Elden Ring Nightreign desperately needs a single player mode

Elden Ring Nightreign features some sublime co-op boss-slaying action, but it really needs to cater to those who prefer to hunt solo.

Ever since Demon’s Souls arrived on the PS3, kickstarting the whole Soulslike subgenre, co-op play has been a major part of the series. This is exactly why FromSoftware has produced Nightreign, they know how much fun co-op Souls can be, and making a game around it is an excellent idea.

While teaming up to kill bosses with friends or random allies online is always thrilling, it’s not the whole Souls experience. Exploring the world, piecing together the lore, and completing quests for NPCs are also a big part of the challenge. But for those who want to just cut to the chase, Nightreign is going to make a lot of players happy.

However, FromSoftware is missing something glaringly obvious here about the Souls community, and it’s something even those with a passing interest in these games know – we prefer to work alone.

Souls players often prefer to fight solo

Don’t get me wrong, long-time Souls players (like myself) do love co-op, and there’s certainly no shame in teaming up with allies to beat a tough boss, some are even designed around it. But we don’t dive into Souls games for it’s multiplayer like it’s an annual Call of Duty game.

To most of us, and I say that with confidence, the multiplayer elements exist to enjoy after we’ve singlehandedly conquered everything in that world, and I’m mostly referring to bosses here.

There are benefits to helping other players take down enemies, aside from it just being fun. It’s also nice to receive an enthusiastic “Thank you!” note from a fellow Tarnished when you help them progress past a boss they’ve been stuck on for hours.

We’ve all been that hero, and we’ve all been the player who needs that hero. Then there’s PVP, as when there are no more bosses to slay, that’s when it’s time to find out who’s really an Elden Lord – and who’s just been coasting on luck.

However, the fact is, most committed Souls players want the thrill of knowing they can take down every boss on their own. That’s where a lot of the satisfaction comes from. We want to learn their moves, fail, try again, and eventually take them apart with surgical precision.

That’s when the dopamine really hits, and when we can acknowledge that our victory came from persistence and skill – as controller-throwingly frustrating as that can sometimes be. Yet the point stands, this isn’t about being social, this is about being counted among the best.

By not allowing players to enjoy the experience solo, Elden Ring Nightreign is denying them this satisfaction.

Single-player Nightreign

Sure, there’s still fun and bragging rights to be had beating a boss as a team. After all, Nightreign’s bosses are buffed beyond their original power level to accommodate this, and if we want to solo them so badly, why don’t we just play the original Elden Ring? All valid arguments. I’m just saying the option would be nice.

All previous Souls games, from Demon’s Souls (2009) to Elden Ring, buffed and nerfed bosses depending on the number of players challenging them. Why can’t Nightreign do the same thing? Must we be social, FromSoftware? All these years together, and it’s as if you don’t even know us.

Many Souls players simply prefer to enjoy these adventures alone, or we at least appreciate the option to call in the squad when we need them, rather than going into battle with them every time. This being denied by Nightreign will put some players off, yet we also expect the focus on multiplayer will attract some new fans – which is a good thing.

However, the matchmaking issues that have so far plagued the network test also demonstrate why the game really does need to consider letting people play solo, even from a purely practical standpoint. Having a player’s fun be dependent on the availability and reliability of others is a fast way to alienate a Souls player.

And that’s the main issue I have with Elden Ring Nightreign, it risks alienating its audience. Letting everyone enjoy the game solo, should they choose to, would demonstrate some awareness of who we are. After all, we’re monsters FromSoftware created – and we’re proud of it.