Elden Ring: Nightreign A Roguelike Not “Chasing A Trend” Says FromSoftware

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Summary

  • Elden Ring: Nightreign introduces roguelike elements & co-op multiplayer battles to the franchise.
  • The game will allow gamers to play solo or in a trio, but not as a duo.
  • Nightreign is set for release in 2025, and it’s not a live service title.

If you haven’t heard, Elden Ring: Nightreign isn’t simply departing from the Elden Ring series by focusing on multiplayer (players can go solo or in groups of three instead of two), but it’s also introducing roguelike gameplay mechanics to the franchise.

Contrary to what some may think, it’s not about FromSoftware jumping on the bandwagon of the currently fashionable roguelike genre; rather, this is a unique approach from them.

FromSoftware Isn’t Against Doing What Other Companies Are Doing, But That’s Not The Case With Nightreign

During an interview with PC Gamer magazine (as reported by Games Radar), Elden Ring: Nightreign’s game director, Junya Ishizaki, shared that the team aimed for the entire gaming experience to be cohesive and climactic, but in a more condensed or focused manner as it leads up to a boss battle.

In his own words, Ishizaki explains why they introduced fresh mechanics and features for an experience different from Elden Ring or past titles: “We believed it required something novel to achieve a sense of accomplishment you wouldn’t typically get in those games. We don’t shy away from innovation; we don’t follow the lead of others or chase trends. Instead, we saw these new elements as compelling additions to our multiplayer-centric, session-based gameplay.

If you’re not aware, roguelikes contrast significantly from soulslikes. Games classified as roguelikes emphasize procedural generation, meaning levels are randomly created, and they incorporate permadeath, where your character dies permanently if defeated. These games also focus on exploration within unpredictable settings. Examples of roguelike games include Hades, Spelunky, and Dead Cells.

In essence, “soulslike” games are those that emulate the style of FromSoftware’s Souls series (Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls). These games often prioritize challenging gameplay, intricate combat mechanics, and a system where, when your character perishes, you can frequently reclaim the lost experience points either by returning to where your character died or by vanquishing the foe that delivered the fatal blow.

It’s great news for Elden Ring: Nightreign fans that they won’t have a lengthy wait to experience the game’s roguelike elements, as the initial playtesting is scheduled to start on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

Unlike Nightreign, which draws inspiration from roguelike games, FromSoftware clarified that it won’t be a live-service game. This news seems to bring a sense of relief among many players, myself included.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is set to be released sometime in 2025 on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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2025-02-03 03:08