Summary
WithElden Ring Nightreignmaking so many callbacks to previous FromSoftware games, it can be quite fun trying to find all the references. FromSekiro’s deflection and traversal, to actualDark Soulsarmor inNightreign, there is a lot lifted from past titles, and none of that is a bad thing, but there is one big elephant in the room that is conspicuously absent from the game.
There are plenty of opportunities for FromSoftware to expandElden Ring Nightreignwith DLC, but there is room for so much more too. New enemies, returning characters, and new locations are all just the tip of the iceberg. With such a melting pot of ideas,Nightreignwould do well to lean more into the studio’s history withBloodborne.
The Lack of Guns Is Elden Ring Nightreign’s Biggest Missing Link With Bloodborne
Even ten years later,Bloodbornehas left a lasting legacy on FromSoftware, one that fans wish the studio would return to. It’s easy to see why; its pace was fast, boasting arguably the best combat in the series, with some of the most intriguing and esoteric themes to boot. It tapped into a Lovecraftian fascination that many players feel fits right at home with FromSoftware’s storytelling style, yet somehow, aBloodborne 2has never happened.
While FromSoftware doesn’t have the licence toBloodborne, it hasn’t stopped them from making homages, andNightreign’s Duchess is full ofBloodbornecallbacks. But one thing mysteriously absent fromNightreignare guns, an absolute staple ofBloodborne. Partly, this could be because the weapon type does not exist inElden Ring, and as a game largely consisting of reusedElden Ringassets, it makes sense they’d be absent. But as more aspects of pastDark Soulsgames have made a return, it feels like they might not be off the table.
Guns Could Fit Seamlessly Into Nightreign if Handled Properly
Nightreign’s Ironeye Nightfarerhas proven that FromSoftware can break its long-standing tradition of making bow builds feel bad. Ironically, Ironeye might be the most overpowered class, as ranged weapons can trivialize the Soulslike formula in many cases. While any Nightfarer can equip a bow, they are most effective in Ironeye’s hands, meaning they aren’t the best choice for every class.
To differentiate them, guns wouldn’t necessarily need to work in this way. Guns could come in the form of pick-ups, or even be exclusive to a particular Nightfarer, in the same way as the Revenant’s starting weapon. Previously, guns were a parry tool, but by leveling Bloodtinge,gun builds could be viable inBloodborne.Nightreigncould adopt a similar philosophy, having them act more like off-hand tools similar to catalysts. After all, spells can be incredibly strong inNightreign, so it’s unlikely that guns would need to upset the meta.
Nightreign’s Guns Wouldn’t Need to Be a Repeat of Bloodborne
Relying too much on repeated mechanics can get a little tiresome, so it would be understandable if guns made it intoNightreignin a slightly altered form. A Nightfarer with a hunting rifle, for example, could offer a nice twist on the formula, perhaps acting as something of a sniper who has to stand still to take the most accurate shots. Or, a mobile, close-range gunslinger could bring more danger to the ranged playstyle, maintainingIroneye’s playstyle as the long range class. If the developers wanted to get really wild with guns, then a blunderbuss that fired scavenged items as ammunition would be a very creative approach, turning things like kukris into a terrifying shotgun shell.
