Summary
FromSoftware’s latest title,Elden Ring Nightreign, is finally here, and for better or worse, it introduces one of the developer’s most ambitious design philosophies to date. Rather than being one of the slower-paced single-player challengingaction RPGsthe developer is known for,Elden Ring Nightreignembraces a cooperative structure that sees players teaming up against the clock to defeat various Night Lords in its alternate version of the Lands Between. While it has been designed for cooperative play, however, it is still possible for players to enjoy the game solo — sort of.
In its current state,Elden Ring Nightreign’s solo experience is severely unbalanced, to the point that it’s simply not recommended that players attempt it. Nevertheless, it exists, and should players choose to take that route, there’s one feature thatElden Ring Nightreignskipped out on that would have finally made sense in the Soulslike genre: pausing the game.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s Solo Mode Is the One Time a Pause Option Could Have Worked
Why Pausing Never Made Sense in Soulslikes
FromSoftware gameshave always made tension a feature rather than a design oversight, and one of the most iconic ways it accomplishes this is by refusing to let players pause their game. In games likeDark Souls,Bloodborne, andElden Ring, time keeps ticking away, regardless of whether players are adjusting their loadout at a Bonfire or Site of Grace, checking their map, or just stopping to catch their breath. Essentially, it comes from a desire to keep players immersed within these worlds and constantly vulnerable to the dangers around them. No matter where they’re at or what they’re doing, they’re never safe.
FromSoftware games have always made tension a feature rather than a design oversight, and one of the most iconic ways it accomplishes this is by refusing to let players pause their game.
It also makes sense from a mechanical standpoint. MostSoulslike gamesare single-player experiences with light multiplayer elements that are largely optional, and even though other players may invade another player’s game, they’re not part of a real-time party system like traditional co-op games. Even so, these games are designed to ensure players rely on environmental awareness and rest stops like Bonfires or Sites of Grace if they need a break. Rather than pausing the game at any moment, players are required to retreat to these places first, and that’s what makes Soulslikes feel so intense.
Why Pausing in Nightreign’s Solo Mode Would Be Different
The iconic no-pause rule has become such a foundational element in the Soulslike genre that it would normally feel wrong to exclude it. However,Elden Ring Nightreign’s solo experiencemakes a strong case for it to allow players the opportunity to pause their game at any moment. During a multiplayer expedition inElden Ring Nightreign, it makes sense that players can’t pause the game since they’re connected to other people online. Solo expeditions in the game can be played entirely offline, though, and that’s only part of the reason why a pause mechanic would make sense.
Everything inElden Ring Nightreignis subject to the clock. Whereas traditional Soulslikes are all about deliberation, thoughtfulness, and patience,Elden Ring Nightreignis all about encouraging players to keep moving, on account of the shrinking ring of death that can kill them if they remain outside the safe zone for too long. Again, it makes sense that players wouldn’t be able to pause their game during a multiplayer session, butsolo players inElden Ring Nightreignaren’t bound by their partners. As such, given the fight against time and no opportunity to step away during solo play, a pausing mechanic would finally make sense.
Of course, this is likely to stir up some contention in the Soulslike community, who generally value their traditions above innovation. Nevertheless, many players who have joined that community sinceElden Ring’s accessibilityopened the Soulslike gate of entry just a bit more have been requesting a pause mechanic for some time, and nowElden Ring Nightreign’s gameplay makes a strong case for its inclusion. However, the chances of it ever being implemented are likely very slim, though FromSoftware is presumably already on the road to ensuringElden Ring Nightreignbecomes a better experience than it is currently.
