Elden Ring Nightreign Channels the Spirit of a Forgotten God of War Game

Elden Ring Nightreign's Network Test Reveals Unexpected Inspiration: God of War: Ascension

The recent network tests for Elden Ring Nightreign, the upcoming multiplayer spin-off, showcased a gameplay loop surprisingly similar to a largely forgotten title: God of War: Ascension's multiplayer mode, Trial of the Gods. While Nightreign initially appears inspired by battle royale giants like Fortnite, with its shrinking map and team-based combat against waves of enemies and challenging bosses, a deeper look reveals a stronger kinship with Ascension's cooperative PvE experience.

Ascension, released between the God of War 3 and the 2018 reboot, often gets dismissed as a franchise outlier. However, its multiplayer mode deserves recognition for its innovative approach within the series, and for its unexpected parallels to Nightreign. Both feature:

• Cooperative PvE: Teams face progressively difficult enemies and bosses within a time limit.
• Boss Encounters: Players encounter bosses from previous games (Hercules in Ascension, potentially others in Nightreign).
• Shrinking Play Area/Time Limit: Creates a frantic, high-stakes gameplay experience.

Furthermore, both games share design choices that prioritize speed and efficiency. Nightreign, lacking Torrent's mobility, compensates with enhanced player speed and jump height, mirroring Ascension's adjustments to movement and combat mechanics to accelerate the pace. This fast-paced, resource-constrained gameplay is a stark contrast to the deliberate nature of the core Elden Ring experience.

Early impressions from prominent Soulslike YouTubers and gaming outlets confirm the exhilarating, frantic nature of Nightreign's gameplay, a sentiment echoed by players of Ascension's Trial of the Gods. The focus on speed and strategic resource management creates a unique challenge, appealing to both seasoned Souls veterans and newcomers alike.

The comparison is striking, considering the contrasting philosophies between the God of War and Soulslike genres. Nightreign's design, however, suggests FromSoftware is revisiting the intensity and urgency of older Souls games, offering a different kind of challenge within the familiar Elden Ring universe.

What game had the best now-forgotten multiplayer mode?

God of War: AscensionAssassin's Creed BrotherhoodMass Effect 3Batman: Arkham OriginsBioShock 2Other (let us know in the comments)AnswerSee Results