FromSoftware’s latest experiment, Elden Ring Nightreign, puts a rogue-lite, battle royale twist on their signature formula. This standalone co-op spin-off delivers a fast-paced, high-stakes experience set in the ever-changing land of Limveld. With little room for hesitation and brutally tough enemies, this isn’t a game for the faint-hearted or casual players.
Elden Ring, But Done Quickly
Playable solo or with up to two others, you take on the role of a Nightfarer, venturing out to defeat one of several Nightlords and push back the encroaching darkness. Expeditions last three in-game days across a shrinking map — think Elden Ring meets Fortnite.
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Each day ends with a mini-boss encounter, all of which are previous bosses from Elden Ring (and some guest stars) culminating in a final showdown with the selected Nightlord on day three. The battle royale mechanics demand quick decision-making and constant movement. You’re essentially speedrunning Elden Ring — but with a team and higher stakes.
Thankfully, Nightreign equips you with tools to keep up the pace. The new Surge Sprint boosts movement speed, while Spiritstreams launch you skyward — no Torrent required! (No fall damage either.) It’s mobility with flair.
Limgrave, Reimagined
All expeditions unfold in Limveld, a region that evokes Elden Ring’s Limgrave but with a dynamic everchanging twist. Key locations are randomised, offering loot, buffs, and runes to help you and your team level up. Time is tight so you need to make every moment count.
As you progress, world events begin to trigger, like Shifting Earths that alter entire regions of the map. One expedition might feature a frozen mountain; another, a molten crater. Other Nightlords can even invade your expedition, causing map wide effects until dealt with.
There’s no in-game voice chat, but the ping system and gestures work surprisingly well. I relied solely on pings and gestures during my playthrough and didn’t feel limited in communication.
The Nightfarers: Eight Ways to Win
There are eight Nightfarers, each with unique skills and playstyles. Six are unlocked from the outset, with two more becoming available later. Team composition is key — certain Nightlords are far easier to overcome with the right characters. You’ll discover the best combos through trial and error… or Google.
I spent most of my time playing as Ironeye and Duchess. Ironeye specialises in bows, has a passive that increases loot drops, a skill that marks enemies for bonus damage, and an ultimate that wreaks havoc with the environment.
Duchess favours daggers, can double dodge, reapply recent damage with her Restage ability, and turn the whole party invisible with her ultimate — ideal for quick heals or repositioning.
Each Nightfarer also has a personal Remembrance Quest that delves into their backstory and unlocks character specific rewards. Further customisation comes from relics — colour-coded perks (red, blue, green, yellow) that slot into each Nightfarer’s chalice. With only three slots per character, combinations are limited, but strategy emerges as a result. You can also purchase Chalices for each Nightfarer with different colour combos.
Roundtable Hold 2.0
The Roundtable Hold returns as the central hub area. While different from what Elden Ring fans may remember, it’s still familiar in tone. Here, you can interact with NPCs, access lore, customise your Nightfarers, and prepare for expeditions.
The Small Jar Bazaar lets you buy and sell relics using Murk (the game’s meta-currency) and is home to what might be the cutest Living Jar you’ll ever see.
There’s also a sparring ground where you can practise each Nightfarer’s kit and familiarise yourself with weapons and gear. This is vital, as success in expeditions often hinges on how well you know your weapons — assuming they drop, of course.
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Expect to spend plenty of time here between runs, so experiment often.
Matchmaking: The Real Boss
In my 40 hours with Nightreign, nearly half of that time was spent in matchmaking queues. It’s the unfortunate reality of reviewing a multiplayer game before it launches to the public.
The game tracks your total time played versus time spent in expeditions — it was taunting me!
Each run can last 30–40 minutes, and defeat is common (this is a Souls game, after all). Then there’s the players that simply drop out before a run is over! This made it difficult to learn the new Nightlord boss fights, each of which is a stunning spectacle in its own right.
The game would certainly benefit from a “retry with same party” option after a failed run to save precious queue time.
It’ll no doubt be sorted by the time the game launches.
A Nod to FromSoftware’s Legacy
Nightreign pays tribute to FromSoftware’s legacy by reusing bosses from Elden Ring and resurrecting foes from earlier titles. Expect familiar faces like the Centipede Demon (Dark Souls), Duke’s Dear Freja (Dark Souls II), and the Nameless King (Dark Souls III).
While these encounters spark nostalgia, they can feel slightly out of place. Perhaps it’s the clash of universe designs, or maybe it’s the suspicion that FromSoftware wouldn’t include them without a hidden purpose. Time will tell. With their track record, you can bet there’s a secret waiting to be uncovered — likely involving an obscure gesture performed at the edge of a cliff.
Verdict
Elden Ring Nightreign delivers a dynamic, adrenaline-fuelled take on the Souls formula. It’s tailored for hardcore fans with fast pacing, and brutally tough bosses. At $55 AUD it’s a steal for fans of the genre seeking a new quick fix.
But its reliance on recycled content, and long expedition times may deter newcomers or those seeking a more traditional Elden Ring experience.
For seasoned FromSoftware devotees like myself, it’s a compelling challenge. I only hope matchmaking improves at launch — because I’m itching for another run.
Quest Daily Scores Elden Ring Nightreign:
8/10
Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30th on PlayStation, Xbox and PC via Steam.
A review copy of Elden Ring Nightreign was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
