Elden Ring Nightreign seemingly fails to meet its high expectations according to its Metacritic score, especially when compared to both Elden Ring and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. With the original game and its DLC launching at a whole 20 points higher, early reviews of Elden Ring Nightreign indicate FromSoftware’s gamble on this spin-off didn’t exactly pay off from a critical standpoint. However, there are some positives from reviewers, particularly when its multiplayer aspects came together.
Elden Ring Nightreign currently sits at 78 on Metacritic. While this isn’t a bad score by any means, it pales in comparison to Elden Ring, sitting at 96, and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, which has a score of 94. This marks it as one of the lowest-rated Soulslike games released by FromSoftware yet.
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The overall sentiment is that the game excels at what FromSoftware does best. Combat is top-notch and many hail the bosses as some of the best yet. Praise was also given for each of the eight classes. The amount of depth, despite the limited move sets, was surprising and fit well with the three-player dynamic.
Reviewers also shared that the game is at its best when the proper conditions are met, with a group of three working together in Elden Ring Nightreign. The randomized nature is mostly successful and brings a level of replayability that makes going on runs a blast.
However, this is also where most of the criticism stems from. Without the proper conditions, Elden Ring Nightreign is a frustrating mess. Those who cannot get two friends for a group are stuck with randoms. This is a problem considering the lack of in-game communication. A lack of cross-play or duo matchmaking also makes this difficult. Playing the game alone is also not a real option, as the game has been balanced around a three-player group.
There will likely be a dedicated fan base for Elden Ring Nightreign, and Soulslike fans will certainly find something to like about the game. But it would seem only those who have enough friends to fill out a squad in every run will truly be able to enjoy this experiment from FromSoftware.
This release and reception may have further indications for the next title from the legendary developer, The Duskbloods, a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive multiplayer-focused title. More Soulslike games are always good for fans, but many are left wondering why the shift to multiplayer games and when the next single-player title will release.
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