FromSoftware has spent the last decade and a half producing some of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time. FromDark SoulstoBloodbornetoSekiro, FromSoftware has proven itself time and time again, and review scores have often reflected that high level of quality.Elden Ringand itsShadow of the Erdtree expansionwere no exception, but the recently releasedElden Ring Nightreignhas been something of a pattern-breaker.
Currently,Elden Ring Nightreignis the lowest-rated FromSoftware ‘Soulsborne’ game on Metacritic, with it sitting at a 77 critic score. That’s 19 points lower thanElden Ring, and three points lower thanDark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin. 77 is far from a bad score, but it’s a steep decline from the heights of FromSoftware’s past titles. Much ofNightreign’s criticism comes from its experimental approach that’s flipped a few staple FromSoft features on their head. For instance,Elden Ring Nightreign’s solo mode is a bit of a nightmare in its current state. But after its first round of patches, there’s hope yet forNightreign’s solo mode.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s First Patches Are a Good Start
All ofElden Ring Nightreign’s marketingmade it abundantly clear that it was going to be a multiplayer co-op game first and foremost. That said,Nightreignincluded a dedicated solo mode at launch, and it’s only natural that fans would want that mode to be at least playable. Unfortunately, what fans got on day one was an unbalanced mess of a mode that verges on impossible for anyone who doesn’t have elite-levelElden Ringskills.
It’s clear thatElden Ring Nightreign’s solo mode was an afterthought, but its presence in the game opens it up to scrutiny and constructive criticism. Thankfully, it seems as though FromSoftware is already trying to right the ship. Released on June 2, just three days after launch,Elden Ring Nightreignpatch 1.01.1brought two welcome changes to the game’s solo mode.
The first change was the addition of the “Automatic Revival Upon Defeat” mechanic toElden Ring Nightreign’s solo mode. This mechanic essentially does what it says on the tin, granting solo players the ability to revive themselves once per Night Boss battle. The second change was that the amount of Runes gained by solo players was increased across the board. These changes allow solo players to stay in the fight for longer, and upgrade their arsenal more effectively, both very welcome improvements.
What Elden Ring Nightreign Still Needs to do to Fix its Solo Experience
But while patch 1.01.1 significantly improvedElden Ring Nightreign’s solo experience, it should be just the first in a long line of updates dedicated to improving the mode. One of the biggest weaknesses ofNightreign’s solo experience in its current state is its enemy encounters. The vast majority ofNightreign’s skirmishes are designed to be tackled by three players simultaneously. As a solo player, these encounters will frequently have an overwhelming number of enemy attackers, or have one hulking enemy that requires a team to balance aggro between them.
There’s another core issue that comes as a result of these exceptionally difficult enemy encounters. The longer the player needs to take down a group of enemies or a particularly tricky boss, the more time they’ve wasted, and the less opportunities they have to gain new upgrades for the run. FutureElden Ring Nightreignupdates should address these fundamental issues with the game’s solo mode.
