Elden Ring Nightreign: The Game That Could Change Everything for FromSoftware!

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The unveiling of Elden Ring Nightreign took everyone by surprise, and since then, it has held the fascination of gamers yearning for a novel approach to cooperative roguelikes. The straightforward yet captivating formula employed by FromSoftware has served as a model for other studios, leading to the creation of the Soulslike genre. Given that this new release emphasizes multiplayer gameplay, there’s a possibility that the Japanese developer could pave the way for an almost unheard-of second hit sub-genre: the “Nightreignlike.

It seems that Nightreign draws some influence from popular genres like Battle Royales and Breath of the Wild, but rest assured, it’s not just a carbon copy. Although the Battle Royale genre has seen an abundance of creative concepts, breaking into such a competitive field can be tough, with many getting lost in the shuffle. However, Nightreign distinguishes itself from the crowd by blending unique design elements that could potentially carve out a one-of-a-kind niche for future studios to emulate.

Nightreign Could Make Other Developers Want to Make Their Own “Reignlikes”

Even though FromSoftware is widely recognized today for leading the Soulslike genre, this recognition didn’t happen instantly. The company’s fame began with the release of “Demon’s Souls” on PS3 in 2009. However, it wasn’t until 2014 when the original “Lords of the Fallen” was released, claiming to be the first game directly modeled after the Soulslike style, that the genre truly took off.

Initially, games resembling Souls released sparingly, often as Indie or mid-tier productions. However, their numbers gradually grew. One of the earliest triple-A Soulslike titles might have been Nioh. Nowadays, this genre has become a common ground for both new and established developers to innovate on, as evidenced by the recent blockbuster hit The First Berserker: Khazan.

Since then, FromSoftware has made significant strides, and if their Souls-style Roguelike venture proves successful, it could ignite another sub-genre. Keeping a close eye on the game, many publishers will be ready to pounce, and we might see a flood of Reignlikes if there’s enough demand for them.

How Reignlikes Could Be Different to Soulslikes

The basic structure of Soulslike games lies in straightforward combat mechanics combined with strategic resource usage, defensive maneuvers, and learning by trial and error. This simplicity is key to their popularity because it allows each game within the genre to fine-tune individual components while introducing fresh concepts. Moreover, they often adopt the highly symbolic storytelling style that Souls games are famous for, gradually revealing story elements through environmental cues and enigmatic non-player characters.

In a simpler term, “Reignlikes” aren’t just like multiplayer Soulslikes; they might emphasize a quicker gameplay pace compared to their genre peers. For instance, the game “Nightreign” offers swift combat and streamlined movement as darkness falls. Unlike Soulslikes, death is not the final curtain in “Nightreign“, as reviving is a key feature of the game, flipping that characteristic on its head.

In the game Nightreign, you’ll find common Roguelike features such as randomness in weapon selection and diverse location types. There’s plenty of potential for games in the Reignlike genre to customize these elements. The weapons in this game mainly focus on melee combat, but it doesn’t rule out the possibility that spiritual successors might experiment with shooter-style approaches.

In my gaming world, there’s this fascinating element that sets it apart – the day-night cycle. During the night, the map resets and reappears with new challenges. Typically in Battle Royales (BR) and Roguelikes, progression is linear, but a system of days building up to a final boss battle adds an exciting twist to weather mechanics and boosts replayability. While FromSoftware seems to steer clear of PVP, other studios could take inspiration from games like Deathloop, where one player tries to disrupt another team’s plans, creating a unique invasion system within the game.

The prospects for similar games to Reignlike are considerable, yet the key factor lies in the success of Nightreign. Considering FromSoftware’s history, it seems more a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ this genre will flourish.

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2025-04-01 17:35