We recently had the opportunity to dive into ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN, a multiplayer spin-off of FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed action RPG ELDEN RING. Over the course of a 5-hour preview session spanning nine playthroughs, we explored this unique co-op experience that reimagines the world of the Lands Between through a new lens. ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is set to launch on May 30, 2025 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Core Gameplay Loop and Combat

NIGHTREIGN follows a distinctive day-night cycle that structures its gameplay. While the preview version featured two fixed spawn points that determined subsequent boss encounters, the producer has confirmed that the final release will implement random spawn points and boss appearances. Each day follows a predictable pattern: players begin by flying to their destination, landing to farm resources and explore, before confronting the Night’s Tide zone centered around the Erdtree. This culminates in a pre-boss encounter against a large mob, followed by the Nightlord boss battle, after which the cycle begins anew.

The combat system maintains ELDEN RING’s fundamental mechanics while introducing cooperative elements. When teammates lose all their HP, they can be revived by allies using 3-4 basic attacks, though the number of required attacks increases with repeated knockdowns. Spell attacks provide an alternative method for resurrection. A notable departure from the base game is the complete removal of fall damage, complemented by new double-jump and wall-jump abilities that significantly enhance mobility and exploration options.

The preview also showcased four unique characters, each bringing distinct gameplay styles and strategic options to the team:

Wlyder, the Warrior, serves as a balanced fighter with both offensive and defensive capabilities. Their active skill allows them to pull enemies close using a claw, while their passive ability enables them to survive one fatal hit. Their ultimate ability unleashes explosive arrows from a wrist-mounted crossbow.

The Guardian excels in defensive play, focusing on crowd control and damage mitigation. They can generate wind blasts to repel lighter enemies and perfect blocks that negate all damage at the cost of stamina. Their ultimate ability delivers a powerful aerial dive-bomb attack.

The Duchess embodies the assassin archetype, trading durability for mobility and burst damage. Her active skill doubles damage dealt to targets, while her passive ability grants an extra dodge for enhanced evasion. Her ultimate provides team-wide invisibility to nearby allies.

The Recluse takes on the mage role, specializing in elemental combat. They can absorb energy from fallen enemies to charge spells and recover FP through specific elemental kills. Their ultimate marks enemies, allowing the entire team to recover HP and FP through attacks on marked targets.

Progression and Equipment Systems

NIGHTREIGN streamlines character progression compared to its predecessor, implementing preset stat increases upon leveling rather than manual allocation. Runes remain the primary currency for leveling, with costs increasing at higher levels. The inventory system has been simplified to three weapon slots per hand, two talisman slots, and four consumable slots that can stack up to two items each.

Weapons feature a new system of passive skills and randomized stats, with requirements based solely on character level rather than individual stats. This change allows all eight characters to equip any weapon type without weight restrictions. Notably, passive effects from all equipped weapons remain active regardless of which weapon is currently in use.

Weapon upgrading is handled through smithing stones at merchant-adjacent anvils, with higher-tier weapons requiring somber smithing stones. These upgrade materials can be purchased from merchants or found through various activities in the world.

The game introduces a unique post-session reward system centered around relics and Marks. Relics, which come in four colors (red, blue, yellow, green) and three rarities, permanently enhance character abilities. Each relic carries 1-3 random traits, and characters have specific relic slot combinations. Players can share relics between characters, enabling strategic build planning across multiple sessions.

World Exploration and Map Design

The preview map draws heavy inspiration from Limgrave, featuring a square-shaped layout filled with grasslands and forests. The world retains familiar landmarks while introducing new mechanics for traversal and progression. Sites of Grace maintain their role as healing and leveling points, while Evergaols now feature a streamlined boss summoning system using Stonesword Keys.

Churches serve a modified purpose, granting Golden Seed-like upgrades to increase flask capacity from a base of three to a maximum of six. Notably, the game removes Cerulean Tears entirely, eliminating FP flasks from the equation. The world is dotted with various buff locations, each offering unique advantages:

• Red Flower Clusters provide full HP restoration
• Blue Trees completely restore FP
• Golden Trees temporarily boost rune acquisition
• Gravestones grant Ancient Death Rancor spells

A new flying system revolutionizes world traversal through the introduction of hawks, which can be summoned at icy-blue dead trees near cliffs. While these hawks follow preset routes marked on the map, players can choose to dismount at any time, enabling efficient farming routes. The addition of purple Spirit Springs near steep cliffs facilitates vertical exploration, allowing instant ascension when needed.

Boss Encounters and Combat Challenges

The game features a robust variety of boss encounters, ranging from scheduled Nightlord battles to random world encounters. Notable Nightlords include the Centipede Demon, Fell Omen, and challenging multi-boss fights like the Dragon-Armored Tree Sentinel accompanied by Royal Knights, and the Demi-Human Queen paired with a Swordmaster.

The world is populated with formidable regular bosses including Dragons, Crystalians, Crucible Knights, Godskin Nobles, Elder Lions, Guardian Golems, Mad Pumpkin Heads, and Leonine Misbegottens. These encounters provide valuable opportunities for rune farming and equipment acquisition, particularly during daytime exploration.

Random boss events add an extra layer of challenge and excitement. In our nine playthroughs, we encountered the Fell Omen twice, announced by a voice prompt and marked by a red indicator targeting one team member. Additionally, these encounters demand immediate attention, as the targeted player cannot escape the relentless pursuit of the boss. However, successful completion rewards the team with powerful buffs and substantial rune rewards.

Impressions

After experiencing different playthroughs across the preview session, ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN demonstrates impressive potential in translating the series’ renowned combat and atmosphere into a compelling cooperative experience. The game successfully balances accessibility through streamlined systems while maintaining the challenging nature fans expect from the franchise.

The multiplayer focus adds a new dimension to the traditional formula, encouraging diverse role selection and strategic teamwork. Whether playing as a tank, damage dealer, or support character, each role feels vital to the team’s success. In addition, the satisfaction of coordinating with teammates to overcome powerful bosses creates a unique and rewarding experience that solo play cannot replicate.

Boss design stands out particularly well, with encounters requiring tight coordination and adaptability as patterns shift and minions enter the fray. With the promise of randomized elements in the final release, including spawn points and boss encounters, each playthrough should offer even more variety than what we experienced in the preview build. Whether you’re a veteran of the series or a newcomer to the franchise, ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN appears poised to deliver an engaging and fresh take on the established formula.