Elden Ring Nightreign's Network Tests Reveal an Unexpected Inspiration: God of War: Ascension
The recent network tests for Elden Ring Nightreign, the upcoming multiplayer spin-off, revealed a surprising influence: 2013's often-overlooked God of War: Ascension. While Nightreign initially appears similar to Fortnite, with its shrinking map and three-player team battles, a deeper look reveals a stronger resemblance to Ascension's multiplayer mode, Trial of the Gods.
Ascension, a prequel to the Greek mythology trilogy, was often criticized for failing to match the epic scale of its predecessors. However, its multiplayer mode, a unique addition to the God of War franchise, deserves reconsideration. Trial of the Gods is a cooperative PvE experience where teams face increasingly difficult enemies and bosses from previous games, all within a time-limited, shrinking map. This closely mirrors Nightreign's core gameplay loop.
Both Nightreign and Trial of the Gods share key elements:
- Cooperative PvE: Teams work together to overcome challenging encounters.
- Boss Encounters: Featuring bosses from previous titles (e.g., Hercules from God of War 3, Nameless King from Dark Souls 3).
- Time Constraints: A countdown adds urgency and pressure.
- Shrinking/Small Maps: Encouraging fast-paced, strategic gameplay.
Furthermore, both games, developed by studios renowned for their single-player experiences, feature enhanced player movement to compensate for the faster pace. Nightreign, like Ascension's multiplayer, increases run speed and jump height, introducing mechanics similar to Ascension's grapple attack. This frantic, resource-constrained gameplay, described by YouTubers as emphasizing "speed and efficiency," stands in contrast to the more deliberate pacing of their respective single-player counterparts.
AnswerSee ResultsThe unexpected connection between Nightreign and Ascension highlights a fascinating contrast: the Soulslike genre, known for its punishing difficulty, borrowing elements from a franchise representing a seemingly opposite design philosophy. Nightreign aims to recapture the challenge of earlier FromSoftware titles while offering a fast-paced, action-oriented experience reminiscent of Ascension's surprisingly effective multiplayer mode.
