Elden Ring Nightreign's Mixed Steam Reviews Over Co-op Absence

Elden Ring Nightreign has had a massive launch on Steam, though the excitement has been somewhat overshadowed by a 'Mixed' user review rating.

FromSoftware's co-op spin-off reached an impressive peak of 313,593 concurrent players on Steam, securing its place among the most-played games on Valve's platform.

However, it also attracted a notable number of negative reviews. Currently, 67% of reviews are positive, with many critics pointing to the absence of two-player co-op (duos) and built-in voice chat.

Elden Ring Nightreign immerses players in the ever-changing lands of Limveld, where they explore and fight for survival either alone or in teams of three. The game does not support two-player co-op.

As noted in IGN's Elden Ring Nightreign review: "Let's address the most significant caveat upfront: if you intend to play Nightreign entirely solo and aren't a deeply committed Elden Ring player who actively seeks out greater challenges, then this game likely isn't for you. While a single-player mode exists, its balance is so off that I'd be surprised if it isn't patched within the first month. This is coming from someone who thoroughly enjoys and specializes in these types of games."

We've compiled a wealth of Nightreign tips and tricks to assist you in defeating all eight Nightlord Bosses. If you're curious about unlocking the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out our guides: How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.

In IGN's interview with Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki, the lead developer elaborated on the decision to focus on solo and trio play as the core options. When asked why players can't team up as a pair without a third matchmade player, Ishizaki admitted it was an oversight.

"The straightforward answer is that a dedicated two-player option was simply overlooked during development, and for that, we sincerely apologize," Ishizaki stated. "As mentioned, our goal was to create a multiplayer co-op experience balanced for three players; that's the fundamental design of Nightreign."

"Naturally, as a player myself, I understand the desire for solo play, which is something we considered from the beginning," Ishizaki continued.

"We invested significant effort into making the game playable for solo adventurers within the constraints of our rules and new systems. However, in focusing so heavily on that aspect, we neglected the duos option. This is something we are now evaluating for potential post-launch support."

This design means if you only have one preferred partner, you must accept a random third player into your session. Elden Ring Nightreign is fundamentally built around the three-player co-op experience.

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Many players have expressed dissatisfaction. "Elden Ring co-op, but not really," reads one negative Steam review. "You need three people; two isn't allowed. Why? No reason given. I'm deeply disappointed and considered a refund."

"No duo option; random players joined and did their own thing," states another critical review. "Just let me play with my friend…"

"If you don't have two other friends to play with using voice chat, don't bother," another negative review comments. "This is essentially Elden Ring for three players, and the solo queue (playing with randoms) is terrible. Without voice chat, coordinating movement, locating chests and consumables, or sharing items with teammates is extremely difficult. While I adore Elden Ring and roguelites, and appreciate Nightreign's gameplay style, I can't see myself returning without friends on voice chat or if the solo experience weren't as punishing as a 'level 1 Elden Ring any% speedrun.'"

"Your individual skill matters less than your ability to work as a team, especially in an environment where communication is nearly impossible (using pings in a fast-paced, punishing PvE game just doesn't cut it)."

The voice chat problem is a recurring complaint. Here's another negative review:

"Making progress is nearly impossible without voice chat. If you have two regular friends to talk and play with, you'll have a fantastic time. The connection is smooth, the map is rich with events, and the core gameplay loop is engaging."

"However, as a 41-year-old, I don't have friends who play this regularly, let alone two others (a team requires three; two won't work)."

"Even if they add voice chat (it's baffling that it's missing), the experience with random players won't compare to playing with close friends, as coordination with strangers significantly impacts your enjoyment."

"Playing in solo queue with random teammates is tough. Communication is hard, sharing items is hard, strategizing or deciding on the next farming area is hard—it's just hard overall."

"TL;DR: Unless you have two dedicated friends to group up with regularly, it's not enjoyable."

As Ishizaki hinted in our interview, FromSoftware may introduce a duos mode to Elden Ring Nightreign in a future update. For now, players are limited to solo or three-player co-op.

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Prior to Elden Ring Nightreign's launch, FromSoftware cautioned PC players that they might experience frame rate drops, particularly on "the latest graphics cards."

In a general notice included with the day-one patch notes, FromSoftware confirmed it is investigating the issue and recommended affected users lower their graphics settings from the default "High" to "Medium" or "Low," reduce screen resolution, and ensure they have installed the latest GPU drivers.

Be sure to check out these essential Elden Ring Nightreign tips and tricks we gathered from the network test—and keep an eye on the IGN Nightreign wiki for more comprehensive guides now that the game is live.