This past weekend marked the inaugural network tests for Elden Ring Nightreign, FromSoftware's highly anticipated standalone multiplayer game. Unlike the expansive world of last year's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Nightreign diverges significantly from its namesake, opting for a compact survival format. In this game, three-player teams must navigate shrinking maps, battling hordes of enemies and progressively tougher bosses. This design clearly echoes the influence of Fortnite, a battle royale phenomenon that has captivated over 200 million players this month alone.
However, Nightreign's true inspiration lies elsewhere, in a less-celebrated and often-criticized title: 2013's God of War: Ascension. Despite its negative reputation, Ascension deserves a second look, especially in light of Nightreign.
Image credit: Sony Santa Monica / Sony
Released between God of War 3 and the Norse reboot in 2018, Ascension served as a prequel to the original Greek mythology trilogy. It follows Kratos as he attempts to sever his bond with Aries. Though it couldn't match the grandeur of Kratos' epic showdown with Zeus, Ascension featured remarkable set pieces, such as the Prison of the Damned—a dungeon ingeniously carved into the body of a 100-armed giant. More crucially, Ascension ventured into uncharted territory for the franchise: multiplayer.
Trial of the Gods, Ascension's cooperative PvE mode, mirrors Nightreign's essence. In the single-player campaign, players encounter an NPC who prematurely celebrates his rescue only to be crushed by the level's boss. In multiplayer mode, this same NPC becomes your playable character, teleported to Olympus and tasked with pledging allegiance to one of four gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, or Aries. Each deity grants unique weapons, armor, and magic, equipping players for battle across five multiplayer modes, with Trial of the Gods standing out as a cooperative PvE experience akin to Nightreign.
Gameplay previews of Nightreign, shared by renowned "Soulsborne" YouTubers like VaatiVidya and Iron Pineapple, along with IGN's coverage, have highlighted its similarities to live service games like Fortnite. Nightreign introduces a blend of randomized loot, resource management, and environmental hazards that escalate the challenge over time. It even nods to Fortnite's iconic imagery by having players parachute into the level via spirit birds.
Image credit: FromSoftware / Bandai Namco
While God of War: Ascension lacks Nightreign's battle royale flair, a deeper look reveals substantial parallels. Both Nightreign and Ascension's Trial of the Gods are cooperative experiences where teams face increasingly difficult foes. They both allow players to confront iconic bosses from previous games, such as Hercules from God of War 3 or the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3. Both feature countdowns and shrinking maps, and both are multiplayer ventures from studios renowned for their single-player masterpieces, developed without direct oversight from their series' creators. Hidetaka Miyazaki is currently focused on an undisclosed project, while the original God of War trilogy's directors had already departed Sony Santa Monica by the time Ascension was created.
Nightreign elicits reactions similar to those sparked by Ascension's Trial of the Gods. Participants in FromSoftware's network test described their runs as a thrilling race against time, contrasting sharply with the more relaxed pace of the base game, where players have the luxury of time and variety in tackling challenges. Nightreign forces quick decision-making and resource management, which VaatiVidya praised as being "made in the name of speed and efficiency." Without the trusty steed Torrent, players can now channel a spirit horse to enhance their speed and jumping ability.
Ascension's multiplayer mode similarly adjusted its single-player mechanics for tighter pacing, employing techniques akin to Nightreign's. It increased player speed, extended jump distances, automated parkour, and introduced a grapple attack akin to Nightreign's Wylder character. These enhancements are crucial as the combat, while not overly challenging on its own, becomes frenetic in Trial of the Gods, where players must swiftly navigate through swarms of enemies.
Nightreign's homage to Ascension is surprising, not only because Ascension has largely faded from memory but also because the Soulslike genre, to which Elden Ring belongs, began as a direct counterpoint to God of War. While God of War empowers players to feel like god-killers, Soulslike games immerse players in the role of a beleaguered, nameless undead facing daunting challenges. Though the frustration of FromSoftware's earlier games has lessened over time with better player skills and powerful builds, Nightreign promises to reintroduce that challenge. For seasoned players, it offers the same exhilarating rush as Ascension's multiplayer, channeling the spirit of a time-pressed Spartan warrior.
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