This past weekend marked the first network tests for Elden Ring: Nightreign, the upcoming standalone multiplayer game branching from FromSoftware's acclaimed title. Unlike last year's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Nightreign shares only its namesake and aesthetic with Elden Ring, exchanging the open world for a streamlined survival format. Three-player teams descend into shrinking maps, battling enemies and increasingly difficult bosses. This design evokes the immensely popular Fortnite—a fitting comparison, considering Fortnite's 200 million players this month alone.
However, Nightreign bears a striking resemblance to a less celebrated, yet arguably more unfairly maligned game: 2013's God of War: Ascension. And that's a positive comparison.
Released between 2010's God of War 3 and 2018's Norse reboot, Ascension served as a prequel, preceding the original Greek mythology trilogy. Kratos struggles to break his oath with Ares. Failing to match the epic finale of the original trilogy, and aiming for a formula shake-up, Ascension became the franchise's black sheep—a decent appetizer before a magnificent main course. This reputation, while understandable, is arguably unfair.
While Kratos' confrontation with the Furies in Ascension didn't reach the heights of his battle with Zeus, this prequel boasts breathtaking set pieces, including the Prison of the Damned—a labyrinthine dungeon within a colossal, immobilized, 100-armed giant. More importantly, Ascension innovated with something the franchise hadn't attempted before: multiplayer.
Within Ascension's story, players encounter a chained NPC in the Prison of the Damned who prematurely exclaims, "You saved me!" before perishing. Unlocking multiplayer after this point reveals this NPC as the player character. Teleported to Olympus moments before death, players pledge allegiance to one of four gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, or Ares—each granting unique weapons, armor, and magic. These tools are used across five multiplayer modes, four being competitive PvP.
The fifth mode, Trial of the Gods, is cooperative PvE—and essentially the blueprint for Elden Ring: Nightreign.
Previews of Nightreign from prominent Soulsborne YouTubers like VaatiVidya and Iron Pineapple, along with IGN's coverage, highlight similarities between FromSoftware's latest creation and live service games like Fortnite. Nightreign features randomized loot, resource management, and environmental hazards that inflict damage and restrict movement, increasing challenge over time. Nightreign even echoes one of Fortnite's iconic elements: players drop from the sky, carried by spirit birds, to their chosen location.
While God of War: Ascension lacks the "where are we dropping?" element, a deeper look reveals common ground. Both Nightreign and Ascension's Trial of the Gods are cooperative experiences where teams face increasingly difficult foes. Both offer the chance to battle bosses from previous games (Hercules from God of War 3 or the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3). Both feature a countdown (though Ascension's is pauseable) and take place on shrinking maps. Both are multiplayer games from studios known for single-player experiences, created without oversight from their respective series creators (Hidetaka Miyazaki for Elden Ring, and the original God of War trilogy directors for Ascension).
Nightreign evokes the same response as Ascension's Trial of the Gods. Network test participants described frantic, exhilarating races against the clock. Unlike the base game's relaxed pace, allowing varied approaches, Nightreign demands instinctive action, limited resources, and speed—as VaatiVidya puts it, "made in the name of speed and efficiency." To compensate for the lack of Torrent, players experience enhanced running and jumping abilities.
Ascension's multiplayer adapted its single-player blueprint for faster pacing, mirroring Nightreign's techniques: increased run speed, extended jumps, automated parkour, and a grapple attack (also present in Nightreign's Wylder character). These additions are crucial, as the combat, while not overly difficult, throws numerous enemies at players, making every second count. Teams sprint, hacking and slashing their way through hordes.
AnswerSee ResultsNightreign's resemblance to Ascension is surprising, given the latter's obscurity and the contrasting nature of the Soulslike genre. Where God of War empowers players as god-slaying warriors, Soulslike games cast players as nameless, cursed undead facing formidable challenges. One rarely displays a game over screen; the other relentlessly forces players to confront defeat.
However, this challenge, once rage-inducing in FromSoftware's earlier games, has lessened as fans improved and developers offered better weapons and spells, leading to numerous game-breaking builds in Elden Ring. Nightreign, lacking these builds, promises a renewed challenge while providing skilled players with the same experience God of War: Ascension offered: the thrill of being a time-constrained, vengeful Spartan.
