Elden Ring: Night Reign Review (PS5, Xbox Series X|S & PC)

When Elden Ring: Night Reign launched, it caught many players off guard. After the massive success of Elden Ring and its acclaimed DLC, FromSoftware had publicly stated there would be no further expansions or sequels. So the announcement of Night Reign, a spin-off that departs significantly from the original formula, came as a surprise. Instead of the sprawling open world and deep single-player narrative fans had come to love, Night Reign offers a multiplayer-centric experience. It’s focused on fast-paced, three-player cooperative runs, timed expeditions, and intense boss battles.

This shift marks a bold experiment for FromSoftware, moving the focus away from exploration and story to streamlined, team-based action. The question many have is: Does this new direction capture the magic of the original, or does it fall short? After extensive playtime and careful analysis, here is a detailed review of what Night Reign brings to the table.

What is Night Reign?

First things first: Night Reign is not Elden Ring 2. Elden Ring: Night Reign is a multiplayer-focused spin-off of the acclaimed action RPG Elden Ring. Unlike the original game’s vast, open-world exploration and single-player epic story, Night Reign offers a fast-paced, three-player cooperative experience centered around timed expeditions.

In Night Reign, players pick one of eight preset classes called Nightfares. The game drops you into a large but more confined map to explore, fight enemies, gather loot, and prepare for boss battles. Each run is split into three “days”. Two days of exploring and clearing enemies within a shrinking play zone. It’s similar to a battle royale’s closing circle, followed by a final showdown against a powerful boss on day three.

The game is designed around teamwork, fast combat, and repeated runs. The progress builds as you unlock relics and upgrades that aid you in future expeditions. It’s a distilled, multiplayer take on the Souls formula, combining intense combat with strategy and quick decision-making. Unlike Elden Ring, Night Reign doesn’t focus on an expansive story or deep character customization. Instead, it emphasizes quick, repeatable runs, cooperative play, and battling challenging bosses together. 

Co-Op Fun

Playing Night Reign with friends is where the game really shines. The basic combat is the classic, rewarding Souls formula, but faster and more focused. Each Nightfare class has unique abilities that recharge quickly, making combat feel fresh and dynamic.

Some skills stand out as genuinely fun and powerful. The Wilder’s grappling hook, for example, is super satisfying for quick movement and taking down weaker enemies. The Guardian’s ultimate ability to revive teammates can save your run. The Duchess’s rewind skill literally reverses the damage an enemy took, letting you double your damage output when timed right, like cheating, but in the best way.

The classes cover a diverse range of playstyles, including strength fighters, mages, archers, and hybrid types. This variety keeps runs interesting, and experimenting with different Nightfares is a rewarding experience. The boss fights are another highlight. You’ll see familiar faces from Elden Ring and other FromSoftware games. That includes the Centipede Demon from Dark Souls or the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3, now adapted for multiplayer with new moves and tactics. It’s a real nostalgia hit, seeing these epic battles reimagined.

Nightfares?

The Nightfares are the eight predetermined playable characters in Elden Ring: Night Reign, unlike the original Elden Ring, where players create and customise their own Tarnished. Now, here you choose from these distinct heroes, each with their own unique abilities, playstyles, and backstories. Each Nightfare represents a different combat archetype. They range from heavy-hitting warriors and agile fighters to powerful mages and skilled archers. Additionally, they come with their own starter weapons, class-specific skills, and unique stats that define how you approach combat and teamwork.

But the Nightfares aren’t just game classes; they also have personal stories. Through “remembrances”, short quest lines tied to each character, players learn about their history, motivations, and place within the Elden Ring universe. These stories add depth and personality, making each Nightfare feel like a fully realized character rather than just a class build.

Mastering your chosen Nightfare’s skills and understanding their strengths and weaknesses is crucial for success. Teamwork and how well each player’s abilities complement one another play a major role in Night Reign’s cooperative runs. In short, the Nightfares are your avatars in the game’s world. It’s simply a diverse group of heroes with distinct combat styles and stories that shape your experience in this multiplayer Elden Ring adventure.

Repetition and Balance

That said, Night Reign struggles with some big issues that hold it back. The map itself barely changes. It’s always the same castle area with a few minor random events that shift parts of the terrain, but overall it’s a static, repetitive environment. After a few runs, you realize the best way to win is to rush straight to certain bosses and shrines, ignoring everything else. This “speedrun” approach strips out any real exploration or wonder, something Elden Ring was famous for.

On the other hand, the game’s difficulty feels brutal and unforgiving. The Night Lords, the game’s final bosses, are insanely hard, probably the toughest fights you’ll find in any Souls game. One mistake can wipe out your whole team and waste 40 minutes of gameplay. Since runs don’t save progress until the end, you’re often stuck replaying the same 40-minute loop over and over.

Now, this is fine if you love grinding and optimization. However, it can get frustrating fast, especially if teammates drop out or you get unlucky with weapon drops. The game punishes dropouts by making the run harder, which means if one player quits, the others are left struggling. Solo play is possible, but clearly not the focus. Many boss attacks are designed for groups and feel downright unfair when you’re alone.

The Loop

Elden Ring: Night Reign offers solid replay value, especially for players who enjoy cooperative multiplayer and fast-paced action. The core loop, dropping into timed expeditions, fighting through waves of enemies, collecting loot, and taking down bosses, keeps players coming back for more. There are eight unique Nightfares to choose from, each with different abilities and playstyles. That means there’s plenty of room to experiment and find a character that suits your approach. 

The randomized loot and relic system adds unpredictability, making every run feel a bit different. You never know which weapons or bonuses you’ll pick up, which means adapting your strategy on the fly. Now, this randomness keeps the gameplay fresh and challenges you to think creatively with whatever gear you find.

Progression is simple but rewarding. As players complete runs, they earn relics and currency (Merc) that unlock permanent upgrades and cosmetics. These rewards give a sense of steady growth, even when runs end in defeat, motivating players to try again and improve.

However, the replay loop can feel repetitive because the map and objectives don’t change much from run to run. This limits long-term variety and exploration, making it less appealing to players who crave discovery. Still, for fans of tight, cooperative Souls-like combat, Night Reign offers enough depth and challenge to keep them engaged over many hours.

Familiar but Not Perfect

Undoubtedly, Night Reign resembles Elden Ring because it essentially utilises Elden Ring’s assets. The art direction remains excellent: the environments, enemy designs, and bosses all look great and feel right at home in this universe. The Night Lords, especially, are a visual and mechanical highlight.

Unfortunately, the graphics engine is showing its age. Even on modern consoles like the PS5 Pro, frame drops and stuttering can occur, especially during intense multiplayer boss fights. This hurts the smoothness and responsiveness you expect from a FromSoftware game.

The soundtrack continues the high-quality trend with some standout themes, particularly the melancholic music in the Round Table Hold. But voice acting doesn’t quite hit the mark. Some performances feel flat and less polished than in previous Souls titles. 

Surprisingly, FromSoftware has already begun supporting Night Reign with updates. The day-one patch, Patch 1.01, was released just before the game’s global launch. This important update addresses several key areas to improve the player experience. According to Bandai Namco, Patch 1.01 enhances the “handling” of playable characters, making their controls smoother and more responsive. It also includes balance adjustments to help fine-tune gameplay and make combat feel fairer and more engaging. 

Verdict

For fans who love intense teamwork and quick runs, this game delivers plenty of fun. The game shines when you play with friends. The unique Nightfares and their powerful skills make each run feel fresh and exciting. The boss fights, especially against the Night Lords, bring epic, challenging moments that are satisfying to overcome.

At $39.99, Night Reign is reasonably priced. It feels more like an expansion than a full new game, which fits its scope. For that price, it offers good value, especially if you enjoy cooperative Souls action. Overall, Night Reign is a solid addition for players craving challenging multiplayer combat. With future updates, it has the potential to grow into something even better. If you have friends to team up with and enjoy quick-paced, intense gameplay, Night Reign is worth checking out. Just go in knowing it’s a different experience, more focused on multiplayer action and less on exploration and story.