Kinda Funny Gamescast: Elden Ring Nightreign Review – Detailed Summary

Release Date: May 28, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast, hosts Tim Gettys, Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Blessing Adeoye Jr., and Andy Cortez delve deep into the recently released Elden Ring Nightreign. This standalone adventure within the beloved Elden Ring universe promises a fresh gaming experience by reimagining the core design elements of its predecessor. The discussion covers comprehensive reviews, gameplay mechanics, multiplayer dynamics, and the overall potential success of the game.

Overview of Elden Ring Nightreign

Elden Ring Nightreign is developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco. Priced at $40 on Steam, the game has garnered a Metacritic score of 78, reflecting generally favorable reviews. Notable critiques include:

• Wesley LeBlanc (Game Informer) rated it 8/10, praising its challenging rogue-lite elements and the condensation of Elden Ring's mastery into single runs.

  "The reward for my efforts is the mastery, knowledge and adrenaline I spent dozens of hours building in Elden Ring condensed into a single run, and every success is as visceral and glorious as the last." (06:00)

• Mitchell Saltzman (IGN) assigned a 7/10, lauding its co-op gameplay and boss battles but critiquing its lack of crossplay and solo mode balancing.

  "It's one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around... Unless you're bringing two real-life friends on every run, it's hard to create the conditions needed to have this kind of experience." (06:45)

Hosts' Reviews

Andy Cortez

Andy, the self-proclaimed biggest Elden Ring fan among the hosts, rates Elden Ring Nightreign an 8/10. He emphasizes the game's thrilling multiplayer experience but highlights significant challenges for solo players.

• "I think it's a great time. Recommend the hell out of it if you are trying to play solo. Don't. It's gonna be a bad time for you." (07:25)

Andy expresses frustration with the game's current balance, stating that solo players might find the experience overwhelmingly difficult without a reliable squad. He appreciates the game's boss design and FromSoftware's signature quality but hopes for improvements in matchmaking and solo play mechanics.

Blessing Adeoye Jr.

Blessing provides a 7.5/10 rating after 23 hours of gameplay, having defeated 4 out of 8 bosses. He appreciates the intricate boss designs and multiplayer coordination but points out issues like lack of crossplay and balance disparities that hinder solo gameplay.

• "I have landed on mainly because I think what saves this game is that it is FromSoftware and it has so much of the quality of Elden Ring." (15:27)

Blessing highlights the necessity of Elden Ring knowledge to fully enjoy Nightreign, suggesting that the game serves as an advanced extension rather than a standalone title for newcomers.

Gameplay Mechanics

Classes and Strategies

The game offers various classes, each with unique abilities:

• Executor: A Sekiro-inspired class with parry abilities, suitable for flashy gameplay.

  "The Executor class is essentially a Sekiro class that has a parry ability that works exactly the same way as it does in Sekiro." (20:58)

• Iron Eye: A ranged class that encourages players to step out of their comfort zones.

  "I think this game does a really good job for getting you out of your comfort zone and making you try different things because you're at the mercy of what you have." (21:30)

Boss Battles and Co-op Dynamics

Both Andy and Blessing commend the boss designs, noting their depth and the strategic cooperation required in multiplayer settings. The game incorporates procedural generation, leading to varied and unpredictable encounters that demand adaptability and teamwork.

• "The boss battles for each of the runs are some of my favorite FromSoftware bosses I think I've encountered." (07:25)

However, the lack of crossplay and inadequate solo mode balancing pose significant challenges, making cooperative play essential for a rewarding experience.

Technical Aspects

Lack of Crossplay

A recurring theme in the hosts' discussion is the absence of crossplay, which limits the game's accessibility and matchmaking potential. Both Andy and Blessing express hope that future updates or community-driven mods might address these limitations.

• "They lack the crossplay. Really, really bad, really awful." (09:00)

Procedural Generation and RNG

The game's procedural generation introduces randomness in map layouts and boss placements, adding replayability but also unpredictability that can frustrate players seeking structured progression.

• "The map randomness gives you a fighting chance." (06:00)

Community and Future Content

Discord and Team Coordination

The hosts share experiences collaborating on Discord, highlighting the importance of effective communication and strategy in overcoming challenging bosses. They also discuss upcoming community events and tournaments, which promise to enhance the multiplayer experience.

• "We've not beaten all the bosses yet, but think about the fact that these runs are 45 minutes long and you get to a boss and like these are Elden Ring bosses." (07:25)

Comparisons to Other Games

Andy and Blessing draw parallels between Nightreign and games like Hades, Returnal, and Fortnite, discussing how its rogue-lite and battle royale elements integrate with Elden Ring's core mechanics.

• "It's making me feel the way that I love when I'm playing Hades." (21:50)

Final Opinions and Conclusion

Potential Success and Longevity

Despite its challenges, both Andy and Blessing are optimistic about the game's success, citing Elden Ring's massive player base and the depth of content as key factors. They anticipate that the game's unique blend of rogue-lite elements and FromSoftware's design philosophy will attract a dedicated audience.

• "I think this game will be a success just based off of 26 million sold of Elden Ring and people discovering that, oh, I do like this challenge and this is a lot of fun now." (44:59)

Continued Engagement

Andy plans to continue playing Nightreign well into the future, aiming to conquer all bosses and explore various playstyles. Blessing remains enthusiastic but cautious, contemplating the balance between the game's difficulty and his personal enjoyment.

• "I'll always go back to original Elden Ring. Like you won't have the, that sprint or the double jump which works like 70% of the time but no Elden Ring. Is Elden Ring." (58:02)

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Wesley LeBlanc (Game Informer):

  "The reward for my efforts is the mastery, knowledge and adrenaline I spent dozens of hours building in Elden Ring condensed into a single run, and every success is as visceral and glorious as the last." (06:00)

• Mitchell Saltzman (IGN):

  "It's one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around... Unless you're bringing two real-life friends on every run, it's hard to create the conditions needed to have this kind of experience." (06:45)

• Andy Cortez:

  "Refund that... If you're only looking to play solo, it's, you know, whenever people ask me, would you recommend Valorant to somebody who doesn't really have like a squad to play with, it's like, no, that's a nightmare." (07:48)

• Blessing Adeoye Jr.:

  "I think what saves this game is that it is FromSoftware and it has so much of the quality of Elden Ring." (15:27)

• Andy Cortez on Classes:

  "The Executor class is essentially a Sekiro class that has a parry ability that works exactly the same way as it does in Sekiro." (20:58)

• Blessing Adeoye Jr. on Solo Challenges:

  "This is pushing it even further... It's making you try different things because you're at the mercy of what you have." (15:27)

Conclusion

Elden Ring Nightreign presents a bold experiment by FromSoftware, blending the challenging essence of Elden Ring with rogue-lite and multiplayer elements. While it excels in boss design and cooperative gameplay, significant hurdles like lack of crossplay and imbalanced solo modes may limit its appeal to a niche audience. The hosts remain hopeful that ongoing updates and community support will enhance the game's experience, potentially cementing it as a noteworthy title in the gaming landscape.

Listeners are encouraged to share their own experiences and strategies in the comments, fostering a community-driven discourse around this ambitious extension of the Elden Ring universe.

Note: Timestamps in brackets (e.g., 06:00) reference the original transcript's timing for each quoted segment.