The closed network test forElden Ring Nightreignhas finished, and the game has gone back into the oven to prepare for its late May launch. Assuming there won’t be any delays, there’s not much time before FromSoftware’s experimental roguelike Soulslike arrives, and many interested players are thankful for that fact.Elden Ring Nightreignoffers a return to the world ofElden Ring, but in a shrunken and distorted state that now includes some bosses from the developer’sDark Soulstrilogy as well. What’s going on isn’t clear yet, but more narrative details should come to light in the full release.
For those not as interested in the story,Elden Ring Nightreignfocuses on being a Souls roguelike first and foremost, and in doing so it has built a surprisingly distinct experience out of old parts. Players, alone or in teams of three, have a limited time to explore a large map, scrounging for resources and defeating enemies. After some time,one ofElden Ring Nightreign’s bosseswill engage the heroes in an arena, followed by the full process repeating, and then the players being whisked away to fight a Nightlord. It’s a solid framework, but one popular fan request threatens to throwNightreignoff balance.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s Multiplayer Suite Isn’t Ideal Yet
Two-Player Co-op Is Highly Requested For Elden Ring Nightreign
Right from the reveal ofElden Ring Nightreign, a contingent ofElden Ringfans began voicing their concerns over how this title would handle its co-op.Elden Ringalready has some issues with how its online multiplayer is set up, ranging from PvP invasions not being automatically enabled like in past FromSoftware titles, to co-op removing horseback riding and erecting walls in the open world. AsNightreignis influenced by mods like Seamless Co-op, it has taken some steps to improve its multiplayer experience, but ended up losing a feature taken for granted in the process.
Invasions are obviously gone inNightreign, since that’s not the point of a co-op roguelike, but so is therest of the flexibility present inElden Ring’s multiplayer.Elden Ring Nightreignis run solo or in trios, with duos only occurring incidentally due to disconnects. The game’s health, loot, and enemy formations are all balanced for the first two states, with the third being a severe, unintended modifier to an ongoing playthrough. A dual queue system where two partnered players matchmake with a random third is available, butElden Ring Nightreignjust isn’t designed to be played in pairs.
Elden Ring Nightreign Could Support Duos, But It’s Risky
That hasn’t stopped players from asking for it, however, and FromSoftware has taken notice.Nightreigndirector Junya Ishizaki, in a media roundtable interview with UnGeek, stated that implementing runs with just two players is something FromSoftware is considering, but isn’t currently in the game. While that’s nice to hear, this isn’t a guarantee of two-player co-op atNightreign’s launch or later on, as rebalancing the game for a third style of play may not be feasible. It’s already unclear how solo play will affectElden Ring Nightreign’s group-oriented boss fights, so a full two-player balance adjustment could eclipseNightreign’s scope.
Adding Two-Player Sessions Could Be Worth Elden Ring Nightreign’s Trouble
Still, another option for how to playNightreignwould have its benefits, even with so much uncertainty around. Duos were demanded in popular games likeFortniteandApex: Legends, as many players simply prefer playing with one friend at a time.Elden Ring Nightreign’s enemy scalingcould also quickly shift into duos mode if one member of a trio drops out, like how it seemingly already does if a trio is reduced to one player. It isn’t clear ifElden Ring Nightreignwill be able to support a dedicated two-player co-op mode, but even a basic shot at one could make the game more inviting.
