‘Elden Ring Nightreign’ Is Basically a ‘Bloodborne’ Roguelike Multiplayer Game, and It’s Awesome (Review)

When Elden Ring: Nightreign was first announced, I was a bit skeptical about how the open-world RPG would translate into a multiplayer-only title. These doubts lingered during my first few hours with Nightreign, as I initially struggled to adapt to the game’s breakneck pacing and punishing difficulty. However, once things finally clicked, Elden Ring: Nightreign became an absolute blast that I couldn’t put it down. I quickly realized it’s essentially a multiplayer roguelike with Bloodborne-style risk-and-reward combat, and it’s kind of a dream game.

This Is Not Your ‘Elden Ring’

Let’s be clear: this is not the Lands Between you spent hundreds of hours getting lost in. Nightreign is a streamlined version of Elden Ring in almost every way. Sites of Grace now instantly heal your HP and FP the moment you walk near one. Leveling up your character is automatic—the game allocates your skill points based on your Nightfarer class and weapon loadout. While this might seem like FromSoftware is simplifying Elden Ring‘s more hardcore elements, there’s a reason for it: you don’t have time to fiddle with stats in Nightreign. You have to keep moving constantly, as any wasted time leaves you dangerously unprepared when night eventually falls.

The biggest difference between Elden Ring and Nightreign is pacing. Because of this, its gameplay sometimes feels closer to Ninja Gaiden than Elden Ring. I mean that literally. Yes, your stamina bar technically drains. But the burst of speed you constantly get in the game is insane, and your bar fills up quickly. So, you are essentially zipping around the map almost nonstop. Another core gameplay feature is wall jumping, which allows you to scale cliffs and structures instantly. FromSoftware clearly wants traversal to be continuous. And for good reason! If your group hasn’t reached a high enough level by nighttime, you’ll be wiped out almost instantly. Time is of the essence.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is very much a multiplayer title. While this sounds obvious, I didn’t fully realize just how many changes would be necessary to convert Elden Ring into a fast-paced online experience. Although many core systems have been simplified, one thing that hasn’t changed is the combat. The game is still brutally difficult. If anything, some players may find it even more challenging due to the game’s speed. This is particularly true for the game’s opening hours, which drop you directly into the madness without waiting for you to catch up.

‘Elden Ring: Nightreign’ Is Basically Boss Rush Mode

If you’re a master of Soulsborne combat, then you’ll likely eat up Elden Ring: Nightreign’s constant flow of boss fights, which play out like a Greatest Hits of the series’ worst enemies. The moment a new expedition begins, you and your team will need to start making decisions immediately. As a result, you’re often pushed from one boss fight straight into the next. After all, the quickest way to earn experience points and high-tier weapons is by taking on these encounters within the limited time you have.

Because each expedition is randomly generated, you’ll also face a wealth of Elden Ring‘s most iconic boss battles in entirely new environments. From Deathbird to Godskin Peeler, the game constantly keeps you on your toes, as you never know which boss you’ll run into on the map at any given time. I even found myself taking on Margit, the Fell Omen, in the middle of a field. If you manage to survive until nighttime, your team will be pushed into a small circle where you must fend off a wave of enemies. After that, a main-story boss from Elden Ring is summoned, and you must defeat it to “expulse the night” and reach the next day.

So, if you’re someone who cares more about boss encounters in Soulsborne titles, then Elden Ring: Nightreign will be right up your alley. Combat fiends will particularly love it, as the multiplayer is almost entirely that—distilled into its purest form without all the fat that comes with a lengthy RPG campaign. However, if you enjoy exploration and gradually building your character, then Nightreign might not be for you. The reason I mentioned Bloodborne at the start of my review is because the multiplayer here feels much closer to the PlayStation title than to the base Elden Ring—as it’s fast-paced and heavily action-centered.

‘Nightreign’ Cleverly Uses Battle Royale Mechanics

In Elden Ring: Nightreign, a giant purple ring called the Night’s Tide constantly surrounds the borders of the map. With every passing minute, the ring slowly begins to shrink. However, don’t let that slow pace deceive you—I can’t count how many times my group died simply because we weren’t paying attention. When the ring starts closing in, it really moves fast. If you’re not aware of your positioning on the map, you can find yourself in a deadly situation within seconds. There were a few expeditions in my playthrough where my team became trapped in a valley or next to a large building. As the ring closed in, it was too late to climb our way out of it, and we were all wiped out.

If you’ve ever played a battle royale, you know the gist. But FromSoftware cleverly uses this mechanic to force players into confronting the map’s toughest enemies. It also forces your group to consider things strategically. Do you go after treasure? Or do you focus on boss battles? If you take too long to think about it, you risk losing out on massive amounts of experience points. I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to get a boss down to 10% health, only to have to abandon it at the last second because the Night’s Tide is closing in.

However, as I grew more comfortable with Nightreign, my team began to instinctively know where to be on the map at any given time. And at least in my experience, I was only able to beat Day 3 when I had a team that knew where they wanted to go and were constantly moving from one location to the next. If we wasted even a minute in an earlier area, it almost always led to our downfall by nightfall. So, while you can technically explore the map and find hidden weapons, you need to keep moving toward the center.

An Addicting Multiplayer Roguelike

Elden Ring: Nightreign clicked with me when I realized it’s basically an online roguelike. In the first couple of hours, my team was constantly getting wiped out. We were so bad, we couldn’t even make it past Day 1. However, where the multiplayer shines is in how it handles progression. Even when you fail an expedition, you still unlock random relics and a currency called Murk. Relics are essentially permanent upgrades to your character, allowing you to boost stats or even change how abilities work. You can also swap out a relic for another one without losing it.

Because of this system, my team was able to improve little by little with each failure. Like any roguelike, Nightreign has a snowball effect: the more you die, the stronger you gradually become. This lets you push a little farther in the next expedition. Eventually, you will reach Day 3 and encounter a battle with a Nightlord. The epic boss fight leads to even more rewards if you can manage to take them down. So you are always progressing. There was one expedition where I was paired with a team where both players were equipped with powerful relics. As a result, we tore through Day 1 and Day 2 without breaking a sweat. Like Elden Ring, Nightreign allows you to break the game with an overpowered build that you can eventually earn.

Using the Murk you earn, you can purchase new relics and items from the Jar Merchant at the Roundtable Hold. The NPC’s inventory evolves as you progress. You can also spend Murk on new outfits for your character class, but only after unlocking the Fitting Mirror. I’ll say this up front: the skins are insanely expensive once you gain access to them. That said, unlocking a new outfit changes your Nightfarer’s appearance, and the designs are genuinely awesome. FromSoftware really rewards players who stick with Elden Ring: Nightreign. If you’re worried the game might be too difficult, take comfort in knowing that dying is just part of the loop.

Nightfarer Classes Offer Varied Gameplay

And of course, I can’t talk about Elden Ring: Nightreign without mentioning its characters. After all, they are the lifeblood of the game. Since you can’t create a custom character in the multiplayer, and stats are mostly predetermined, a lot rides on the class you choose. There are eight Nightfarers to select from in Nightreign, and each offers a balanced experience that gives players a slice of the playstyle they may have enjoyed in Elden Ring. For example, Recluse is a ranged mage who uses Glintstone spells. However, she can also instantly regain FP after each successful hit on an enemy by collecting the energy. If you collect three elemental charges, you can then unleash a “Magical Cocktail” spell against enemies.

The cocktail’s effect changes depending on which elements you collect. For instance, if you’re using a staff with fire-based spells, the cocktail will create a massive explosion of flames. All Nightfarers have an ultimate art that can turn the tide of battle. Recluse, for example, has an ability called Soulblood Song, which marks all enemies on the battlefield. Any player who hits a marked enemy will draw blood and heal themselves. As you can imagine, this is incredibly helpful during major boss fights.

Another class I enjoyed was Guardian. While technically a “tank,” he moves swiftly and carries a giant shield for blocking. This Paladin-like character can group up enemies with an AOE gust-wind skill called Whirlwind. His ultimate allows him to fly into the air before slamming down and creating a protective ring around his team. And for high-risk, high-reward combat fiends, there’s Executor. This samurai-style class is essentially Nightreign’s bleed build. His skill lets him draw a cursed katana that reflects enemy attacks. Whichever Nightfarer you choose, FromSoftware has done an excellent job of condensing a wide variety of Elden Ring gameplay styles into just eight characters.

‘Elden Ring Nightreign’ Is This Year’s Best Multiplayer offering

I’m of two minds when it comes to Elden Ring: Nightreign. On one hand, I think some players who enjoy the original game’s complex character-building system might initially dislike how streamlined everything is. On the other hand, this isn’t Elden Ring—it’s a multiplayer title with a very different goal in mind. Like any roguelike, expeditions are fast and replayable. If you shift your perspective toward that genre—but apply Elden Ring’s incredible combat—that’s the simplest way to sum up Nightreign.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a hardcore or particularly skilled gamer. I’ve spent hundreds of hours in Elden Ring and have beaten it across multiple save files. But I also took my time grinding side quests, over-leveling my character, and hunting down overpowered weapons to break the game. And you better believe I abused the hell out of Spirit Summons. That was the beauty of FromSoftware’s open-world RPG—it gave you the freedom to craft your own experience. Nightreign is different in this respect. You’re very much funneled into a set experience at the start.

However, the magic of Elden Ring: Nightreign lies in how it slowly evolves the more you play. The Nightfarer you chose in Hour 1 won’t be the same by Hour 20. Thanks to relics and unlockable items, your character can improve dramatically over time. In that sense, the spirit of Elden Ring allowing players to shape their own unique gameplay style is still alive. Just be ready to play by the multiplayer’s rules during those early hours as you slowly claw your way through its progression. But, like any FromSoftware game, the reward is worth it. Finally, if you’re a big fan of Soulsborne combat, Elden Ring: Nightreign was made for you. It’s an all-thriller, no-filler combat experience—and it’s incredibly fun.

Verdict: Best In Its Class

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Elden Ring Nightreign will be available May 30, 2025, on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. A code was provided for the sake of review. Reviewed on PS5.