Bloodborne Impressions

So, if you read my last post about the best of the first quarter, you'll know that I recently bought a Playstation 4. I wasn't in a real big rush to get the system but when GameStop offered $175 credit towards if you traded in your PS3, I took the bait. I was reluctant at first because Tales of Zestiria will be releasing probably in the summer months and it's only ON PS3. I decided that in the long run, this was the best deal that I was going to get for my 5 year old system. It couldn't have come at a better time because the game I wanted most on the console finally released the week prior; Bloodborne.

Demon's Souls was one of the first titles I bought with my PS3. While I didn't beat it, (I wasn't ready for it yet) I loved everything about it. The difficulty, the world, the nonlinear gameplay. It all made for a fantastic experience that was unlike anything I had played up to that point. Like I said, I never finished it. The last thing I remember doing was defeating a huge dragon like creature that gave you a silver trophy upon completion. Though I loved the game, I honestly don't think I was ready for everything the world had to offer.

Dark Souls was released in October 2011 for both PS3 and 360 so I tried again in this world. This time though, I was hooked. I could not stop playing this game. I would have crazy nonstop sessions of gaming with this. I remember facing that dang Chaos Witch Quelaag before church one Sunday and it took me 3 hours to beat her. THREE HOURS. I loved how brutal the game was. It made me keep coming back for more and more punishment. It sounds sadistic but that's what we all love about these types of games. It punishes you deeply but once you overcome whatever was stopping your progress, you feel like you accomplished something huge. When I beat the Capra Demon, Smough and Ornstein and Quelaag, I felt unstoppable. That is, until I got to the next area and got a strong dose of reality. Dark Souls 2 released in 2014 and it was more of the same, just easier. That brings us to Bloodborne, the PS4 exclusive that continues the legacy that Demon's Souls started 6 years ago.

You'll see that my progress jumps from point to point. I've been doing this post for the last couple days so, just bare with it.

Let's be honest right from the gate; if you have played any one of these games, you've played them all. The gameplay is the same in all but what Bloodborne adds are guns. This might be weird to say, but Bloodborne feels more gothic than the other three Souls games. Maybe it's the areas I've been across already or the outfits the main character gets/ It just feels that way to me. I've probably spent at least 5 hours in the game so far and the last thing I did was stop at the lantern in the Old cathedral as I had about four different ways to go and I had to leave for work (This has since been updated below). Out of all the elements in the game, the open world is still the thing that keeps me coming back. My biggest gripe with Demon's Souls was that each area was separate and that it basically had a game hub, where you select the different levels you want to go to. Now, I know Bloodborne has the Hunter's Dream that you're in, but it feels more like Marjula in Dark Souls II. The point I'm at right now makes me feel like whichever way I go, it's going to lead to a different area. There's these hugge stairs that leads to a big door that I can go through. There's these two grassy areas that I can go to. There's also Old Yarham, where's there's someone who doesn't want me in there. I love exploring in these games and learning where to go and what to do.

I started out like I do in all of these games; making sure strength is my top priority. I always play the melee character and will continue to do until I die. I picked the Hunter's Ax and Pistol and started the journey. I wondered around, killing enemies, just trying to get a feel for the game and seeing if I still had the Souls experience in me. It was only this time last year where I was going through DS2. I kept trekking through until I found the first boss; The Cleric Beast. Bloodborne doesn't hide its areas with a door of fog when you first meet a boss so your only clue to when a boss is coming are the notes people leave. I didn't see any notes indicating a fight so I just continue to stroll until this huge freaking monstrosity pops up. I try to run away but the way out is blocked by an invisible wall. I tell myself, well, I'm screwed! I was nowhere near ready for this fight. Somehow though, on my first try, I beat it! Yes, I beat the Cleric Beast! I pumped my fist in victory and continued my journey. I started to feel myself get better as I remember the 100+ hours I've spent with Dark Souls 1 and 2. I met the 2nd boss of the area, Father Gascoigne. He beat me the first time but I bested him the 2nd. He wasn't too hard and wasn't nearly as scary as the Cleric Beast. I've continued to go through the game and eventually found my first Chalice but not without a challenge. The Blood-Starved Beast was the first real challenging boss in Bloodborne. His unpredictable movements, the small area and his poison all made for a difficult fight. Once you get a handle on how he attacks, you then have to worry about him poisoning you as his health bar depletes. Once his health gets even further, he starts to leak out poison so staying near him for too long will harm you in the long run. Did I mention his attacks get harder to read? You have to really watch if he goes for just one swing or if he does a huge combo because if you get hit with a combo, then you're sure to be poisoned and then die from that. It took close to 10 tries but beating him was a huge accomplishment for me. I started to telegraph all his movements and anytime he would do one swing, I would counter with one giant swing with my Hunter's Ax. Old reliable there. I went back to Hunter' Dream and used the Chalice but as I saw the clock, it said 11:45 PM and with me having to be up at 4AM, I turned the game off for the night.

I've since explored my first Chalice dungeon, saw a boss and got killed. I haven't returned since. I had some confidence after beating the Blood Starved Beast so I went to the other boss in the area that was giving me trouble; Vicar Amelia. After conquering BSB, Vicar was easy enough in reading movements. It was just her ability to restore a lot of the damage you've already done to her that made her cheap. After learning about the Numbing Mist, I beat her and learned the password for a door I couldn't open previously. As I was on my way to that room, I was killed by a new enemy that I hadn't seen before in an area that I traversed many times before. Upon death, I was in a new area, which was filled with plenty of those creatures. After finding the lantern there, I left, deeming the area too hard for my current level. I found the password door and continued into the next area; a forest like area. After getting through it and finding notes that stated a hidden path led to the clinic from the beginning of the game, I strayed off to that path and found the insane woman in the clinic. I killed her and stopped for the time being. There are SO many different ways to go. I found a summon letter in the clinic, telling me a chariot waits for me in an area I haven't explored yet but have discovered. I saw what I think is another boss nearby. It was a big forest like opening and there was a black, hairy like entity on the ground. There's still the room with the saucer that I don't know how to pass yet. There's still that Unseen village to explore. There's also the forest that I haven't fully gotten through. SO MUCH left to do. Bloodborne truly captures the essence of exploration. Every corner is an adventure and I love going deeper in this game. I truly love any game where you can explore freely. That's why I love Metroidvania games so much.

Bloodborne has me hooked. I'm 15 hours in but I don't feel like I'm even close to figuring this game out. I haven't even gotten the ability to do magic yet either. There's still SO MUCH that Bloodborne hasn't showed me yet and I'm very intrigued to continue my journey in this amazing and bleak world. It was worth trading in my PS3 for. Thanks to this game, I truly have no regrets of missing out on Tales, that is, until the date of the release draws closer and then I'll start to hate myself and look up cheap PS3 alternatives. Anyway, Bloodborne is worth the price of admission alone. It's the best PS4 exclusive so far. There aren't too many exclusives as it is but still, I feel comfortable saying that. It could wind up being my Game of the Year, simply because it captures the feel and intrigue I had when I played Dark Souls the first time. There's not a feeling in the world like it.