This past weekend marked the first network tests for Elden Ring: Nightreign, the upcoming standalone multiplayer game branching from FromSoftware's acclaimed title. Unlike last year's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Nightreign shares only its name and visual style with Elden Ring. It ditches the open-world structure for a streamlined survival format where three-player teams descend into shrinking maps, battling enemies and increasingly difficult bosses. This design undeniably evokes the popular Fortnite—a not-so-surprising inspiration, given Fortnite's recent 200 million player milestone this month alone.
However, Nightreign bears a striking resemblance to a less celebrated, and often maligned, game: 2013's God of War: Ascension. And that's a very good thing.
Released between 2010's God of War 3 and the 2018 Norse reboot, Ascension served as a prequel, preceding the original Greek mythology trilogy. It followed Kratos' struggle to break his oath with Ares. Failing to match the epic finale of the original trilogy, and attempting to refresh a well-worn formula, God of War: Ascension quickly gained a reputation as the franchise's black sheep—a decent appetizer before a magnificent main course.
This reputation, while understandable, is arguably unfair. While Kratos' confrontation with the Furies in Ascension didn't reach the heights of his battle with Zeus, this divisive prequel boasted truly spectacular set pieces, including the Prison of the Damned—a labyrinthine dungeon carved into a colossal, immobilized, 100-armed giant. More importantly, Ascension deserves credit for pioneering something the franchise hadn't attempted before, and hasn't since: multiplayer.
In Ascension's story, while navigating the Prison of the Damned, you encounter a chained NPC who prematurely exclaims, "You saved me!" before being crushed by the level boss. Unlocking the multiplayer mode after this point reveals this NPC as your player character. Teleported to Olympus moments before death, you pledge allegiance to one of four gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, or Ares—each granting unique weapons, armor, and magical attacks. These are your tools in five multiplayer modes, four of which are competitive PvP.
The fifth mode, Trial of the Gods, is cooperative PvE. And it's essentially Elden Ring: Nightreign.
Previews of Nightreign, released before the network tests by prominent Soulsborne YouTubers like VaatiVidya and Iron Pineapple, and IGN, highlighted similarities between FromSoftware's latest and live-service games like Fortnite. Like those games, Nightreign blends randomized loot, resource management, and environmental hazards that damage health and restrict movement, increasing difficulty over time. Nightreign even echoes one of Fortnite's iconic images: players drop from the sky, carried by spirit birds to their chosen location.
While God of War: Ascension lacks the "where are we dropping?" element, a deeper look reveals more common ground between Nightreign and Ascension's Trial of the Gods. Both are co-op experiences where teams face increasingly challenging foes. Both unexpectedly allow players to battle bosses from previous games, such as Hercules from God of War 3 or the Nameless King from Dark Souls 3. Both feature a countdown timer (though Ascension's is paused by defeating enemies), and both occur on small or shrinking maps. Both are multiplayer games from studios known for single-player experiences, created without oversight from their respective series creators; Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki is working on an unannounced project, while the original God of War trilogy directors—David Jaffe, Cory Barlog, and Stig Asmussen—had left Sony Santa Monica before Ascension's release.
Crucially, Nightreign seems to evoke the same response as Ascension's Trial of the Gods. FromSoftware's network test participants described frantic, exhilarating races against the clock. Unlike the more relaxed pace of the main game, where players can approach scenarios diversely, using various weapons and abilities at their leisure, Nightreign demands instinctive reactions, emphasizing speed and limited resources—constraints VaatiVidya described as "made in the name of speed and efficiency." For example, instead of Torrent, players channel an inner spirit horse, enhancing speed and jump height.
Ascension's multiplayer adapted its single-player blueprint for faster pacing, using techniques similar to Nightreign. It increased run speed, extended jumps, automated parkour, and introduced a grapple attack to pull objects (a mechanic also in Nightreign's Wylder character). These new moves are vital because, while combat isn't overly difficult—given the power fantasy nature of the franchise—Trial of the Gods throws so many enemies that every second counts. Consequently, players sprint, hacking and slashing through armies with ruthless efficiency.
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Nightreign's resemblance to Ascension is unexpected, not only due to the latter's obscurity but also because the Soulslike genre, to which Elden Ring belongs, initially stood in stark contrast to God of War. Where one empowers you as a god-slaying warrior, the other casts you as a nameless undead facing significant challenges from even regular enemies. One rarely displays a game over screen; the other relentlessly throws it at you until tears (and laughter) ensue.
However, this once rage-inducing challenge in FromSoftware's earlier games has lessened as fans improved and developers provided better weapons and spells, resulting in numerous game-breaking builds since Elden Ring's launch. Without access to these, Nightreign promises a renewed challenge. Simultaneously, skilled players can experience what God of War: Ascension offered: the thrill of being a time-constrained, vengeful Spartan.
