For the primary couple of minutes, the trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign is… not precisely predictable, however definitely comprehensible. It’s Elden Ring like we’ve by no means seen it earlier than, remixed and reassembled, however nonetheless unmistakably a return to The Lands Between. After which… is that The Anonymous King from Darkish Souls 3?
And then you definitely rewind and pay nearer consideration. Sure, that is The Anonymous King from Darkish Souls 3, and he’s not the one boss from FromSoftware’s again catalogue making a comeback. One other rewind and one other nearer inspection reveals that pleasant NPCs from Darkish Souls have additionally arrived on the earth of Elden Ring. Not solely that, however even gameplay mechanics from throughout the developer’s portfolio of labor have discovered their approach into this upcoming co-op roguelite. And so there’s one query that burns brighter than another:
Is Elden Ring Nightreign introducing a FromSoftware multiverse?
The Anonymous King is likely one of the most ruthless opponents in Darkish Souls 3. He’s a big determine within the collection’ lore, having first been detailed within the unique Darkish Souls and its sequel earlier than lastly showing within the flesh as an elective boss within the ultimate a part of the trilogy. He’s identified for his imposing dragon mount and skill to channel lightning, each of that are seen within the ultimate minute of Nightreign’s trailer. There’s no mistaking him: this isn’t a tribute, homage, or lookalike: The Anonymous King is a foe within the subsequent Elden Ring recreation.
If seeing wasn’t believing, the official Darkish Souls social media channels have confirmed that parts of the collection will seem in Nightreign, albeit in a characteristically cryptic method. “Within the Evening, ancestral foes await – remnants of a fireplace that when burned vibrant,” reads the put up on X, which accompanies a repost of the Nightreign trailer.
Within the Evening, ancestral foes await – remnants of a fireplace that when burned vibrant.#ELDENRING #NIGHTREIGN launches on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC Digital in 2025. https://t.co/TyPLQabumO
— Darkish Souls (@DarkSoulsGame) December 13, 2024
The 2 collection are undoubtedly being linked, then. And so different acquainted creatures start to make lots of sense. Two additional Darkish Souls enemies could be noticed amongst Bandai Namco’s advertising and marketing supplies. One minute and 22 seconds into the trailer, we see a crew of warriors battling with a grotesque, multi-limbed beast, its uncovered ribcage set aflame by a participant’s explosive bolt. Longterm followers will immediately recognise this foe because the Centipede Demon from the unique Darkish Souls, albeit with a big graphical facelift.
Only a few seconds earlier there’s a shot of a crawling spider that evokes the arachnid-infested areas of Darkish Souls 2. However the golden proof of Darkish Souls 2’s involvement could be present in a screenshot launched alongside the trailer, which straight up reveals that The Duke’s Expensive Freja, a colossal eight-legged nightmare, will make an look in Nightreign.
That’s a boss from every recreation within the Darkish Souls trilogy, then. However there’s extra proof to counsel that it is not simply the enemies of FromSoft’s flagship collection which have discovered their approach into Elden Ring. On the trailer’s mid-point we’re launched to a girl who wears an ornate metallic face masks over her eyes and nostril – the unmistakable apparel of Darkish Souls 3’s Hearth Keeper. Now, I’ve to confess that this character’s voice doesn’t sound like an actual match to the unique character. However actors usually are not all the time obtainable to reprise outdated roles, and – alongside all the opposite proof – it doesn’t appear a stretch to counsel our outdated Firelink Shrine companion could also be a giant a part of Nightreign’s story.
Mechanical Mixup
Returning buddies and foes are the plain factor to get enthusiastic about, however there are smaller, doubtlessly extra impactful gameplay parts seen within the trailer that additionally level to one thing of an overlapping multiverse impact. Reasonably than permitting you to create your personal character, Nightreign asks you to step into the sneakers of a pre-defined hero with their very own distinctive skillset. Of those revealed to this point, Duchess and Wylder are of probably the most curiosity. Duchess’ exquisitely tailor-made outfit instantly brings Bloodborne to thoughts. Whereas I’m not but satisfied by fan theories that that is an alternate model of Woman Maria, I’m excited by her quickstep capacity, which replicates the dodge mechanic of FromSoft’s beloved Lovecraftian nightmare. Wylder, in the meantime, has entry to a grappling hook that replicates a number of the utility of Sekiro’s personal prosthetic software.
It’s onerous to assert these parts are multiversal in the identical approach because the literal look of outdated bosses, but it surely’s fascinating nonetheless to see these parts bleed into Elden Ring. Afterall, the distinctive gameplay flavours of every FromSoft recreation are as vital because the bosses. Additional, non-character-specific mechanics embrace the power to clamber up partitions akin to the hero of Sekrio, being carried by a spectral fowl from one location to a different in a fashion much like the Big Crow journey in Darkish Souls, and what actually does appear to be a medieval fantasy model of Bloodborne’s Stake Driver connected to Wylder’s arm throughout the battle towards the Centipede Demon. As a long-time FromSoft fan, it’s onerous to not be enthusiastic about all this.
The Regulation of Lore
As with something FromSoftware creates, there’s a pure urgency to need to know the way all the things matches into the lore. There’s solely a lot to know at this very early stage, however our personal interview with recreation director Junya Ishizaki no less than provides us a place to begin for theories.
“We would like followers to think about Nightreign as an Elden Ring spin-off, initially,” Ishizaki defined. “The story is totally separate and parallel to the world of Elden Ring’s. When you needed to tie it ultimately, we had the occasions of the shattering within the unique recreation. After the occasions of the shattering, this can be a fully separate department of the Elden Ring story.”
So Nightreign is a separate timeline. Put up the shattering, something may have occurred on this model of Elden Ring’s historical past. However it doesn’t matter what type of story is written on this world’s personal warped historical past books, the tip result’s the reign of the Evening Lord – this new recreation’s final foe.
When you really feel such as you’ve heard that identify earlier than, it’s most likely since you’ve both learn loads of merchandise descriptions in Elden Ring or watched VaatiVidya’s lore video in regards to the Nox. Within the curiosity of time, listed here are your CliffsNotes: the Nox are the folks you encounter within the underground Everlasting Cities of Nokron and Nokstella, the place they – based on in-game descriptions – “stay underneath a false evening sky, in everlasting anticipation of their liege. Of the approaching age of the celebs. And their Lord of Evening.”
Lord of Evening. Evening Lord. May it’s that Elden Ring Nightreign depicts a timeline by which the age of stars has arrived and the Lord of Evening has risen? If that’s the case, the Nox are the keepers of the mimic tear – are the issues we see mimics of issues from different worlds?
Somewhat extra theorycraft suggests an alternate possibility. That put up on the Darkish Souls X feed spoke of “remnants of a fireplace that when burned vibrant.” That appears to be a reference to The First Flame, which may very well be extinguished within the finale of Darkish Souls 3. Are the Centipede Demon, Duke’s Expensive Freja, and The Anonymous King “remnants” of The First Flame?
Whereas we’re having enjoyable, we all know that the extinguishing of The First Flame is only one of a number of endings to Darkish Souls 3 – endings that every one, theoretically talking, would produce their very own timeline. May it’s that this alternate timeline for Elden Ring, dominated over by the Lord of Evening, has merged with The Finish of Hearth timeline of Darkish Souls? Solely time will inform if the lore actually is so deep and thoroughly-plotted, and if this actually is the beginning of a FromSoft multiverse… or if Nightreign is simply FromSoftware letting unfastened and having a little bit of enjoyable. My cash is on the latter.
Again in 2019, Elden Ring’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki mentioned that he was enthusiastic about making a battle royale recreation. 5 years later we’ve got an Elden Ring multiplayer roguelike that options what seems to be a shrinking circle of dying. However who may have guessed that, on the day FromSoft introduced a recreation with battle royale parts, that the factor we’d be obsessing over was the return of a gargantuan bastard from Darkish Souls 3? One factor is evident: you possibly can depend on FromSoft to constantly shock us.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Options Editor.
