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Have you ever played a Souls game? It's a lot. Not only a lot to do but a lot to figure out. What gear do I wear? What weapon do I carry? Should I focus on a magic build or spec my character to use a bow? Oh, where the hell do I go? I started my journey into Soulsborne games with Dark Souls 2. I completely skipped Demon Souls and Dark Souls and jumped to everyone's favorite whipping boy. To this day, Dark Souls 2 holds a special place in my heart. I really do enjoy it. Go back and try it. It's the cozy version of Dark Souls. I digress. Since then, I have tried my hand at most mainline games from the Souls' developer, such as Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3, and most recently, Elden Ring.  

Elden Ring was a stark departure from the other FromSoftware giants. This game gave you a large, open world and allowed you to explore the Lands Between at your leisure. And what a map it was. Limgrave is sprawling. It's so large that the game gives you a spectral horse to help you get around quicker. In this ample land of opportunity and death, countless nooks and crannies exist to explore, loot, and conquer.

As the years tacked on, my ability to get excited for a large open-world adventure has diminished. Much to my chagrin. I absolutely love open-world games and have since my first GTA 3 experience. These days, I can't juggle the vast amount of choice that comes with some of those video games. Elden Ring, specifically. Let's try to ignore for a moment the sheer vertical cliff that is Elden Ring's difficulty. That's hard enough. Toss in the absolute monster of a map Limgrave is, the secrets it holds, all the gear you can find, and the openness to go and do anything you want from the start.

That, for some, is the gold standard for games. For me? I stand frozen at the First Step Site of Grace, White-Faced Varre, wondering why I haven't moved in 20 minutes. I have no idea where I should go or what weapons I want to use or even look for. Here comes that magic question again, "Do I create a magic build?" the answer is always no. Why do I even wonder? Even down to following the golden waypoint to Stormveil Castle. Do I take the main path, or should I explore? Left? Right? It all ends in me turning off the game to do something less mentally taxing.

Elden Ring Nightreign is here to help

Enter Elden Ring Nightreign. The upcoming action RPG / PVE battle royale hybrid tosses you into Limveld, a procedurally generated version of Elden Ring's Limgrave. In it, players take the role of predefined heroes with unique abilities and equipment who are thrown into a shrinking map and made to fight various Elden Ring enemies and bosses for three nights. It's an interesting departure from the regular Souls game format. A departure that benefits me greatly. The 'predefined characters' and objective-based gameplay appeal to me. Sure, the difficulty remains insane, but I can now forgo the 'where do I go' and 'what kind of build do I need' to choose a character and dive into a more focused gameplay loop.

The choice of 'what build do I want to chase' changes slightly. Now, the immense level of choice that comes with finding new weapons and armor is focused on specific characters you can learn and master. There is Recluse, the cursed magic wielder, or Ironeye, the archer with pinpoint accuracy. That's two of the six announced Nightfarers in Nightreign. Six premade warriors for me to select from. Sigh. What a relief. I have never used a bow in a Souls game. Not once. Ironeye allows me to use a character specced to be good at archery. The same goes for being a chaos wizard or a giant tank. 

I could also use one of the premade archetypes provided by Elden Ring. The game allows you to start with a cleric, warrior, samurai, and more to get you started. Let's say I start and stay with that premade build and loadout. First off, what fun is that? Second, sticking to that removed a huge portion of the gameplay: exploration and the cool gear you can get. To be clear, I am not against looting, exploring, using new gear, etc. I can't devote brain power to make the proper choices in the limited time and focus I can devote to such a massive game. A game that I really want to play and finish.

Night Loop of Elden Ring: Nightreign

The gameplay loop still asks you to explore, loot, and upgrade, but it's all in the service of my selected character. There is much less meandering or time to ponder, as the race to get stronger and take out the boss each night pokes you in the back of the head with each playthrough. The mental relief of not having to research builds can't be overstated. A friend told me he respecced his Elden Ring character 15 times during the game. No thanks. I simply can't fathom thinking through 10+ builds for my guy. To reference my original Dark Souls 2 playthrough, I had 1 build the entire game. It was me, a Zweihander, and copious amounts of trial and error. I would stumble on new weapons, but I never had the thought, "Man, I wonder how I can build my character around this."

Who has the time for Elden Ring Nightreign?

Another caveat. I am not good at games. Never have I been. After long days of dadding or adulting at work, I play for the escape. The older I get, the worse my aim, reaction time, and overall attention span get. Hence, my Elden Ring experience ended much sooner than I hoped. Elden Ring Nightreign will allow me to enjoy another guided Souls experience that fits within my limited free time. While letting me disconnect a bit more. Not only that, I get help! The co-op aspect allows me to be the scrub I am and let my friends (and strangers) carry a lot of the weight. A good boss rush is always fun, especially with friends. It gives me a chance to unwind (just a bit) and loot Limveld for all its worth. 

I hope Elden Ring Nightreign fulfills my need for the more focused Souls experience. So far, it looks like it will allow me to be the Tarnished I want to be without all that pesky (over)thinking. Oh, and fair warning to anyone I pair within the game, I am an anchor that will drag you down. This is why I will play the heavy Raider most of the time.

You don't need to beat the game to prepare for the next one—here are all the major new and upcoming games coming our way.