Elden Ring Nightreign stands out among FromSoftware's raft of difficult RPGs by making enemies feel like "prey to strengthen my character with"

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Meeting an enemy out and about won't feel like a "barrier"

Elden Ring Nightreign screenshot with three players battling an explosive creature
(Image credit: FromSoftware)

In what was The Game Awards 2024's biggest 'holy shit' moment of the night, we're getting an Elden Ring spin-off that lets you go on an adventure with pals next year. Elden Ring Nightreign ties the worlds of FromSoftware's open-world banger with another beloved series in Dark Souls, leading to plenty of familiar sights as you'll see familiar foes and more. 

That's not to say everything will be the same, though. Speaking to Famitsu, director Junya Ishizaki says that while the game's controls won't be too different from Elden Ring or the Dark Souls series, the rules of engagement have changed significantly.

"In past titles, encountering an enemy on the road felt like having a barrier in front of you," he says (thanks, Automaton). "But in this game, it feels more like 'I’ve found prey to strengthen my character with, let’s defeat it!' In this sense, I think gameplay will feel quite different, and I hope you will enjoy it.”

You can also expect Elden Ring Nightreign to be gentle on your free time, as FromSoftware is calling it a "short RPG" among themselves. "We’re basically aiming for a rich playing experience that condenses the fundamental fun of RPGs, such as exploration, character growth, and battles with strong enemies, into one-time missions," Ishizaki says.

Thankfully, you won't have to wait long to play the Elden Ring: Nightreign. The spin-off is due to release next year, but before then, we're getting a playtest to see how it's all shaping up. There's a future beyond 2025, too, as FromSoftware has plans for post-release content, even if they wouldn't call this one a live service game.

FromSoftware's next game is Elden Ring: Nightreign, a "standalone" 3-player adventure coming 2025 – so was Hidetaka Miyazaki just kidding about no Elden Ring 2?

Iain Harris
Iain Harris
News Editor, Games

I joined GamesRadar+ in May 2022 following stints at PCGamesN and PocketGamer.Biz, with some freelance for Kotaku UK, RockPaperShotgun, and VG24/7 thrown in for good measure. When I'm not running the news team on the games side, you'll find me putting News Editor duties to one side to play the hottest JRPG of 20 years ago or pillaging the depths of Final Fantasy 14 for a swanky new cloak – the more colourful, the better.