Bronetta
Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
A friend of mine picked up Bloodborne upon my recommendation so I decided to start a new playthrough to play along with him. This is my 6th playthrough of what I consider the greatest game of all time. With this many playthroughs you'd think Id have seen everything but no I noticed a lot of details this time around which continue to further convince me Bloodborne really is the greatest game of all time.
The Intro
"Ah...Paleblood, yes. Well you've come to the right place. Yharnam is the home of blood ministration. You need only unravel its mystery." A wheelchair bound mysterious old man says right as the game starts. Most new players gloss over it but the game sets up what you, the player Hunter is searching for from the moment the opening cutscene plays.
Where to go?
As soon as you step outside of Iosefka's clinic and open the first gate, the Great Bridge is in plain view right in front of you. Without so much as a word, the game's already hinting you where to go. Even though Cleric Beast is an optional boss and the Great Bridge is a deadend, it does lead to the sewers to the next boss.
Beast hunter or beast within?
With headphones on, a lot of ambient sounds and dialogue is brought to the forefront. The Yharnamites are inflicted and turning into beasts. Upon defeat their dementia becomes apparent when they cry out "damn beast'. They think it is the player Hunter who is a beast, a sign of dementia brought on by their affliction.
The thrill of the hunt
These symptoms come to a tipping point against the first mandatory boss fight in the game, Father Gascoigne. Upon encountering Father G he remarks "Beasts all over the shop, you'll be one of them soon enough." before attacking you in a beastly rage.
"The sweet blood. Oh, it sings to me. It's enough to make a man sick." raves Father G as the thrill of the hunt eventually consumes him, transforming him into a beast. Those who hunt beasts are prone to becoming that which they hunt if they get consumed by the intoxication of the hunt.
The Scourge of Old Yharnam
Old Yharnam was burned to the ground and sealed off due to the spread of the scourge. The beasts here look different from before. How exactly did the Scourge spread in Old Yharnam? The answer may lie in the Church of the Good Chalice. As Gehrman tells us, "Most of the Holy Chalices lie deep within the tomb of the gods. And the few that found their way to the surface... Were lost again in the hands of men. But if the old hunter tales remain true... ...one of the Holy Chalices is worshipped in the valley hamlet." Could this chalice have been the source of the Scourge outbreak in Old Yharnam?
The Last Vicar
The second mandatory boss of the game, Vicar Amelia is located in the Grand Cathedral. Like Gascoigne she also transforms into a beast as the player approaches but... Did you know whispers of her prayer can be heard in the Cathedral before you initiate the fight?
"Remain wary of the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young."
"Were it not for fear, death would go unlamented."
"Seek the old blood."
"Let us pray, let us wish... to partake in communion."
"Let us partake in communion... and feast upon the old blood."
"Our thirst for blood satiates us, soothes our fears."
"Seek the old blood."
"But beware the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young."
"The foul beasts will dangle nectar and lure the meek into the depths."
"Remain wary of the frailty of men..."
Conclusion
There's just so much detail and coherence in the game that one could spend hours analyzing every detail and connecting the plot points. Im sure Ill notice even more details as I continue playing. Im playing a PS4 Pro this time around and the framerates a bit better but the frame pacing is still there. I also love how interconnected everything is. Like the great bridge example earlier, you often see areas in the distance which you'll visit (Church of the Good Chalice in Old Yharnam for example).
Not to mention the impeccably tuned combat making it a joy to hunt, the haunting and memorable soundtrack which elevates the atmosphere, the intensity of the boss fights keeping you on the edge of your seat and finally, a brilliant story which will keep a player engrossed in the games lore long after they've finished playing.
Without a doubt one of the best game ever and my personal favorite. Theres something here thats so compelling. Ive got a backlog of stuff but had no qualms about starting Bloodborne another time which is a testament to what a phenomenal game it is.
The Intro
"Ah...Paleblood, yes. Well you've come to the right place. Yharnam is the home of blood ministration. You need only unravel its mystery." A wheelchair bound mysterious old man says right as the game starts. Most new players gloss over it but the game sets up what you, the player Hunter is searching for from the moment the opening cutscene plays.
Where to go?
As soon as you step outside of Iosefka's clinic and open the first gate, the Great Bridge is in plain view right in front of you. Without so much as a word, the game's already hinting you where to go. Even though Cleric Beast is an optional boss and the Great Bridge is a deadend, it does lead to the sewers to the next boss.
Beast hunter or beast within?
With headphones on, a lot of ambient sounds and dialogue is brought to the forefront. The Yharnamites are inflicted and turning into beasts. Upon defeat their dementia becomes apparent when they cry out "damn beast'. They think it is the player Hunter who is a beast, a sign of dementia brought on by their affliction.
The thrill of the hunt
These symptoms come to a tipping point against the first mandatory boss fight in the game, Father Gascoigne. Upon encountering Father G he remarks "Beasts all over the shop, you'll be one of them soon enough." before attacking you in a beastly rage.
"The sweet blood. Oh, it sings to me. It's enough to make a man sick." raves Father G as the thrill of the hunt eventually consumes him, transforming him into a beast. Those who hunt beasts are prone to becoming that which they hunt if they get consumed by the intoxication of the hunt.
The Scourge of Old Yharnam
Old Yharnam was burned to the ground and sealed off due to the spread of the scourge. The beasts here look different from before. How exactly did the Scourge spread in Old Yharnam? The answer may lie in the Church of the Good Chalice. As Gehrman tells us, "Most of the Holy Chalices lie deep within the tomb of the gods. And the few that found their way to the surface... Were lost again in the hands of men. But if the old hunter tales remain true... ...one of the Holy Chalices is worshipped in the valley hamlet." Could this chalice have been the source of the Scourge outbreak in Old Yharnam?
The Last Vicar
The second mandatory boss of the game, Vicar Amelia is located in the Grand Cathedral. Like Gascoigne she also transforms into a beast as the player approaches but... Did you know whispers of her prayer can be heard in the Cathedral before you initiate the fight?
"Remain wary of the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young."
"Were it not for fear, death would go unlamented."
"Seek the old blood."
"Let us pray, let us wish... to partake in communion."
"Let us partake in communion... and feast upon the old blood."
"Our thirst for blood satiates us, soothes our fears."
"Seek the old blood."
"But beware the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young."
"The foul beasts will dangle nectar and lure the meek into the depths."
"Remain wary of the frailty of men..."
Conclusion
There's just so much detail and coherence in the game that one could spend hours analyzing every detail and connecting the plot points. Im sure Ill notice even more details as I continue playing. Im playing a PS4 Pro this time around and the framerates a bit better but the frame pacing is still there. I also love how interconnected everything is. Like the great bridge example earlier, you often see areas in the distance which you'll visit (Church of the Good Chalice in Old Yharnam for example).
Not to mention the impeccably tuned combat making it a joy to hunt, the haunting and memorable soundtrack which elevates the atmosphere, the intensity of the boss fights keeping you on the edge of your seat and finally, a brilliant story which will keep a player engrossed in the games lore long after they've finished playing.
Without a doubt one of the best game ever and my personal favorite. Theres something here thats so compelling. Ive got a backlog of stuff but had no qualms about starting Bloodborne another time which is a testament to what a phenomenal game it is.
