Elden Ring Nightreign is FromSoftware’s first co-op-focused spinoff, and it’s nothing like what most people expected. It’s not DLC. It’s not Elden Ring 2. It’s a standalone roguelite extraction game built for three-player squads, priced at around $40. With over 70,000 reviews on Steam and a “Very Positive” rating, the numbers say yes — but is Elden Ring Nightreign worth buying for you specifically? Here’s our honest take.
The Verdict (No Scrolling Required)
Buy it if: You have friends who play (or will play) it, you enjoy Souls combat, and the idea of bite-sized roguelite runs in the Elden Ring world excites you.
Skip it if: You’re looking for a single-player experience, you’ve never played a FromSoftware game, or you wanted a traditional Elden Ring sequel.
Score: 8/10 — Excellent co-op game with a specific audience. Not for everyone, but outstanding for who it’s designed for.
What Is Nightreign, Exactly?
Nightreign drops you and up to two friends into a condensed version of the Lands Between. Each run is a timed session where you explore, gear up, fight enemies, and face boss encounters that escalate in difficulty. Think of it as Elden Ring meets roguelite structure — you start fresh each run, build your character through loot and upgrades found during that session, and try to survive through increasingly brutal boss phases.
The Nightlord — a final boss that changes between sessions — serves as the climactic fight. Beat it, and you’ve completed a run. Die, and you start over with nothing but the knowledge you gained.
What It Gets Right
The Combat Is Peak FromSoftware
Nightreign uses Elden Ring’s combat system, and that alone makes it worth considering. The weighty, precise, dodge-and-punish gameplay that made Elden Ring a masterpiece is fully intact. New weapons and abilities designed specifically for Nightreign’s faster-paced encounters add variety without compromising the core feel.
Co-Op Actually Works
Unlike base Elden Ring, where co-op required summoning signs, waiting for connections, and navigating around boss fog walls, Nightreign is built for co-op from the ground up. You squad up, drop in together, and play the entire session seamlessly. No summoning. No waiting. No restrictions.
The three-player squad size hits a sweet spot — enough players for coordinated strategies without the chaos of larger groups. Each run takes 30-60 minutes, making it easy to fit into a gaming session.
Boss Design Is Spectacular
FromSoftware knows how to make memorable boss fights, and Nightreign’s are some of their best work. The Nightlord encounters are truly spectacular — multi-phase fights that require all three players to execute mechanics while dealing with the signature Souls difficulty. These fights alone justify the price of admission.
Replayability Is Excellent
The roguelite structure means every run is different. Randomized loot, varied enemy placements, and different Nightlord rotations keep the game fresh for dozens of hours. Players report 100+ hours without fatigue.
What Holds It Back
Solo Play Is Rough
Nightreign can technically be played solo, but it’s not designed for it. Enemies are balanced for three players, and solo runs feel punishing in a way that’s more frustrating than rewarding. If you don’t have friends who play (or are willing to play with randoms), you’re missing the core experience.
This isn’t like base Elden Ring, where solo is the intended experience. Nightreign is a co-op game first. Solo is a concession, not a feature.
Repetitive Environments
The map is built from recycled Elden Ring assets — primarily Limgrave and Liurnia. While the layouts change between runs, the visual variety doesn’t. After 20+ hours, you’ll recognize every church, every ruin, and every encampment. FromSoftware’s art direction is good enough to carry it, but fresh environments would dramatically improve the experience.
Not Beginner-Friendly
Nightreign assumes you know how Souls games work. There’s no tutorial beyond basic controls, the difficulty starts high and scales fast, and learning through timed multiplayer runs means your mistakes affect your squad. If this is your first FromSoftware game, start with the base Elden Ring. For build ideas, check our Elden Ring build guide.
Matchmaking With Randoms Is Hit-or-Miss
When your friends aren’t online, matchmaking with strangers can be frustrating. No voice chat by default, inconsistent player skill levels, and the occasional player who disconnects mid-run. It’s playable, but significantly worse than playing with a coordinated group.
How It Compares to Other Co-Op Games
At $40, Nightreign competes directly with games like Deep Rock Galactic, Helldivers 2, and Lethal Company. In terms of combat quality, it’s in a league of its own — nothing else feels like FromSoftware combat. But in terms of co-op variety and content volume, games like Deep Rock Galactic offer more for less.
For a full list of alternatives, check our best co-op games on PC list.
Performance on PC
Nightreign runs well on mid-range hardware. A Ryzen 5 5600 / i5-12400 with an RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT handles 1080p at 60 FPS comfortably. The game supports DLSS and FSR for additional performance headroom. For detailed settings recommendations, see our Elden Ring PC settings guide.
Who Should Buy Elden Ring Nightreign
- FromSoftware fans with gaming friends — This is your game. The combat, the boss design, and the co-op integration are exactly what you want.
- Roguelite fans — If you enjoy Risk of Rain 2 or Hades-style loops, Nightreign applies that structure to Souls combat brilliantly.
- Looking for a quick-session co-op game — 30-60 minute runs make this easy to pick up on a weeknight.
Who Should Skip It
- Solo players — Buy base Elden Ring instead. Nightreign solo is frustrating by design.
- Souls newcomers — Start with Elden Ring or Dark Souls 3 to learn the fundamentals.
- Players who want a story-driven experience — Nightreign’s narrative is paper-thin. It’s about gameplay loops, not lore.
Final Thoughts
Elden Ring Nightreign is a focused, polished co-op experience that delivers exactly what it promises. It’s FromSoftware’s combat in a roguelite wrapper designed for squads of three. If that premise excites you and you have people to play with, it’s an easy recommendation at $40. If you’re looking for a solo Souls experience or a direct Elden Ring sequel, this isn’t it — and that’s by design, not by flaw.
