The worst part of Elden Ring Nightreign, like all multiplayer games, is that you need to rely on the kindness and intelligence of strangers

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Engrossed in the gritty battle between Mothma and his scorpion comrade against the last pair of my Nightreign trio from Elden Ring, I found myself sprawled out in the sand, contemplating the moments that led to this predicament under the star-filled night.

For the entire duration of our run, I took care of these two Ironeyes, showing them where to find Estus Flask charges, staying vigilant for approaching darkness, and repeatedly resuscitating them whenever they chose a battle with an unsuitable dragon. Despite this, I was content doing so—I simply wanted to aid my team in any capacity possible. Yet, my tolerance waned when, abandoned on the floor with mere seconds remaining, my teammates rained arrows upon Gnoster, Wisdom of Night.

1. Elden Ring Nightreign Guides – Kick off your journey effectively

2. Nightreign Rankings – Top-tier Nightfaeres

3. Ideal Nightreign Rune Farm Path – Speed up leveling

4. Optimal Nightreign Team Compositions – Aim for squad perfection

5. Premium Nightreign Relics – Essential items to wield

6. List of Nightreign Bosses – Conquer every Nightlord

7. Nightreign Quests – All character journeys

Initially learning that Nightreign had multiplayer functionality sparked immense enthusiasm within me. Having been captivated by both Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree, the prospect of exploring every facet of a novel game alongside fellow players was an offer I couldn’t resist.

Without a doubt, there are numerous elements of Nightreign’s multiplayer mode that I adore. I’ve cringed in amusement as a Tree Sentinel crashed down on my teammates during their battle with a Giant, and we’ve collectively retreated from a confrontation with an Ancient Dragon—we all gazed at it, then at our low levels, and realized that this was beyond our capabilities. These moments added hilarity to the gameplay experience.

To be completely honest, what truly got me pumped up was the prospect of teaming up with fellow gamers I could trust, knowing they’d stand by my side when tackling tough enemies. However, it was the absence of proper coordination that left a sour taste in my mouth.

With friends like these, who needs enemies

In my opinion, I’ve often found that multiplayer games demand an excessive level of coordination from players who don’t know each other. For instance, in Overwatch 2, you may have five individuals acting recklessly and using their ultimate abilities at inconvenient moments. Similarly, during a Nightreign game, your teammates might separate with conflicting objectives at the outset.

As a gamer, I’ve found that the ping system in Nightreign helps me navigate and spot useful objects, but what truly sets this game apart are its intense boss battles. In those moments, it feels like every player is on their own, fighting tooth and nail to emerge victorious.

In numerous games, I’ve found myself in matches with strangers where I ended up struggling and nearly defeated, while someone else attempted to hog the spotlight and single-handedly defeat a Nightlord with only half its health remaining. It’s rare to find individuals who could successfully solo a boss like this under those specific conditions – perhaps someone who has already mastered a solo Nightreign run at level one or belongs to the Let Me Solo Her group, but that’s about it.

This isn’t to say all multiplayer runs with strangers are bad.

At times like these, I find myself yearning for voice communication, so I could communicate to the remaining player something along the lines of: ‘Regardless of how many Elden Ring Nightreign guides you’ve absorbed, my friend, you’re not the master here. It might be time to set aside that blood grease and bring your team back.’ A simple talking tray shouting ‘Hey, dummy! I’m over here!’ would certainly come in handy right now. Unfortunately, all I can do is simply remain here, helplessly waiting for someone to notice me.

This doesn’t imply that every multiplayer game with strangers is poor, as I’ve had some fantastic collaborative efforts with competent and considerate teammates who cooperate well and support each other. However, after experiencing the pleasure of playing with friends through voice chat, I find it challenging to imagine returning to playing with strangers in Nightreign’s current state.

Collaborating with friends significantly simplifies both our running sessions and challenging boss encounters. By doing so, we can strategize effectively and tailor our game plans to accommodate each Nightlord’s unique playing style.

When I faced the initial Nightlord, Tricephalos, my companions and I took some time to reflect on our strategies and areas for improvement. Once we had a plan in place, each subsequent attempt became progressively simpler – it seemed like we were gradually moving towards a goal rather than starting from scratch with a new team every time.

The one-player experience has been revised following FromSoftware’s acknowledgement that it was excessively challenging and somewhat unbalanced. Fingers crossed for prompt improvements in multiplayer interaction as well, since a cooperative gaming environment is the ideal way to enjoy Nightreign.

However, until then, let’s all find a way to conquer the most challenging, exhausting boss from FromSoftware: Nightreign. It might be tough convincing your friends to spend $40 on it, but I wish you the best of luck!

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2025-06-02 20:02