Summary
It doesn’t take much for a Soulslike vet, and even casual fans, to know thatElden Ring Nightreignis as unconventional as they come, with a fresh, experimental take on a formula that has been tried, tested, and arguably perfected. Rather than putting players in a daunting world filled with dangers around every corner where they are the most insignificant being there,Elden Ring Nightreignis designed to put players in groups that work together to tackle dangerous Nightlords in its alternate version of the Lands Between. With roguelike mechanics and an encroaching ring of death constantly in play to keep them on their toes,Elden Ring Nightreignthen becomes a one-of-a-kind Soulslike experience no one has had before.
These trades aren’t all good, though, asElden Ring Nightreign’s divisivenesshas proven. FromSoftware’s latest title is indeed an experiment realized, as it unabashedly lets go of some of the most defining elements of the Soulslike subgenre. One of those sacrifices is mood and atmosphere, whichElden Ring NIghtreignsimply cannot afford to have alongside its unique gameplay mechanics. On the gameplay side, then, the trade-off makes sense. On the Soulsborne side, however, it feels like a big loss.
Elden Ring Nightreign Foregoes Atmosphere for Gameplay
Elden Ring’s Atmosphere Was Half the Experience
One of the best things aboutElden Ring, and any true Soulslike for that matter, is theatmosphere these games create.Elden Ring, in particular, has a mood about it that really makes the whole experience. There’s an uneasy stillness, a sense of forgotten tragedy, and a creeping dread of something ancient watching in the Soulslike genre that almost no other genre can imitate.Elden Ringtook those principles and gave it room to breathe in a massive and rewarding open world, where foggy cliffs, broken cathedrals, and whispering winds told stories long before a single enemy appeared.
Elden Ring’s atmosphereisn’t just dressing on the salad, but an essential part of its gameplay loop. Sites of Grace, for example, don’t just serve as checkpoints, but instead feel like sanctuaries after wandering through the daunting and demanding world. Even optional areas like Siofra River or the Haligtree have a mood that defines the player’s experience. That consistent undertone is ultimately what gives every encounter context, making large enemies feel even larger, and desolate environments feel even lonelier.
Elden Ring Nightreign Builds Panic Through Pressure, Not Presence
Unfortunately, almost all of this is lost inElden Ring Nightreign, thanks to its mechanics. To put it simply,Elden Ring Nightreignjust doesn’t have time for atmosphere. Each day during a session has players constantly pushed forward by an unstoppable ring of death closing in on them. As remaining outside the circle causes the player’s HP to continuously drain, the only choice is to keep moving. In that case, there is a sense ofdanger inElden Ring Nightreign, but it’s not created by the game’s atmosphere. Instead, it’s the mechanics that foster that.
To put it simply,Elden Ring Nightreignjust doesn’t have time for atmosphere.
Of course, this is the kind of game thatElden Ring Nightreignwants to be, whether that is evidenced by itsroguelike, multiplayerstructure or its spin-off label. Looking at it from that perspective, it works just fine. Nevertheless, bearing the name “Elden Ring” and the subgenre “Soulslike” arguably demands that there be some semblance of atmosphere to be found in its world. The only problem is that, even ifElden Ring Nightreigndid have that classicElden Ringor Soulslike mood to it, there simply wouldn’t be enough time to notice it.
