Elden Ring: Nightreignis not the type of game that most people would expect from FromSoftware. Rather than being a singleplayer RPG with tons of handcrafted regions to explore, like some of the Japanese developer’s other works, it is instead a co-operative multiplayer roguelike with battle royale elements. That may sound like a dramatic departure from the traditionalElden Ringformula, but the game does still have some of the hit RPG’s DNA. Players, who are thrust into an alternate reality version of the land of Limgrave, must squad up with two other friends inElden Ring: Nightreignto defeat brutally challenging bosses.
AlthoughElden Ring: Nightreignis primarily focused on PvE multiplayer, it can be played solo and doesn’t require an always-online internet connection. It also isn’t a live service game, at least not in the traditional sense.Elden Ring: Nightreignis going to feature emotes, skins, and in-game currencies, but it will have no microtransactions or battle passes of any kind. From the way FromSoftware is positioning it, it appears the game is going to provide a traditional, no-frills multiplayer experience, one without all the GAAS trappings that have plagued the genre in recent times. If the upcoming RPG does maintain the high bar of quality that FromSoftware has set for itself, then perhaps other franchises, such asFinal Fantasy, should follow inElden Ring’s footsteps.
Final Fantasy Should Take a Page Out of Elden Ring: Nightreign’s Playbook
There Are Plenty of Multiplayer Final Fantasy Games
Most gamers will often considerFinal Fantasya singleplayer-focused franchise, but it has dabbled in the multiplayer genre on several occasions. The first multiplayerFFgames that may come to mind areFinal Fantasy 11OnlineandFinal Fantasy 14 Online, both of which are (or were) some of the biggest MMORPGs on the market. These two titles, however, don’t provide a conventional co-op experience in the same way thatElden Ring: Nightreigndoes. For that, players must look toward some of themultiplayer-oriented spin-offs in theFinal Fantasyfranchise, likeFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is One of the Best Co-Op Games in the FF Series
Released in 2003 exclusively on the Nintendo GameCube,Final Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesis a colorful action RPGwith a multiplayer twist. It centers around a group of traveling adventurers that must harvest a special energy source called myrrh in order to save their world from the Miasma, a deadly poisonous gas that’s being secreted by a mysterious alien lifeform.Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicleshas a singleplayer campaign, but it is mainly meant to be played with friends. However, since the GameCube can’t connect to the internet, players must connect up to four Game Boy Advances and Link Cables to the console in order to experience the game with others.
PlayingFinal Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesin co-op on the GameCube was certainly a big hassle back in the day, due to how unwieldy it was to use multiple consoles to play a single game. This issue was fortunatelyfixed inFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered, which added online cross-platform multiplayer to the game along with a couple of other features. This 2020 remaster, however, was not well-received by fans. It was critically panned for its lack of local co-op support, bad load times, and dated gameplay.
Square Enix Should Bring FF Crystal Chronicles Back if Elden Ring: Nightreign is a Hit
Final Fantasypublisher Square Enix did release several follow-ups toFinal Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesin the late 2000s, but none of them were able to reach the same highs as the original GameCube game. Even though the series ran its course during that era, it may be a good idea to bring it back in some form. There aren’t really manyco-op JRPGson the market these days, let alone traditional, non-live-service co-op games. As such, ifElden Ring: Nightreignproves that there’s a market for RPGs like these, then Square Enix shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to make a newFinal Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesgame for all modern platforms.
Elden Ring Nightreign
WHERE TO PLAY
“ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!”
