English
Gamereactor
previews
Bloodborne

15 for 2015: Bloodborne

From Software are back, and this time they're leaving Souls behind them.

Subscribe to our newsletter here!

* Required field
HQ

Souls fans have been a bit spoilt of late. First there was the release of last year's Dark Souls II, and all related DLC. Then, more recently, there was the announcement that that game is heading to current-gen consoles. However, undoubtedly, the one that everyone wants to see the most, the game that has everyone excited, is Bloodborne. It might not have the word "Souls" anywhere in the title, but this is still clearly the work of the same studio, delivering something very similar to their now trademark style. This is a title that revels in challenge.

Of course, there's some key differences. Not least among them is the change of setting, with From Software shifting the action from a high fantasy backdrop to a gothic Victorian-era stage (it's actually part of a wave of similar games, with The Order: 1886 and Assassin's Creed: Victory both setting their games in a similarly-styled period). The shift in mood is noticeable as a result of the change, and from a purely visual perspective, it makes for a different, more harrowing experience.

There's another major change. There's no longer a block function as was (players can block, they just can't equip shields), instead players are invited to stun their opponents with a short-range pistol shot, and then use the momentary lapse of focus to launch their own attack. However, while the slow(er)-paced action of Dark Souls is replaced here by something altogether more quick-fire, the studio's renowned gameplay beats remain intact. There's different playable character classes, and these sport different weapons that change up the pace slightly. Either way, combat is still hard, enemies are still bigger and badder than you, and there's an undeniable challenge that will keep hungry players going again and again. If you played Dark Souls, you'll feel at home soon enough.

HQ
This is an ad:

Setting aside, perhaps the most interesting feature in Bloodborne is the new Chalice Dungeons; procedurally generated areas where players are thrown into the unknown, with multiple routes and random enemy drops. We spoke to creator Hidetaka Miyazaki (through an interpreter) in London at a recent event run by Sony around the recent 20th birthday of PlayStation, and he had plenty to say (for more on our impressions of the Chalice Dungeons, and for more insight from Miyazaki-san, head here):

"It is similar to roguelike games, but it's not the same... how it works is; we call it Chalice Dungeons because you come across chalices that you can perform various rituals on, and that kind of opens up an area of these underground ruins, and that's how they're generated, by coming across these dungeons and doing this ritual. You'll be able to lock and save parts that have been generated, because that's not to lose that aspect of trial and error, and finding things and going back and challenging it again; it's a very important thing for a game like this."

Bloodborne
BloodborneBloodborneBloodborne
This is an ad:

These new dungeons have the potential to usher in a never-ending stream of content, and of course, the best dungeons will rise to the top and become a part of the game's lore. The community that has grown around From Software's games has been historically strong, and there's every reason to suspect that this will remain the case with Bloodborne: "By being able to share experiences, or share various information or gameplay in different ways in Bloodborne, there could be a huge number of things that can happen."

"The most simple way to expect what would happen would be, for example, if there's a super difficult, very very challenging area, a group or one hardcore player overcomes that and he might become some kind of legendary player within the community, or some kind of hero because he overcame that boss or situation. That's kind of a very obvious thing to expect, but it's not just that, it could very much be on the opposite side of the scale, where a very small group of not-so-hardcore or not-so-skilled players might discover various things together, and explore how to approach different situations and enemies together and overcome that, or discover something new.

"So this time, with Bloodborne, there's that opportunity for everyone to be some kind of legend, or finding something new, or you being the first person to discover something; it's always a really good feeling. The way the game is set up, and what you can share with other people, gives opportunity - not just for hardcore players but everyone who plays the game - to become the first, or the hero, or the legend. It's very exciting to see. We can't imagine everything or expect anything, there'll be a few surprises that'll come out, and it's super, super exciting to see what will happen when the game is released."

Bloodborne is a PS4-exclusive and it's heading to the console on March 25. We're looking forward to seeing more of the game, and as far as exclusives go, this is certainly one of the biggest secured by Sony. Here's hoping it delivers on its undeniable potential.

BloodborneBloodborneBloodborneBloodborne

The Competition

One obvious competitor is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, because both games come to the table packing tricky combat. Although CD Projekt Red's RPG is open-world, there'll still going to be plenty of dodging and rolling for players to enjoy.

And then there's also Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin, although that's just the updated version of last year's game - if you've already played that then this won't be hugely enticing unless you're desperate for a lick of paint on a tried and trusted game.

There'll be an emphasis on combat in Batman: Arkham Knight, and Deep Down might well offer something for genre fans to enjoy. The Legend of Zelda Wii U looks like it might have some tricky boss battles, and the theme and third-person styling of Assassin's Creed: Victory also warrants a mention here, even if it's not that similar when it's all said and done.

In truth, none of these upcoming games are really comparable (apart from perhaps the first two - plus the only current-gen game that ticks the same boxes is last year's Lords of the Fallen), and that points to the greatest strength of Bloodborne, outside of From Software's stable of games, there's hardly anything out there like it, at least on the immediate horizon. That fact alone puts the game in a very strong position.

Related texts

0
Bloodborne: The Old HuntersScore

Bloodborne: The Old Hunters

REVIEW. Written by Eirik Hyldbakk Furu

"The best aspects are here, with some new enemies, equipment, abilities, bosses and areas that gave us that great Bloodborne feeling once again."

0
BloodborneScore

Bloodborne

REVIEW. Written by Stefan Briesenick

"From Software's latest creation combines some of the strongest elements of its predecessors, while still convincing us with its own style and fresh ideas."



Loading next content