Elden Ring Nightreign's Most Divisive Feature Explained

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With the announcement of 's revolutionary gameplay elements such as randomly generated maps, three-person cooperative multiplayer, and three-day/night cycles, it's no wonder fans of are divided about the overhauled mechanics. The game is a major departure from the traditional «Soulsborne formula» seen in,, the series, and of course,, all of which have dungeon crawler elements at their core.

While there are many changes to that formula coming in , none will be as divisive as the randomization of maps, enemies, and loot that are a primary feature of the upcoming game. Though the purpose of randomized elements is ultimately to make each session more unique and unpredictable and incentivize exploration, random features will end up being divisive for several reasons related to both gameplay and lore

Traditional Soulsborne fans will be in for a rude awakening in the fast-paced boss-rush style of, and the shift to random maps may detract heavily from the role-playing elements as well. Ultimately, will not be able to please everyone, so it's yet to be seen whether these random features will serve their intended purpose, or if they will alienate players entirely. The purpose of randomized maps, enemies, loot, etc. is to give each three-day cycle its own distinct layout and challenges and make the co-op experience unique each time.

For the most part, this seems like a logical extension of the game's larger focus on streamlining the RPG features from the original, such as the eight pre-made playable characters, an expedited leveling system, time-limited exploration, and more. And while the intention behind this consolidation of both gameplay and narrative features is to make the game accessible to a wider player-base, certain decisions make no sense for some players.

Nightreign takes place in a separate, parallel branch of the world of Elden Ring, meaning its events will not have an impact on the original lore.

Random features are ubiquitous in, as described in IGN's hands-on