A long time fan of the Souls series having played Demon's Souls as well as Dark Souls 1 and 2 I can safely say Bloodborne keeps the Souls series spirit while broadening its appeal for potential new fans.
Dark Souls is set in a dark and Gothic Victorian styled city with heavy influences from the Lovecraftian Mythos and Easter Egg references to previous FromSoft titles and Miyazaki's favorite manga series Berserk scattered throughout.
Bloodborne keeps much of the Souls formula with a familiar skill system, weapon upgrade and degradation system, Souls are kept now know as Blood Echoes, and there is a new central hub known as the Hunter's Dream similar to the Nexus in Demon's Souls where your hunter will frequently visit to rest, repair and upgrade your weapons, level up, or purchase new supplies.
New to Bloodborne are a number of additions and improvements that sets it apart from the old Souls siblings.
Gone is Humanity and Hallowing replaced with a new slightly puzzling system known as Insight. All players begin the game with an Insight of 0 and with gained insight new items, game mechanics, improved loot from enemies, access to multiplayer, and lore becomes available. However all of this comes at a cost. The higher your Insight becomes the more unstable and susceptible to the new status affect known as Frenzy you become. Insight can be viewed as your Hunter's perception of the hidden world of the Great Ones all around them and with this Insight not meant for the human mind comes the cost of your sanity which is where the Frenzy comes in. Some enemies in the game cause the status affect known as Frenzy which is similar to the prior entries status affect known as Bleed and the higher your insight the more easily affected by this brutally punishing status affect you become.
Also gone are armour upgrades every armour now comes as it is and cannot be improved but it also no longer needs to be repaired.
In the place of armour weapon upgrading has greatly been expanded the basic +1 to +10 upgrade system remains but gone are elemental infusions replaced with a new mechanic known as Blood Gems.
Blood Gems are small gems that begin to be found after a couple hours of playtime almost every weapon or fire arm can be infused with Blood Gems. Blood Gems effects can range from a simple percentage damage boost, an increase to your weapons scaling, or the much loved Elemental or Status infusions. Blood Gems work multiplicatively not additively so that +12 Scaling you ditched in favour of +9% physical damage may become more useful with the addition of more Scaling gems, though the same can also be said for the damage.
Having just mentioned firearms in regards to weapons I will now touch on these. Shields are now almost completely ditched, there is one shield available early in the game but you would likely be better off avoiding it, in favour of firearms ranging from low damage flinch causing blunderbusses to higher damage more accurate pistols.
Firearms are Bloodborne's new parry mechanic when an enemy is attacking or using a healing item if timed just right you may interupt their action causing them to stagger and make an opening for a visceral attack which will cause heavy damage and more often than not finish an enemy off in a single attack.
While not really made for damage I will say that with a heavy enough focus on the new skill Bloodtinge(40-50) gun fire can become a viable alternative of damage over your melee weapons.
Next is the new Trick Weapon system all weapons have a secondary attack mode ranging from a large two-handed form, simply an alternative one-handed form, a dual-wield form, a gun-blade form, or a unique affect. This makes the majority of weapons you stumble across actually two very different weapons in one and makes combat very interesting.
Speaking of combat the pacing is rapidly improved. Gone is hiding behind your shield and slowly baiting enemies into an opening. Combat is now faster and enemies are far more aggressive commonly not leaving room for a breather it is now attack or die.
However running is still a viable option to an extent and it is still possible to completely sneak past enemies in some areas.
Aiding the new aggressive combat is the Regain system. When your hunter is damaged by an enemy attack a white line will drop on your health bar showing where your health will decrease to however before this takes place there is a small opening where your damaged health is faded out and attacking an enemy with a melee weapon during this short period gives you the chance to potentially fully regain all of your lost health.
Tip don't stop attacking after an enemy is dead depending on the speed of your weapon you can potentially get 1-2 more heals before regain completely ends.
Spirits, invasion, and summoning also remain. However summoning an ally now requires 1 insight which can make cooperation more difficult early in the game. However it is now easier than it has ever been to party with friends with the use of custom passwords that can be used to instantly find the person you are searching for.
Lastly is the new system of Chalice Dungeons. At first these will seem little more than a small addition to the main game however the deeper you progress the more difficult it becomes with the best versions of some items as well as some totally unique chalice armour and items becoming available the further you progress.
A fair warning Chalice Dungeons will eventually become incredibly difficult far harder than anything you will experience in New Game+ or beyond so do not be afraid to seek the assistance of a friend. Speaking of New Game+ Chalice Dungeons are completely separate and no progress will be lost and the difficulty will not change upon completion of the main game and the move into NG+.
Pros:
Beautifully dark and Victorian world.
Disturbing enemies ranging from mythical horrors to Lovecraftian anomalies.
Incredibly beautiful and atmospheric soundtrack.
Being able to easily* play with friends.
Blood Gem System
Questionable:
Lack of weapons. Presently there are only 15 known melee weapons and 11 sidearms, which includes 9 firearms.
The saving grace here is that what is included is great unlike the previous Souls Games there are no throw-away weapons and everything is 100% viable for PVP or finishing the story mode. The new Trick Weapon system also nearly doubles that 15 weapon count.
Difficulty, while I will say the main game is noticeably easier than any Souls game aside from possibly 1 or 2 bosses it is still incredibly punishing and far more difficult than the majority of games being produced today. This could be off putting to more relaxed or casual gamers
Don't panic Souls Vets the game is still difficult and some areas are almost certain to give you some form of trouble and if not try out the Chalice dungeons which has some of the hardest content available in a Souls game to date, with possibly the hardest boss as well.
Cons:
* While easier to play with friends having multiplayer tied to Insight can make things more difficult especially in the early hours of the game.
Frame-rate much like previous entries a few areas suffer from frame-rate issues. The worst being one boss that occasionally dips to a slideshow level of frame-rate for the first 10-15 seconds, I and none of my close friends have experienced this but it is commonly mentioned on gaming forums, good news is the world frame-rate drops are manageable and the one common boss issue goes a way after that 10-15 second lag with no major impact on the fight. Not killing enemies as you progress can lead to FPS issues in the more crowded ares.
A bit shorter than the Souls games the main story can be completed in as little 20~ hours if you skip all optional bosses and areas. With all optional bosses, areas, and a reasonable amount of deaths you are looking at a 40-50~ hour completion time.
Realistically a first time Souls player is looking at 40-50hrs for their first play-through, while a Souls Veteran is looking at 30-40~ hours. Someone who simply rushes down the main path and does no exploring will be looking at 20~hours.
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From the manufacturer
Hunt your nightmares in this intense Action RPG, exclusively on PlayStation 4 system
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A terrifying new worldJourney to a horror-filled Gothic city where deranged mobs and nightmarish creatures lurk around every corner. |
Strategic Action CombatArmed with a unique arsenal of weaponry, including guns and saw cleavers, you will need wits, strategy and reflexes to take down the agile and intelligent enemies that guard the city's dark secrets. |
A new generation of action RPGStunningly detailed gothic environments, atmospheric lighting, and advanced new online experiences showcase the power and prowess of the PlayStation 4 system. |
Ever-changing chalice dungeons to exploreUse holy chalices to gain entrance to a network of vast underground ruins, filled with traps, beasts, and rewards, to explore and conquer alone or with others. These procedurally generated dungeons offer brand new challenges to master, and can be uploaded or shared with friends. |
Gameplay Details
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Regain SystemWhen you take damage from enemies, counter-attack the enemy within a certain period of time to regain some of your lost HP. The damage taken initially turns orange, indicating you can earn it back if you are quick enough. Hesitate too long and you’ll lose that health for good. |
Offensive ParryBloodborne encourages characters to say on the offensive, using an equipped firearm as a staggering tool. By unloading a shot right before the enemy's attack lands, the tables are instantly turned, leaving them staggered and open to a devastating Visceral Attack. |
MessengersThese small creatures have crept out of a nightmare, and while they may not look too friendly, they accompany hunters, follow their orders, and take care of messages left for others. |
TrapsBoth a grave and a place of slumber, these dungeons are not a place where visitors are welcomed. Those who venture here quickly find this out thanks to the many fatal traps hidden throughout the tunnels and halls, such as these guillotine blades covered in the blood of unsuspecting Hunters. |
Uncover Yharnam’s dark past in The Old Hunters expansion DLC. *Sold Separately
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Hunters of oldExperience the nightmare of the hunters who once protected Byrgenwerth’s darkest secrets. |
Yharman's HistoryDelve further into the deep, rich history of Yharnam’s sinister past in this nightmare world |
New FeaturesNew stages to explore, with a host of brand new enemies and bosses |
Defend yourselfMultiple new weapons and armor sets to add your Hunter arsenal |
Videos
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Bloodborne Story Video
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Bloodborne TV Spot
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Reviews with images
A Dark Fairy Tale
As someone who has played Demon and Dark Souls I and II, I can say that this game is a fresh new step for the series.Graphics: The first thing I noticed from this game is the attention to detail, the environments are loaded with little effects that make this world feel alive. From the beautiful foliage on the ground that will move as you pass through it to all the breakable items on the tables or on the streets. The blood plays a large role as well when you go on a killing rampage your character will look like they bathed in blood, seems to be a lot of attention to wet effects. They also paid attention a lot to cloth physics and more fluid animations then what i felt the souls series had, the graphics overall are large step up from preview entries. I just wanna say I love the hunters rest when I first saw that full moon and my characters silhouette in front of it, it felt like a page from a beautiful dark fairy tale.How it plays: Bloodborne makes me rethink my play style no more heavy shield and slow rolls for this cowboy. When i first started playing I had my usual pace of go slow and stay cautious of enemies which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But I feel like the way that this game encourages you to play is agile and aggressive after you learn the enemies patterns. I found it easier to go at enemies with quick attacks and frequent dodges. I'm finding I enjoy the lack of shields it gives me a new sense of importance on careful dodging. Trying to get health regain strikes when available is scary and fun at the same time, You can potentially get a lot of health back or outright die. The weapons in Bloodborne are very interesting with a limited number of weapons you can gain more expertise in a particular weapon and not have to worry about 50 to 100 weapons. Overall the game feels very smooth and the combat is very fluid. Although I would look out for enemies flurry attacks as they will kill you.Sound: I am very fond of the music in Bloodborne it can be the most pleasant music at times of rest or very intense and when some beast is towering over you. The classical dark tones mix with the blood and brutality very well like a blood soaked opera. The sounds in the souls series have always been part of the amazing ambiance of the fantasy worlds and this game is no different. Whether its a blood curdling scream from some where far away or the screech of a beast that's lurking around the corner. From the sound of swords clashing against enemies or scraping the ground or the foliage rustling as you walk through it every part of the sound draws me closer to the world of Yharnam.It it worth buying: Well Bloodborne isn't for all players the game is demanding and can be frustrating and vague at times. Having said that it's one of the best games I've played, I can't recommend it enough. Bloodborne wants you to die and learn from your mistakes and look at different ways to overcome obstacles or maybe call in a friend to help. FromSoft has built a world I want to explore and perfect my techniques for hours on end. This game will devour my time trying out new builds and trying to find the secrets and lore that is hidden in this dark Victorian world. "sick creature... may you rest in peace... Umbasa"
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2015
Platform For Display: PlayStation 4Edition: CollectorsVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2015
Platform For Display: PlayStation 4Edition: CollectorsVerified Purchase
