Elden Ring Nightreign, a spin-off action adventure set within the Elden Ring universe, launches on May 30.
We spoke with the game’s director, Junya Ishizaki, about what we can expect from FromSoftware’s upcoming co-op multiplayer.
Game design focused on compelling combat
PlayStation Blog: You have experience working on level and combat design for FromSoftware’s past titles. Was there anything you gave particular attention to when creating Nightreign? What were some of the challenges?
Junya Ishizaki: If I had to pick one aspect that we focused on the most, it would be combat. The game’s main goal is to defeat the Nightlord at the end of each night, and the elements that form the character builds and the world map are placed around the world to make the gameplay more compelling and to encourage players to be more strategic in their combat.
In terms of challenges, honestly, everything was a challenge (laughs). Especially when it came to making major changes to the game mechanics, we had to make sure the game was still viable and truly enjoyable. We could have changed the mechanics without putting much thought into it, but there was a risk that the game would become something completely different, even though it was part of the Elden Ring universe. Finding the perfect balance between something that felt fresh and new, while still feeling true to Elden Ring, was challenging.
What was the idea behind the unique revival system that allows you to rescue incapacitated teammates by attacking them?
Since we were using many existing assets from Elden Ring, we wanted to find ways to leverage them in interesting ways. As we were tossing around ideas, we realized that ‘attacking’ is the most consistent element of Nightreign’s gameplay. We tested to see if it would work for resuscitation, and we discovered a wide variety of tactics depending on range, frequency, and probability, so we formally implemented it. We also found it quite amusing (laughs).
After playing the network test, while I enjoyed building my characters, I also felt like the strategy aspect became a little repetitive. Can we expect more unpredictability that encourages players to be more tactical, in the final product?
Yes, we’re also pursuing that approach, so the same strategy won’t always work when fighting the bosses. Your initial strategy may be effective for a while, but the bosses will gradually evolve and your tactics will no longer be viable, forcing you to rethink your approach.
Also, in the final version of the game, you’ll be able to determine the weakness of each boss before heading out. So, if poison is effective against an upcoming boss, you may proactively search for and loot items that inflict poison more often in that run. Taking advantage of their susceptibility will give you an edge in the fights. We intentionally designed the game so that you’ll need to adapt and evolve your strategies along with the changes that happen in the game.
