Despite being over 6 years old as of 2021,Bloodbornestill defines the genre of creepy action RPGs. It is arguably one of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s finest games and is different from all FromSoftware’s other titles. So, what exactly sets it aside from the other Souls games? Why are fans still clamoring for a PC release of this title, and how does it still stand as a top-tier example of the genre, when so many games have been released since?
Several components are at play when thinking about howBloodborneis so different from other Souls titles, and why that made it so successful. These involve changing up the basic formula of the main FromSoftware titles, including basic mechanics, thematic concerns, narrative stylings, and the platform it released on along with a lot of other minute details.
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Bloodborne has a Wild, Fast Pace
The most obvious, immediate way in whichBloodbornediffers from its Souls game predecessors is through pacing.Bloodborne’s approach here rears its head right at the start, when the first enemy a player faces is a relatively small, but incredibly deadly werewolf. InDark Souls, the first aggressive enemy that appears is the Asylum Demon. While terrifying, the game expects a player to be able to move past it fairly quickly into the next area, and this feat is relatively easy once the shock of the creature’s size subsides. The Asylum Demon is similar to a lot ofDark Soulsbosses; it hits incredibly hard but does so very slowly. In immediate contrast, the werewolf at the start ofBloodborneis incredibly fast and ferocious.
Both of these enemies are great exercises in foreshadowing the main combat of each game.Dark Soulsencourages a much slower, more considered playstyle, whereasBloodbornepunishes hesitancy and over-cautious behavior in its combat. This also fits very thematically with each game.Dark Soulsis a tale of a kingdom long past and the journey of one lost Hollow to put its old gods to rest.Bloodborneis a tale of the frenetic and terrifying beast blood plague, delving into the mind, its madness, and the body.Bloodborne’sworld is so well loved that fans even createretro versions of Yharnam, showing how inspiring the city’s design is.
One of the main ways in whichBloodbornechanges up its pace relative to the Souls games is how it uses healing. The Souls series is known for its difficulty, and player health management plays a huge part in that. TheDark Soulsgames use an “Estus Flask” to restore player health. These flasks took a long time to drink, slowed the player down, and restored a huge chunk of health.Bloodbornechanges this system massively. In the game, “blood vials” restore a small amount of health. Further to that, when a player attacks within a certain window of taking damage they restore some of their lost health. The pacing itself changes thanks to this mechanic and an aggressive playstyle becomes the most efficient way to play. This health regain style is so efficient that someone figured outhow to beatBloodbornewithout healingthemselves, which is much more difficult in otherSoulstitles.
Another element that really aidsBloodborneand differentiates it from otherSoulsgames is its approach to storytelling. While not “simple” by any means,Bloodborne’scentral plot is more straightforward than any other FromSoftware title. The game is not as open-ended asDark Soulsand does not hide as much of its lore in item descriptions. In previousSoulstitles, the lore had to be pieced together from the most obscure lines of texts in little corners of the world. Thanks to the manyDark Soulsfan theoriesonline, the story became much easier to follow.Bloodbornetook a different route with its narrative, making it a touch more obvious. It never loses Miyazaki’s trademark mystique, but makes basic elements of its story much more accessible to a wider audience.
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This simplification of certain narrative elements works well withBloodborne’sstatus as a PS4 exclusive. There are a lot of console exclusive games and recently much talk ofPlayStation exclusives coming to PC. While exclusivity is a controversial topic, it worked surprisingly well forBloodborne. The game became a system seller, driving many fans of the series to purchasing a PlayStation. More than just bringing players, the game also introduced FromSoftware’s games to new fans. Those who already had a PlayStation 4 could pick it up for their new system easily. As the game has a simpler approach compared to the other series, this made it an easier proposition for a huge new audience.
Bloodborne’s Type of Horror
TheSoulsgames are no stranger to cosmic horror, as amongthe scariestDemon’s Soulsenemiesare the Lovecraftian mind flayers. These creatures make horrific sounds and stalk the halls of tortured souls on a deadly patrol. BeforeBloodborne, this was the most eldritch that the series got. In contrast, the PlayStation 4 exclusive eventually reveals the real terror behind the “beast-blood” plague focused on in the first half to be creatures from the stars, perfectly blending gothic and cosmic horror.
By combining these two types of horror,Bloodborneadds a deep layer of mystery. This cosmic horror plotline is somewhat hidden, and the full terror of it is only revealed under certain conditions. While other FromSoftware games have hidden bosses,Bloodborneagain implements them differently. Bosses like Ebrietas or theMoon Presenceare totally optional and easy to miss and fighting them shows the player a hidden level to the narrative, with eldritch beings at the core of the game’s problems. Sure, otherSoulsgames have secret bosses that add new information, but none quite establish a whole underlying narrative as the hidden enemies ofBloodborne.
Indeed, one important part of the game is finding outhow to use Insight inBloodborne. It is a mechanic that denotes how many of game’s cosmic horrors you’re able to see. This is a touch different to a hidden wall. When the Insight level is above 40, strange things happen. Giant, fleshy spider-like creatures become visible all over Yharnam, clung to buildings, watching, and waiting.
In short,Bloodbornetakes the formula of theSoulsgames and refines it. The game plays quicker, more aggressively and focusses more on psychological, gothic, and cosmic horror than any other game in the series. It goes even further, taking all of these radical shifts in playstyle, themes and even healing into a high-demandPlayStation exclusive. This exclusivity worked surprisingly well, catapulting the series into a whole set of new fans.Bloodborneis undoubtedly incredible, and it is absolutely no surprise that gamers cannot wait for a sequel.
