Elden Ring Nightreign's Review Score May Look Bad, But It's Actually One Of FromSoftware's Best-Reviewed Games Ever
Summary
- Elden Ring Nightreign ranks tenth in FromSoftware's all-time Metacritic scores.
- FromSoftware evolved from Japanese-inspired RPGs to modern hits under Miyazaki.
- Quality over quantity: FromSoftware has seen higher reviews with fewer releases since the late 2000s.
FromSoftware, as we know it today, is a powerhouse of a developer. It continues to put out hit after brutal hit, and the expectation is that every game it creates is a banger.
RelatedElden Ring Nightreign Trophy List Reveals At Least Two Characters Are Locked From The Start
Thankfully, you'll still start with at least six.
PostsWith Elden Ring Nightreign, though, a spanner was thrown in the works, as the title received decidedly mixed reviews from critics.
With the dust beginning to settle, the title ended up with a score of 78 on Metacritic (despite us at TheGamer giving it a 4.5/5), something which has left many long-time Souls fans balking. Fear not, however, for as low as it may seem, the game is actually one of FromSoft's best-reviewed ever.
Elden Ring Nightreign Becomes One Of FromSoftware's Best-Reviewed Games Ever
Before FromSoftware became known for the 'Souls' genre, it was a studio with quite a diverse portfolio. Sure, it released dozens of Armored Core games, which were met with mixed reactions, but many of its earlier titles were heavily Japanese-inspired action RPGs, some of which hit, and many of which didn't. In the early 2000s, the company put out such classics as Shadow Assault - Tenchu, Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit, and King's Field 4: The Ancient City.
That past is long forgotten, though. Since the arrival of Hidetaka Miyazaki in 2004 and the esteemed release of Demon's Souls in 2009, the trajectory of FromSoftware as we know it has been altered.
With Nightreign's now-underwhelming 78, we decided to look through every FromSoftware-developed game on Metacritic to find out where it ranks in the company's storied history.
The Results
Elden Ring Nightreign has settled at a 78 on Metacritic, putting it just outside the top ten in the company's all-time rankings, tied with The Adventures of Cookie & Cream and Armored Core 2 for 11th. Otogi: Myth of Demon's and Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors take up the ninth and tenth spots, respectively, then we get into FromSoftware's modern domination.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon took eighth with a score of 86, but the seven best-reviewed games in FromSoftware's history have all been directed or heavily influenced by Miyazaki.
Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 3 are joint fifth on 89, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is fourth on 90, Dark Souls 2 is third on 91, Bloodborne is second on 92, and Elden Ring is comfortably first, with a score of 96. It's hard to argue that the man fundamentally changed FromSoftware's history.
The Overall Rankings
Game
Year of Release
Metacritic Score
39
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
2012
38
38
Shadow Assault -Tenchu
2008
46
37
Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit
2002
48
36
Kuon
2004
57
35
Armored Core: Nine Breaker
2004
57
33
Evergrace
2000
59
33
Armored Core: Last Raven
2005
59
32
King's Field 4: The Ancient City
2001
60
31
Echo Night: Beyond
2004
60
30
Eternal Ring
2000
62
28
Forever Kingdom
2001
64
28
Armored Core: For Answer
2008
64
27
Armored Core 4
2006
65
25
Armored Core: Formula Front
2004
66
25
Armored Core: Verdict Day
2013
66
22
Lost Kingdoms 2
2003
68
22
Ninja Blade
2009
68
22
Armored Core V
2012
68
21
Deracine
2018
68
19
Silent Line: Armored Core
2003
69
19
Enchanted Arms
2006
69
18
Chromehounds
2006
71
17
Lost Kingdoms
2002
72
16
Armored Core: Nexus
2004
73
15
Armored Core 3
2002
74
14
Armored Core 2: Another Age
2001
75
11
Armored Core 2
2000
78
11
The Adventures of Cookie & Cream
2000
78
11
Elden Ring Nightreign
2025
78
10
Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors
2003
79
9
Otogi: Myth of Demons
2002
80
8
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
2023
86
5
Demon's Souls
2009
89
5
Dark Souls 3
2009
89
5
Dark Souls
2011
89
4
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
2019
90
3
Dark Souls 2
2014
91
2
Bloodborne
2015
92
1
Elden Ring
2022
96
Further Analysis
It's worth noting that although the list has 39 games, FromSoft did develop Japanese exclusive titles and games that pre-dated Metacritic, meaning not every title developed is on the list.
There was a clear shift in quality over quantity at FromSoftware in the late 2000s. The company released far fewer titles, and the ones that it did release generally scored far higher. Historically, though, it has had some stinkers.
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor, released for the Xbox 360's Kinect in 2012, received a lowly 38 from 58 critic reviews. Games Master UK scored the game a 6/100, saying, "At some point, From Software must have been aware that their game was literally unplayable, but by then it was too late."
Shadow Assault - Tenchu fared slightly better, scoring 46 from just eight reviews, but it received equally scathing criticism, with one reviewer saying, it "feels as though the developers just wanted to put out an Xbox Live Arcade title for a quick buck."
The final game worth laughing at is Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit, which scored 48. IGN said, "The fact is that it's just awful. Awful, awful, awful. It's ugly, frustrating, and extremely repetitive," and almost every other reviewer agreed.
So, while Elden Ring Nightreign's review scores are a bit of a shock in the context of modern FromSoft, just be thankful we've got this version of the company, and not the early one.
8 Images 8 Images Close Like Follow FollowedElden Ring Nightreign
Action RPG Soulslike Roguelite Systems Released May 30, 2025 Developer(s) From Software Publisher(s) Bandai Namco Entertainment, From Software Multiplayer Online Co-Op Number of Players 1-3 Steam Deck Compatibility Unknown PC Release Date May 30, 2025 Xbox Series X|S Release Date May 30, 2025WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITAL
