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[GodzillaDB]

It was my absolute favorite title from last years' selection and I believe it has a strong opportunity of being among my top picks for the whole eighth generation. A perfect marriage between Gothic and Eldritch horror executed through the masterful formula of the Souls franchise. I wouldn't mind if it received a direct sequel on the chance that Hidetaka Miyazaki would reprise his role as creative designer, but I wouldn't be too bothered if From Software's next PlayStation exclusive adhered to a loosely-connected "trilogy" tied with Demon's Souls either. However, I would much rather they focus on a remaster of the original Dark Souls in an effort to make the current trilogy accessible on a single platform, as well as offering a chance to localize the "Artorias of the Abyss" DLC on disc for North America, and I honestly wouldn't want a Demon's enhancement unless Bluepoint Games handles it.

I was admittedly a bit disappointed that a physical edition of the expanded release never arrived in the States as well. Don't know whether Sony plans to carry out a string of retail re-releases for their material once the current console cycle comes to a closure, but I opted to move forward with pulling the trigger and nabbing an import of the Chinese/English variant for The Old Hunters edition. Play-Asia hasn't received any restock in the past month and listings on eBay have been notably decreasing over the past year. Figured it would be better late than never to dive for a version with a decent-looking cover over the European "Game of the Year" option.

 

[Experimenter]

I downloaded the game only to discover my save file was deleted.

 

[reelbigtink]

I downloaded the game only to discover my save file was deleted.

Hey now you can tear through it again with a wacky build.

 

[Kinsei]

Hey OP how approachable is this game for someone who enjoys Demon Souls/Dark Souls games, but is terrible at them?

If you can beat the Souls games (even if it took a bunch of tries) then you can beat Bloodborne. It takes a different set of skills but you've already proven that you can learn them with enough practice.

 

[Bloodporne]

I'll probably be shot down for this but... Bloodborne doesn't need a sequel. A spiritual successor maybe, but not a direct sequel.

I mean I agree with you pretty much despite what I said earlier. Miyazaki doesn't seem to operate that way and the Dark Souls series is a clear warning sign for that.

HOWEVER, if they could make a true evolution of it (I'm not sure in what ways they can particularly even better that masterpiece of a game...) instead of reusing tons of assets and so on like in Dark Souls 3, that'd be fucking amazing. Either way it appears to be out of the windows for now anyway.

I'd rather them work on what they truly want, which they are by the sound of it, than give in to fan demands in some fashion and give us something not-so-inspired. Really looking forward to what they reveal as their next project(s), I'll play it all.

 

[sn00zer]

Hey OP how approachable is this game for someone who enjoys Demon Souls/Dark Souls games, but is terrible at them?

I found it much more enjoyable but I play a bunch of stylish action games.

 

[HeeHo]

It's crazy how many people on this board think this game is the bee's knees. Maybe my opinion stinks cause I never got good with parrying and I only beat the game once, but I did not like the streamlining of the stats, weapons and armor.

I came away from it kinda disappointed by it in comparison to the Souls games. Maybe that's where my mistake lies but I felt like the general internet opinion wasn't too far off.

There are absolutely great things about BB like the art, world, and boss fights, but I couldn't help but feel like they dumbed it down a little too much in terms of weapons, armor and stats.

Maybe I should give it another go though. Everyone talks about it so much on here it makes me feel tempted to. I missed the Old Hunters sale and I don't feel like jumping back in for $20 at the moment.

 

[Kinsei]

It's crazy how many people on this board think this game is the bee's knees. Maybe my opinion stinks cause I never got good with parrying and I only beat the game once, but I did not like the streamlining of the stats, weapons and armor.

I came away from it kinda disappointed by it in comparison to the Souls games. Maybe that's where my mistake lies but I felt like the general internet opinion wasn't too far off.

There are absolutely great things about BB like the art, world, and boss fights, but I couldn't help but feel like they dumbed it down a little too much in terms of weapons, armor and stats.

Maybe I should give it another go though. Everyone talks about it so much on here it makes me feel tempted to. I missed the Old Hunters sale and I don't feel like jumping back in for $20 at the moment.

I really don;t think they dumbed down the weapons. There aren't nearly as many as in the Souls games, but they're all unique. Instead of having a bunch of ultra greatswords you have one that is totally different from every other weapon in the game instead of having a bunch where the only real difference is stats anyway. My big problem with the way they handled the weapons in Bloodborne is that you get way too many of them late in the game. For example, if you want to use the blades of Mercy (an amazing weapon IMO) then you either have to kill the best character in the game and miss out on her quest line or wait until you finish the quest line finishes. Her quest line lasts for pretty much the entire game which means you'll most likely get them right before the final boss.

I think this is the reason stats work the way they do. The developers want people to be able to easily switch to a new weapon when they get it late in the game without forcing them to respec/grind.

 

[sn00zer]

i haven't started the DLC yet but if it makes the game more difficult then fantastic. I honestly feel now that the game is too easy. A couple bosses I had to fight a few times but the majority of them I've beat on first try. I'm only on my second playthrough.

I was in the same boat, bUT the first dlc boss is a brick wall. Then you literally need to get to

Spoiler

the nightmare

before you're properly leveled

 

[De_Legend]

I'm pretty sure that FromSoft is making another Bloodborne kind of game exclusively for the PS4. Whether it is a direct sequel or a spiritual successor remains to be seen though.

I can feel it.

 

[Dave_6]

I'm trying to play it for the first time since last summer (2015). I had somehow beaten Father G and gotten to the Cathedral Ward area but not any farther. Now I have died 5 times in a row and keep losing my Blood Echoes on the two troll looking guys right past the Cathedral. Guess I just need to keep screwing around till I get the feel for it again, but I had to turn it off as I got too frustrated.

 

[Experimenter]

Hey now you can tear through it again with a wacky build.

Too much effort because I'll need to collect gems again. I guess I'll have to buy ps+, I think the save is in the cloud or something. Not sure..

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I feel like I am crazy since I hated the dlc.

You are feeling correctly.

I'll probably be shot down for this but... Bloodborne doesn't need a sequel. A spiritual successor maybe, but not a direct sequel.

I'll take either or both, myself.

It's crazy how many people on this board think this game is the bee's knees. Maybe my opinion stinks cause I never got good with parrying and I only beat the game once, but I did not like the streamlining of the stats, weapons and armor.

I came away from it kinda disappointed by it in comparison to the Souls games. Maybe that's where my mistake lies but I felt like the general internet opinion wasn't too far off.

There are absolutely great things about BB like the art, world, and boss fights, but I couldn't help but feel like they dumbed it down a little too much in terms of weapons, armor and stats.

Maybe I should give it another go though. Everyone talks about it so much on here it makes me feel tempted to. I missed the Old Hunters sale and I don't feel like jumping back in for $20 at the moment.

It's true that the RPG elements have been streamlined, even arguably downgraded, but on the flipside, the action mechanics are really really damn good and make up for it, I think. Give it another go, the DLC is amazing.

 

[jacksepticeye]

Damn you, GAF. Everytime a Bloodborne thread pops up I start the game up again.

Why are you doing this to me?

Same haha.

I replay the game like twice a year every year. So good

 

[DieH@rd]

I downloaded the game only to discover my save file was deleted.

Congrats. You can play it now from scratch.

 

[Bronetta]

Every LTTP thread for this game just reminds me how amazing it is and makes me want to replay it. The game is simply superlative in nearly every aspect: combat, level design, art direction, atmosphere, enemy design, lore. Truly a masterpiece and a generation defining game.

That avatar... should be left well alone.
Oh, I know very well. How the secrets beckon so sweetly.
Only an honest death will cure you now.
Liberate you, from your wild curiosity.

 

[Quote]

I don't know why but Bloodborne is the only Souls game I haven't finished. I should go back and give it another chance, especially because i'm at the end, but I don't know. Something about the visuals not changing much from area to area bored me compared to mainline Souls.

 

[Bronetta]

Hey OP how approachable is this game for someone who enjoys Demon Souls/Dark Souls games, but is terrible at them?

I sucked at Demon's and Dark Souls, never got past the first areas and ended up hating them. After Platinuming Bloodborne I was craving more so I went back, finished both Dark and Demon's and ended up loving them both.

 

[squidyj]

Definitely head and shoulders above the Souls games.

 

[Jugendstil]

I have a crazy amount of games in my backlog but what have I done instead of playing them while I'm off work for the holidays? Started a new game of Bloodborne. I just did a suicide run to get the Whirligig Saw as early as possible. I'm excited to steam roll Rom with it.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I meant the story and bosses of the DLC.

Well, obviously. What I mean is that if you had no issue playing the regular game seven more times (even though you knew the bosses and story from your first time), why would you have any issue playing the DLC even if you knew its bosses and story?

 

[Experimenter]

I have a crazy amount of games in my backlog but what have I done instead of playing them while I'm off work for the holidays? Started a new game of Bloodborne. I just did a suicide run to get the Whirligig Saw as early as possible. I'm excited to steam roll Rom with it.

It's pretty much the best PVE weapon in the game. Have fun.

 

[Tobe Tobusch]

Kind of not directly on topic, but I need a recommendation. Dark souls 3 for 30 € or the old hunters for 10 €? What would you guys choose? Loved bloodborne btw. Thanks

 

[Experimenter]

Kind of not directly on topic, but I need a recommendation. Dark souls 3 for 30 € or the old hunters for 10 €? What would you guys choose? Loved bloodborne btw. Thanks

I would go with the old hunters, I always like to play it again.
Dark Souls 3 on the other hand isn't that fun after you finish it because literally almost all weapons feel the same.

 

[GiantBreadbug]

Saying this game doesn't "need" a sequel is the fuckin strangest and most incorrect thing I think I read on this board. Souls can (successfully) rehash story and gameplay elements for three games and it's fine, but Bloodborne can't get one sequel? I'm not saying it should get a trilogy, but saying this game doesn't have room to expand (gameplay and story) is just not correct.

Also the argument I hear for this is pretty much just made up hand waving. The game CAN be expanded upon in meaningful ways, and that really cannot be argued. I don't like sequels made for their own sake either but jeez.

 

[Rodin]

Finished it and got the Platinum. Loved it for the most part, but getting to

Spoiler

Yharnam Pthumerian Queen

was very annoying, despite a couple of awesome boss fights here and there. I know it's optional, but i also think that later areas in the main game like

Spoiler

Yahar'gul and Nightmare frontier

were shit as well, both in terms of design

Spoiler

(the nuns spawning creatures are a laughably cheap way to increase difficulty)

and boss fights

Spoiler

(lol Micolash)

.

The first half of the game, let's say until

Spoiler

the forbidden woods

is absolutely brilliant, with amazing level design and encounters, and i can't believe how good

Spoiler

upper cathedral was, as i certainly didn't expect to shit myself playing Bloodborne

. The game has also some of the best boss fights ever (although i think that the bosses were usually better in DS3) and the best combat in the Souls series. My main problem with the game was also the most difficult "boss" in it: the fucking camera.

All in all the game is still a 9/10 for me, and one of the best titles in recent memory.

Kind of not directly on topic, but I need a recommendation. Dark souls 3 for 30 € or the old hunters for 10 €? What would you guys choose? Loved bloodborne btw. Thanks

Both, but i'd say DS3 should come first. Old Hunters is a solid DLC, but aside from 3 great boss battles (amongst the best in the series) i don't think there was anything particularly remarkable about it (and i 100% it).

 

[Polioliolio]

Saying this game doesn't "need" a sequel is the fuckin strangest and most incorrect thing I think I read on this board. Souls can (successfully) rehash story and gameplay elements for three games and it's fine, but Bloodborne can't get one sequel? I'm not saying it should get a trilogy, but saying this game doesn't have room to expand (gameplay and story) is just not correct.

Also the argument I hear for this is pretty much just made up hand waving. The game CAN be expanded upon in meaningful ways, and that really cannot be argued. I don't like sequels made for their own sake either but jeez.

But is it fine? The only reason Dark Souls has sequels is probably because of Namco Bandai or some other unrelenting pricks.

These games just don't make direct sequels well. The reason Bloodborne is so damn good is precisely because it isn't a sequel to any Souls game except in spirit.

Spiritually, they obviously are sequels, and share so much. I'd be more interested in what's fresh and cooking next.

 

[Tobe Tobusch]

Thanks, I guess I'm gonna start with the old hunters since I like the unique weapons in bloodborne it's also just 10 euro in the January sale.

 

[affleck1981]

Currently replaying and just got up to the

Spoiler

Upper Cathedral Ward.

The second play through makes me realise just how on point this game is - the bosses, the hints in the level design, the movement of both your player and the enemies. I usually put it just under DS1 in my own ranking, but I'm now thinking it should go above..

 

[Kaisos]

Also the argument I hear for this is pretty much just made up hand waving. The game CAN be expanded upon in meaningful ways, and that really cannot be argued. I don't like sequels made for their own sake either but jeez.

Even if they don't call it Bloodborne 2 and it isn't set in Yharnam I would absolutely love another entry in the same setting. I really didn't get enough of dream worlds and Great Ones in this game.

Hell, they could do the inverse, where the hub zone is in the "real world" and all the levels are in the dream world. Like Psychonauts, but Lovecraftian.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

I have been playing this after buying a PS4 for mainly Bloodborne in mind and as a 'Souls veteran I do too think it's amazing.

 

[he who dwells]

Well, obviously. What I mean is that if you had no issue playing the regular game seven more times (even though you knew the bosses and story from your first time), why would you have any issue playing the DLC even if you knew its bosses and story?

Well I got the DLC today and I think playing it on NG+8 was a very big mistake, I'm dying alot like holy shit

Tons of fun tho, so it was the right decision to get it.

 

[Astral Dog]

Amazing art direction and level design,those two were Bloodbornes biggest strenghts

 

[Toxi]

Amazing art direction and level design,those two were Bloodbornes biggest strenghts

That and some amazing bosses. <3

Spoiler

Ludwig

.

 

[Mikey Jr.]

Beautiful game. Would love to go back. But I'm hesitating on a pro patch.

I know the chances are slim, but maybe.....

 

[Griss]

Was terrified to play it again. Thought the spell might be broken.

Well, almost two years later, four hours into a new game... and it's still the mindblowing masterpiece I remember.

Yharnam is my pick for 'level design of the generation'. At the very least it's a strong contender.

The Eurogamer review perfectly spells out why it's so amazing. One of the best videogame reviews I've ever read.

Director Hidetaka Miyazaki is possessed of a rare talent, an all-encompassing design sensibility capable of tying everything that matters - aesthetics, narrative, sound and mechanical design - together in a manner where each feeds into and enhances the others. The structure underlying Bloodborne is not just original but coherent, and because of this the impact of everything it does is commensurately greater. This is total design. It feels wonderful to have a world like this and, over a week of solid play later, feel that there's so much more to discover. And it's awful to know that, in all likelihood, it will be a painfully long time until I play anything else that matches up to Bloodborne's breadth of vision, generosity of content, and - yes - genius.

Yep. That's Bloodborne, right there.

 

[Chronospherics]

I was a big fan of Demon's Souls but grew tired of the Dark Souls games. They just aren't especially challenging once you've gotten used to the gameplay formula. Even when you do struggle on a boss, it's formula is always the same.

What I loved about Demon's Souls and then later, Bloodborne, was figuring everything out. Figuring out the combat systems and how to fight each enemies attack patterns relative to my capacities, unique to my experiences in that particular game.

In Dark Souls my gameplay characteristics are not unique to the game I'm playing, they were done before in Demon's Souls and if you're playing Dark Souls 3, something you may have done several hundred hours over. The notion of 'figuring out' how to play the game is gone, and so is much of the fun, in my opinion.

For me Bloodborne brought back what was lost in the Dark Souls series. I had to figure out how to play all over again. Enemy attacks were faster to a simple roll towards wasn't always the answer, with the games faster pacing and weapons giving way for more aggressive and flexible fights.

When I picked up Dark Souls 3 last year my friend and I joked about how trivial the experience was, and after jokingly suggesting 'let's just run through the game, see how far we can get'. We ran through 1/3 of the game within a couple of hours, beating most of the bosses on our first try. Skipping most of the enemies. Why was this possible? Because we knew exactly how to fight them, use light armour and roll towards the enemy as they strike. The boss fights felt rote, the environments felt traversed before, it's not a bad game, it just feels like one I've played before, and it didn't feel that way when I jumped into Bloodborne.

 

[potatohead]

Where's my bb pro patch Sony ffs

 

[Movalpolos]

So how far you in the game now OP?

 

[Rozart]

Great write up, OP. I still rate Dark Souls higher than Bloodborne but BB is definitely made out of the same GOAT ilk as its predecessor.

Damn you, GAF. Everytime a Bloodborne thread pops up I start the game up again.

Why are you doing this to me?

This is me. It happens to me with Souls threads too.

I just see everyone talking about the different areas, weapons or bosses and I get the itch to boot the game up haha.

Edit:

Well I got the DLC today and I think playing it on NG+8 was a very big mistake, I'm dying alot like holy shit

Tons of fun tho, so it was the right decision to get it.

The Old Hunters DLC on NG+8... Eeesh. I was on NG+ and just thinking back to my time with the final boss is enough to give me war flashbacks. Can't imagine what it must be like on NG+8.

Good luck.

 

[gaugebozo]

I think my personal list is 3>BB>1>2. The only reasons BB didn't take the top spot are:

1. Online was implemented poorly. You should have people invading randomly. Usually I don't even get invaded when I summon.
2. It is oppressive. This is coming from a souls veteran. The world is horrifying, more difficult than other souls games, and you have to purchase vials. This is actually good game design, it all fits thematically. However, it means that when I'm playing I frequently have to put it down because it's just too much.
3. I wish once you've beat chalice dungeons in one save file they were all unlocked in other save files.

 

[Floody]

Well I got the DLC today and I think playing it on NG+8 was a very big mistake, I'm dying alot like holy shit

Tons of fun tho, so it was the right decision to get it.

It's very unforgiving for NG+ playthroughs, I did it on NG+4 and 1 hit deaths were common, if you aren't incredibly good at dodging I would recommend starting a new character.

 

[he who dwells]

The Old Hunters DLC on NG+8... Eeesh. I was on NG+ and just thinking back to my time with the final boss is enough to give me war flashbacks. Can't imagine what it must be like on NG+8.

Good luck.

I'm just gonna say this, it took me 30 times to actually reach

Spoiler

the second phase of ludwig

and I still cannot beat him.

It's very unforgiving for NG+ playthroughs, I did it on NG+4 and 1 hit deaths were common, if you aren't incredibly good at dodging I would recommend starting a new character.

Well I'm good at dodging but holy shit the slightest mistake= insta kill, that's just bullshit.

Don't think I'll play the DLC with my other characters, I think I'll be very satisfied when I beat

Spoiler

Ludwing

and I don't won't to even think about the other bosses :/

 

[Movalpolos]

It's very unforgiving for NG+ playthroughs, I did it on NG+4 and 1 hit deaths were common, if you aren't incredibly good at dodging I would recommend starting a new character.

Yeah I did it at +5 and definitely needed help with Ludwig.

 

[combat102]

Watch this video. Parrying the Winter Lanterns is incredibly rewarding, because if you are in the middle of a visceral animation, the frenzy won't damage you. They're also very easy to parry, with a generous window and only one attack you have to learn the timing for.

i can't believe this. so much needless pain and suffering

 

[shandy706]

Ugh, I've played each souls game (due to gaf) and hated every single one. So much repetition and I hate medievel-fantasy style settings.

I read about BB and want to try it. It's cheap...I almost bought it at Walmart for $17 this weekend. I know it has a different "setting", but watching videos still makes it look like a boring slog. Why do I do it to myself? I own like 5 copies of Souls games across multiple hardware &#128514;.

I'll probably still attempt these darn games with BB at some point I guess.

 

[Endo Punk]

2 friends/colleagues bought a PS4 last week and I recommended Bloodborne, I envy people who play it for the first time, wish I could erase my memory of it &#128514;

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

I very recently beat Bloodborne and loved my time with it, as I have with all the Souls games.

I thought the music and visuals were just amazing. Ludwig's boss theme is one of my favorites in gaming, period. The whole Gothic architecture and art is so well realized, that even though environments start to look samey after a while it never becomes grating. I was sad to see Cainhurst Castle, one of the prettiest and most interesting locations in the game, hidden away from the majority of players. Don't know why the developers made it so obtuse to reach.

I thought that the bosses got progressively better, although Father Gascoigne was a standout early contender. Ludwig, Kos, Lady Maria, Logarius, Gehrman, Ebriates... these are some of the best and most memorable in the entire series. Right up there with some of Dark Souls III's best, which I think on the whole had a very, VERY strong boss lineup. However, bosses like Celestial Emissary, Living Failures, Witch of Hemwick, Micolash, The One Reborn... these were real stinkers.

I love the parry mechanic. I'm someone who tends to avoid parrying in the Dark Souls games because the window for success is so small, but Bloodborne was perfect for me. The window is way more forgiving. My first time through the game I beat Father Gascoigne on my first try without even getting hit (seriously) by parrying every single one of his attacks pretty much. That right there solidified the gameplay for me as something so satisfying and incredible.

My main issues with the game deal with the annoyingly obtuse story and narrative. I still have little idea what the fuck the game is about, and I'd have even less of an idea if I didn't come here on GAF and have it explained to me.

All that said, I'm playing Dark Souls II for the first time right now after Bloodborne and I really appreciate the change of pace. Bloodborne feels relentless all the damn time, whereas the slow and methodical pacing of Dark Souls II brings me back to Demon's Souls, and it's awesome.

 

[StoppedInTracks]

So how far you in the game now OP?

Hemwick/ Forbidden Woods though I stumbled upon Ludwig boss, heh, in the Nigthmare (LVL45, +5 Weapon) beyond the River of Blood.

Playing it 100% dark so I do not know what is and what is not DLC etc. (I know Ludwig is due to "hardest bosses in the Souls series" thread).

Cannot really read or post in this thread due to spoilers I just wanted to confirm that this game is SUPER LEGIT.

Can't imagine I waited 2 years to buy a PS4 to play this, damn!

 

[TatteredHat]

Rather than asking for Bloodborne 2 I'm much more interested in seeing what From will create next. Nobody really expected Bloodborne either, after all.