Elden Ring Nightreign launches May 30, new hands-on report

blog.playstation.com:

Elden Ring Nightreign, a new co-op adventure set within the Elden Ring universe, comes to PS5 and PS4 on May 30. Elden Ring Nightreign is an all-new standalone adventure by FromSoftware that thrusts players into co-op multiplayer PvE combat to take on the creeping night and the dangers within.

We recently got the chance to participate in the upcoming network test* ahead of its public release on February 14, so read on for our first impressions of our journey into the perilous realm of Limveld.

*The network test is based on a build still under development. Various elements of the game, such as specs, names, and parameters, may differ from the final product.

Elden Ring was mainly a single player experience, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Take your time, and, provided you’ve tucked yourself away in a safe location, you’re able to put the controller down to leave your room. 

By contrast, Elden Ring Nightreign’s focus on three-player co-op survival action means you must always be alert and aware of your squad’s movements, regardless of whether you’re working together or strike out to explore separately. 

This is because of Nightreign’s Night’s Tide mechanic, which steadily contracts your explorable play area over time, with every session concluding with you coming face to face with a powerful boss. It is crucial then to strengthen and upgrade your characters and party by nightfall to prepare for the boss fight, so you’ll need to get used to the fast-paced gameplay and split-second decision-making.

While the basic move sets of Elden Ring Nightreign are akin to Elden Ring, Nightreign introduces new actions and movements. Examples include wall jumping and traversing the air by holding onto Spectral Hawks. You also won’t take any fall damage no matter how far you fall or jump. 

Furthermore, you can sprint by holding down L3, in addition to the regular dash. The sprint is comparable in speed to Torrent, the spectral steed from Elden Ring. It almost felt like I