Have you heard of Elden Ring? It was kind of a big deal a few years ago and had some pretty good DLC, too, but it flew under the radar of most people. Except it didn’t. That’s a lie.
Everyone knows Elden Ring at this point – even more so than Dark Souls or Bloodborne. It’s a colossal pillar of the industry alongside giants like Skyrim and Breath of the Wild. FromSoftware is no stranger to success, with numerous beloved games, and even Sekiro winning Game of the Year before we even had the chance to see The Lands Between. But Elden Ring is different. It became… mainstream?
I’m not saying mainstream like one of the FromSoft gatekeepers; quite the opposite, please do come and enjoy these games, they’re great. Elden Ring just grew into something much bigger, winning awards for anticipation consecutively before its launch. So the fact that it’s now getting a spin-off should come as no surprise, right? Except it kind of is.
Nothing is Confusing About Nightreign, Though
Here’s the thing: big, successful games get spin-offs all the time. Final Fantasy Tactics, Pokemon Snap, Doctor Mario. I mean, just one look at the rest of Mario’s resume and you’ve got your ‘Top Ten Video Game Spin-Offs’ right there. So why is Elden Ring Nightreign such a big deal? Well… because Elden Ring is a big deal.
Elden Ring Nightreign is a separate game, working from a loose alternate timeline, and is a three-player co-op action roguelike. It’s also not handled by Hidetaka Miyazaki, which is fine because neither was Dark Souls 2, and that’s actually not a bad game. That’s the end of this sentence; let’s move on.
But I really don’t know how to feel about it yet. I’ve seen plenty of it, I chatted with Video Producer Cristian Macias after he played a few hours of it, and I know that I’m going to enjoy it. But it still feels like something I just don’t know how to feel about.
I didn’t play any of the betas or playtests, so I’ve had zero hands-on time with the game myself.
I’m a huge fan of the Souls games and the whole genre at this point, with games like Hollow Knight and Lies of P topping my picks. I also love a wide range of roguelikes like Risk of Rain, Slay the Spire, and Hades, but I’ve never once thought about these things mixed, and though it’s not the first time a studio has tried it, this is FromSoftware. This is Elden Ring. So why am I not as thrilled as I should be?
It’s Just Kind Of… Underwhelming?
What’s my point with all this? I don’t know, that’s the problem. That’s the conflict. I just don’t feel excited for this game, which is a mix of genres I love, from a studio I love, in a world I love, and is pretty much already proven to be great. I have no doubt that Elden Ring will once again be one of the biggest points of conversation when it comes to The Game Awards, but I have no idea where I’ll stand on that conversation yet. I will like it, I have no doubt about that, but maybe this thing that combines the things I love is just not for me? Or maybe it will be.
Action RPG
Soulslike
Roguelite