports don’t necessarily become more engaging due to rule modifications, and classic games such as Halo and Counter-Strike continue to captivate players even without updates. A fantastic game is always entertaining, whether you play it at home or on the go – all that’s needed is a fresh opponent. Nightreign maintains its appeal through continuous updates while preserving its essential features that make it so effective.

Each time you play Nightreign with a distinct character, a new weapon, or activating Shifting Earth events, it feels fresh and unique. Alterations in the placement of minor bosses and camps for raiding can significantly impact your survivability during the ultimate fight in the long run. I’m genuinely looking forward to conquering the base game’s bosses and diving into the Everdark Sovereigns, but I’m taking my time getting there.

If you’re looking for a game that offers continuous daily play for several months, Elden Ring: Nightreign isn’t the one. Instead, this game is designed to be played sporadically with your friends, whether weekly or monthly. You won’t miss out on anything, and each session will likely uncover something new. It’s a remarkable, unexpected success that only heightens my anticipation for The Duskbloods.

In 2026, FromSoftware’s game “The Duskbloods” is expected to launch as an exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2. It appears that

In the game, you’ll find a similar scenario to Hunt: Showdown, where multiple players are dropped onto a vast map and must race each other to secure rare items. Will you go straight for the objective, try to eliminate your competitors as quickly as possible, or wait in ambush for the winner? This is an entirely new take on what we’ve seen from Elden Ring thus far, but it showcases another facet of Elden Ring’s multiplayer gameplay. However, it’s not Elden Ring – it’s a distinctly separate game, Bloodborne with a touch of Sekiro. You may be puzzled by The Duskbloods now, but dedicated FromSoftware PvP streamers are having their dreams come true through this game, even if they don’t quite realize it yet.

As a dedicated gamer diving headfirst into Elden Ring’s immersive world, it’s become apparent that this game’s development was nothing short of epic, with twists and turns along the way. The occasional patches adjusting weapon balance separately for PvP and PvE hint at the intricate multiplayer elements woven within the game, aspects that I believe were often overlooked by players.

FromSoftware has consistently delivered exceptional multiplayer experiences, and it seems they’re determined to make us embrace these elements in Elden Ring—even if we’ve been neglecting them in the past. Frankly, I welcome this change. If players are going to overlook the multiplayer aspects of Elden Ring, then let’s force them to engage with it whether they want to or not. After all, these experiences are an integral part of what makes FromSoftware games so unique and compelling.

Nightreign is an exceptional live-service game, despite its leisurely content updates, and it rejuvenates my confidence in The Duskbloods. Unlike many other live-service games that seem to flood us with content from every anime character and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – yes, the turtles again – I appreciate a game that simply offers a solid experience with players to connect with. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, for instance, only released one DLC, the Variety Map Pack, yet it was adored by many. A game that’s genuinely engaging doesn’t require additional bells and whistles.

It’s surprising, yet not unexpected, that FromSoftware has managed to create an engaging multiplayer experience in Elden Ring: Nightreign. As a fan, I never thought they would venture into live services, but their success here leaves me thrilled and eager for more, such as The Duskbloods.

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2025-08-04 18:18