With the network test forElden Ring Nightreignin early 2025, excitement for FromSoftware’s newest game is rising. It’s not as high as it would be for a typical new Soulslike, but the combination ofElden Ring Nightreignbeing a major experiment for the Japanese developer and a counterpart to the massively successfulElden Ringcommands respect regardless.Elden Ringand itsShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion were the best-selling titles FromSoftware has ever made, so for as many fans asNightreignrisks alienating, it could also surprise and delight even more.
Setting itself far apart from the single-player-oriented Soulslikes that defined FromSoftware’s last decade,Elden Ring Nightreignis a multiplayer-focused roguelikethat sees individuals or trios explore the parallel world of Limveld. After building strength across three harrowing days, players will have to confront the Night Lord they set out to defeat at the beginning of their run. There are only supposed to be eight Night Lords, but chances are that it’s going to take players a lot more than eight runs to clearNightreign, especially when it treads out the latest incarnation of a classic FromSoftware biome.
Poison Swamps Are Inevitable In Elden Ring Nightreign
There is no doubt in any Soulslike player’s mind thatElden Ring Nightreignwill have at least one poison swamp. Even though Limveld is technically a distinct place from the usual Lands Between, it takes attributes frommany ofElden Ring’s regionsand mixes them all together. That means players could conceivably end up with swamps from Limgrave, Liurnia, Caelid, and beyond all in one run, and chances are good that at least the third representative is poisonous. HowNightreign’s map generation works may not be clear yet, but the staple FromSoftware poison swamp should be a common sight once more.
FromSoftware Can’t Get Enough Of Poison-Based Spaces
Poison swamps and their equivalents have been mainstays of FromSoftware’s game design since its earliest days. MultipleKing’s Fieldgames, and even someArmored Coretitles, had areas where damage was simply unavoidable and the player’s life was constantly ticking down.FromSoftware’s action RPGs kept the tradition aliveover the years, and while some, likeShadow Tower: Abyss, began to incorporate tricks to reduce their deadliness, they remained a thorn in players’ side.Elden Ring’s introduction of multiple giant Scarlet Rot swamps may have pushed the idea to its limit, butElden Ring Nightreigncould keep its image while changing its identity.
How Elden Ring Nightreign Can Redeem Poison Swamps
Constant damage and slowed movement are aggravating constants in Soulslike poison swamps, butElden Ring Nightreignhas reason to finally change that. Each third of a complete run up to one ofNightreign’s mysterious Night Lordsis marked by a deadly circle closing in on a boss fight’s location, but players are encouraged to explore and gather as many resources as they can before then. Considering thatNightreignalready boasts considerably higher mobility than the regularElden Ring, toxic sludge’s usual clingy nature may be downplayed to encourage diving deeper into a swamp mid-run. However, the biggest changes should concern the poison itself.
One way to makeNightreign’s poison swamps more engaging is to make poison something that players can siphon or clean off of each other. A solo run would end up with a more straightforward heightened resistance to environmental status effects, but as a trio, players would need to work together to avoid losing as much health as they can.Playing off ofNightreign’s time-sensitive nature, a place fashioned like the Lake of Rot would require two players to run around raising platforms and keeping each other healthy, while the third player engages in platforming up above. Despite their reputation, poison swamps could end up being highlights inElden Ring Nightreign, just as long as FromSoftware handles them right.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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“ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!”
