Yesterday, as I was doing a bit of research into Nightreign (no longer remember why), I came across a post in Reddit that was pretty vitriolic against the game and FromSoft. I’m not surprised at the negativity because the game is very much un-From-like. It’s multiplayer, set in the Lands Between, and a roguelike/lite. There were a lot of skepticalreactions when the game dropped. Andy Cortez from Kinda Funny Games (I included the video below) encapsulated how I felt when I first watched the trailer. He thought it looked like a mod, and he was highly doubtful that it was going to be any good.
Then, he got his hands on it, and he completely changed his mind. He had a blast playing it, and he basically said he should have trusted FromSoft.
He wasn’t the only one, though. Many people thought it was just a cash grab or a way to make bank on FromSoft’s most lucrative game of all time. I mean, it’s still possible, but at least the way Miyazaki described it, there was a dev on the team who had a vision for this, and Miyazaki said to go ahead and do it.
It’s a stand-alone game and will cost forty bucks. It’s a fast-paced roguelike multiplayer co-op (one player or three) in which there is a circle that closes in on you. Each run is three days and one big night boss at the end.
Anyway.
The post I saw was someone saying, “Not cross-plat and only single or three-player co-op? I’m out.” I thought this was reasonable. No idea why it’s single-player or three-player, but not two-player. And not being cross-plat in 2025 is inexcusable. It really is. So, yeah. I understand why the original poster was out.
I also understood why people agreed with them and said they were out, too. But, then, a few people declared that FromSoft was The Worst and was on their way to being a completely soulless, greedy corporation who didn’t care one whit for their customers. They threw in terms like asset filp (which, to be fair, yes, the game is set in the world of Elden Ring) and greedy.
On the other hand, there were people who cited all the great games FromSoft has developed in the last decade–and nothing else. I get what they’re trying to say, that because of their track record, From gets the benefit of the doubt for Nightreign (and, presumably, The Duskbloods).
I’m somewhere in the middle. I am a big FromSoft fan, but I have been painfully aware the whole time I’ve played their games that I will hit the ceiling at some point. I feel like I’m here on sufferance and the games are not made for me.
Related, games suck for the most part with accessibility issues. From is not good in this aspect. I’m not even talking about how hard the bosses are or parrying–though, that is an issue for me. Just in general, they do what they do and fuck the haters.
Normally, I approve of that. I like that they make the games the way they want, regardless of what people say. However, when it comes to accessibility, it would be nice if they listened a little bit to what other people say. It’s interesting because some soulslikes are trying to find ways to make the games more casual player-friendly. Rings that do things like aim assist, letting people take less damage/dish out more damage, and simplifying boss patterns are three ways I’ve seen/read about it being done.
And, to be fair to From, they have included things to make combat easier in Elden Ring (if you want it to be). Things like the guard counter instead of parrying, the different Ashes of War and Spirit Ashes, and the ever-popular overleveling the shit out of your character.
Multiplayer has never been one of their strong points (or interests, it seems), so it’s curious that this is what they decided to do as a game. And the next one. And this is where my faith in them falters. Not because of them, per se. I mean, I’m watching some gameplay form the beta for Nightreign, and it looks solid. My faith in myself is faltering, though.
The game is so fast and furious, and I don’t see myself being able to keep up. I have heard over and over again that there is no time to think. The pace is frenetic, and it seems like a deliberate choice to keep the pressure on.
Miyazaki said that the team hasn’t turned away from the single player action adventure game, but I’m not sure if I completely believe them. I mean, I’m sure they’ll do more of those games in the future, but I can see how it’d be tempting to go for what will make you the money.
Do I think FromSoft is that kind of company? No. But do I think that they could slide into being that kind of company? Maybe. Because this is not the kind of thing that happens all at once. Usually. It’s not like a company knowingly decides to be evil or bad or strictly about the money. But, I do wonder with this game and The Duskbloods being back to back where FromSoft’s mind is at.
People think it’s a foregone conclusion that there will be an Elden Ring sequel because of how popular the first game was and how much money it made. That would be the safe bet because why would From just leave all that money on the table? The only question is will it be their next game or will they wait a bit?
Here’s the thing. Miyazaki hates sequels. It’s pretty well-theorized that the second Souls game only happened because Bamco decreed it so. Same with the third game. And my guess is that with the third game, Miyazaki put his foot down and said it would be the last one.
And, yes, Armored Core VI FIRES OF RUBICON is a sequel, but Miyazaki was not involved with any of the earlier ones. In fact, during Miyazaki’s reign (see what I did there?), the games have been: Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Dark Souls II, Bloodborne, Dark Souls III, Sekiro, Deracine (do not ask about it), Elden Ring, and Armored Core FIRES OF RUBICON.
While most of their games have the Souls DNA deep inside them, that manifests in different ways in each game.
Here’s the thing. I think it’s fair to be skeptical of how well this comes together in Nightreign. This is something they have never done before. I’ll write more about this tomorrow.