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Some games make me tense and nervous as I play them but Bloodborne is different; I am tense and nervous before I start playing. I have no experience on From Software’s previous games but I know their reputation well and I wonder, can a scared little newcomer like me survive in an unforgiving world?
The character selection screen allows you to select a class and create an axe wielding lunatic capable of scaring off all manner of creatures just by the appearance. At least, that was my plan. In reality the character’s outfit covered up most of his face which meant that the character creation screen was almost pointless. Still Bob was all set, me less so.
There is a brief introduction which gives you a purpose of sorts. I still found myself a bit lost, confused and without any direction but I did at least have an axe. I’m used to a little more guidance but at least I wasn’t dead yet. The opening section does contain a few pointers delivered courtesy of some creepy ghoul like creatures appearing from the ground; very helpful little creatures they are.
You’ll find yourself in Yharnam armed with your chosen weapon in one hand and a gun in the other. My axe wasn’t quite as intimidating as I’d like but it looked dangerous enough. A warm welcome awaits all in Yharnam and the locals all come to meet and greet you without hesitation. An illness has spread turning some inhabitants into rather large beasts and the rest into violent sociopaths. No matter what the lifeform, they come to mutilate you on sight and it doesn’t take long before the introductions start.
Combat is kept simple but effective. There is a button for the gun, a button for the melee weapon and a button for a charged hit with the melee weapon. The experienced will mix and match, others, like me will mash buttons frantically. Naturally the friendlies don’t stand around waiting to be whacked and the dodge button comes in very handy for avoiding an incoming attack. Or at least it would if I didn’t leave it so late. The pace is a lot slower than the likes of Bayonetta which suits me much better but that’s not to say this is an easy game. As I am reminded time and time again, it pays to be patient rather than storming in mashing away at the attack buttons. You’ll land 2, possibly 3 hits if you are lucky before the enemy strikes back and they can hit hard, very hard. Some can take out an entire life bar with one hit. There is a little stamina problem with your character to deal with as well. A few swings of the axe and he is knackered; quite an inconvenience when a pitch fork is heading towards your body.
You can extend your weapon onto a two handed device with a longer reach but it does come with a slight speed cost. The bigger the weapon the longer it takes to swing and it isn’t going to be suitable at all times. Switching between single and double handed variations is quick and easy though and you soon learn what setup is most suitable for each occasion.
The games starts off relatively simple. I dispatched a few enemies with ease and started to wonder if this game was as challenging as it is made out to be. I then came across a rather round enemy. He was a little shorter than my character but he’d certainly cost a lot to feed. I couldn’t help but notice the size of his axe and I suddenly felt a little inadequate. Still, he was shuffling about a bit and is quite a big boy so chances are he is slow and will have bigger stamina issues than me. On our first meeting he showed me that the game is a little trickier than the first few enemies had led to me to believe but I still felt I could take him. Back I went to try again. And try again. And try again. It seems I underestimated his abilities and overestimated mine.
The player is awarded blood echoes on dispatching an enemy and these come in very useful for boosting the stats. They can be spent on upgrades back at the sanctuary that is the Hunter’s Dream. There is a slight problem in that you lose the lot if you die however. When you only have a few it doesn’t really matter but when you have enough for an upgrade or two then it suddenly adds quite a layer of tension which didn’t exist before. I often find my progress halted as I head back to cash in; I’m not much of a gambler. All is not lost if you die though. If you defeat that which killed you then you get to reclaim all those blood echoes back; lose again and that stash is gone forever.
On leaving the sanctuary the world is returned to the state it was in at the beginning of the game. Reincarnation all round so you’ll be facing the enemies all over again. At first I wasn’t keen on this but it does serve as good practice to fine tune the combat skills. The grinding aspect does also let you earn blood echoes to help level up before progressing deeper and that is essential. When you confront a boss which gives you a bit of a hiding it is often wise to just re-visit areas and take down all the enemies again to build up the blood echoes and ultimately boost your stats in preparation for the next battle. It is always nice to go back to enemies which gave you bother earlier in the game, like chubby for instance. I can now take him out with a single charged attack from my axe, very satisfying. The weapons can also be powered up which does come in very useful.
Health can be replenished by blood vials (everything is blood related). Applying the vial isn’t instant and the character has a little animation to go through; it looks like he is smashing the vial. A hit from an enemy will prevent the health boost and all too often I have died whilst trying to replenish my health. The tricky thing with the health bar is that there is a white indicator which shows what your health will deplete to. For some reason taking a hit from an enemy isn’t an instant health reduction. A quick glance at the red health bar can leave you thinking you have more health than you actually do. I have got used to this now but I don’t really see the purpose.
There is a nice variety of enemies with a nice variety of weapons. Some of them like to drag their axes along the ground, other likes to carry their flaming torches and pitch forks. Some prefer a more hands on approach and apply some poison and many of them just look like they should be avoided at all costs. The enemies also come in a nice variety of sizes right up to giants with equally large weapons. Fighting a group can be troublesome and they do have a habit of hanging about in gangs. There is a selection of wildlife too in the form of crows, wolves, a variety of dog like creatures and pigs; all on the large side of course. No matter what the type of enemy, all are dangerous and all very capable of quickly relieving you of your collection of blood echoes. At times running away to buy yourself a bit of time is more sensible than cowardly; at least that’s what I tell myself anyway.
And then there are the boss battles. This is where the challenge really increases. I’ve faced and defeated 7 bosses in the main story and 1 in the dungeons so far and most have given me significant trouble. I did manage to beat one of them at my first attempt but the general evidence would suggest that was a fluke. The bosses all come with a large health bar and it will take some time to beat each one. They come in all shapes and sizes but all hit hard and fast. I find there isn’t a huge sense of relief in beating one as I know there is another battle coming soon. After many defeats from the same boss it can almost feel personal and I find myself rather unsporting, shall we say, in my victory when it does eventually come.
The locations are stunning; creepy but stunning. The graphics are impressive and the gothic architecture is incredibly detailed. Ignoring the beasts burning at the stake and the many unpleasant sights, it is hard to imagine any location I have visited being somewhere you could ever feel at ease walking about even on a bright summer’s day. The locals also appear to like their statues, the type of statues that are a little unsettling and you expect to spring to life as you pass. It is all very atmospheric and the audio does a great job too; there is something eerie about the single chime of the clock bell. The character models are impressively detailed as well.
You’ll get to see a lot of the locations in your adventure and there is plenty of room for exploration; some parts are inaccessible at first. Shortcuts to bosses become very useful but there are a variety of useful items which can be found as well as the odd friendly scattered about. There isn’t a map to follow so you’ll no doubt stumble across a lot of it just by trying to find where to go next. The lack of map could leave the player feeling a little disorientated but I’ve yet to feel that. Of course, with visiting the various areas multiple times trying to farm blood echoes does mean you get to know the city rather well.
There is a multiplayer aspect which I’ve only dabbled with. Notes can be left for others from a predefined set of phrases. You can also see ghost like outlines of other players who have visited the area. The ghosts let you see their actions but I find it a little distracting. You can ring a bell to ask for help from others who may come into your world to lend a helping axe. In times of desperation it is hard not to turn to another. Of course, there is no guarantee as to the quality of the player you will get; I have had one helpful person and another who was having more trouble than me. You can also inadvertently allow another player into your world as an enemy. I’ve yet to face one of these enemies and I’m glad about that. Bloodborne feels like a solitary game to me so I’m trying to do as much as I can on my own. I only dabbled with this aspect for research you see, nothing to do with getting grief from a boss.
Bloodborne is a real mix of emotions. It is a stunning game and every bit as enjoyable as it is frustrating. In the 25 hours I have sank into this game so far I have come close to quitting 3 times. Very close. Each time I decided to take a break but the game gets under my skin. I find myself annoyed that I want to quit and I end up thinking about the boss battle, reading about it, watching others play against bosses and each time I found myself trying again the next day. It is designed to be challenging and it most definitely is but there is something that has kept me coming back for more and sometimes I’m not sure why I do it.
As for my opening question about whether I can survive in this unforgiving world; well that has still to be seen but if I ultimately fail (and I suspect I may) then it certainly won’t be for lack of trying. This is a game I love and hate in equal measure but I cannot help but be incredibly impressed by it. And incredibly frustrated.
Score: anything between 1 and 10 and I can feel the entire range in the same session.
The character selection screen allows you to select a class and create an axe wielding lunatic capable of scaring off all manner of creatures just by the appearance. At least, that was my plan. In reality the character’s outfit covered up most of his face which meant that the character creation screen was almost pointless. Still Bob was all set, me less so.
There is a brief introduction which gives you a purpose of sorts. I still found myself a bit lost, confused and without any direction but I did at least have an axe. I’m used to a little more guidance but at least I wasn’t dead yet. The opening section does contain a few pointers delivered courtesy of some creepy ghoul like creatures appearing from the ground; very helpful little creatures they are.
You’ll find yourself in Yharnam armed with your chosen weapon in one hand and a gun in the other. My axe wasn’t quite as intimidating as I’d like but it looked dangerous enough. A warm welcome awaits all in Yharnam and the locals all come to meet and greet you without hesitation. An illness has spread turning some inhabitants into rather large beasts and the rest into violent sociopaths. No matter what the lifeform, they come to mutilate you on sight and it doesn’t take long before the introductions start.
Combat is kept simple but effective. There is a button for the gun, a button for the melee weapon and a button for a charged hit with the melee weapon. The experienced will mix and match, others, like me will mash buttons frantically. Naturally the friendlies don’t stand around waiting to be whacked and the dodge button comes in very handy for avoiding an incoming attack. Or at least it would if I didn’t leave it so late. The pace is a lot slower than the likes of Bayonetta which suits me much better but that’s not to say this is an easy game. As I am reminded time and time again, it pays to be patient rather than storming in mashing away at the attack buttons. You’ll land 2, possibly 3 hits if you are lucky before the enemy strikes back and they can hit hard, very hard. Some can take out an entire life bar with one hit. There is a little stamina problem with your character to deal with as well. A few swings of the axe and he is knackered; quite an inconvenience when a pitch fork is heading towards your body.
You can extend your weapon onto a two handed device with a longer reach but it does come with a slight speed cost. The bigger the weapon the longer it takes to swing and it isn’t going to be suitable at all times. Switching between single and double handed variations is quick and easy though and you soon learn what setup is most suitable for each occasion.
The games starts off relatively simple. I dispatched a few enemies with ease and started to wonder if this game was as challenging as it is made out to be. I then came across a rather round enemy. He was a little shorter than my character but he’d certainly cost a lot to feed. I couldn’t help but notice the size of his axe and I suddenly felt a little inadequate. Still, he was shuffling about a bit and is quite a big boy so chances are he is slow and will have bigger stamina issues than me. On our first meeting he showed me that the game is a little trickier than the first few enemies had led to me to believe but I still felt I could take him. Back I went to try again. And try again. And try again. It seems I underestimated his abilities and overestimated mine.
The player is awarded blood echoes on dispatching an enemy and these come in very useful for boosting the stats. They can be spent on upgrades back at the sanctuary that is the Hunter’s Dream. There is a slight problem in that you lose the lot if you die however. When you only have a few it doesn’t really matter but when you have enough for an upgrade or two then it suddenly adds quite a layer of tension which didn’t exist before. I often find my progress halted as I head back to cash in; I’m not much of a gambler. All is not lost if you die though. If you defeat that which killed you then you get to reclaim all those blood echoes back; lose again and that stash is gone forever.
On leaving the sanctuary the world is returned to the state it was in at the beginning of the game. Reincarnation all round so you’ll be facing the enemies all over again. At first I wasn’t keen on this but it does serve as good practice to fine tune the combat skills. The grinding aspect does also let you earn blood echoes to help level up before progressing deeper and that is essential. When you confront a boss which gives you a bit of a hiding it is often wise to just re-visit areas and take down all the enemies again to build up the blood echoes and ultimately boost your stats in preparation for the next battle. It is always nice to go back to enemies which gave you bother earlier in the game, like chubby for instance. I can now take him out with a single charged attack from my axe, very satisfying. The weapons can also be powered up which does come in very useful.
Health can be replenished by blood vials (everything is blood related). Applying the vial isn’t instant and the character has a little animation to go through; it looks like he is smashing the vial. A hit from an enemy will prevent the health boost and all too often I have died whilst trying to replenish my health. The tricky thing with the health bar is that there is a white indicator which shows what your health will deplete to. For some reason taking a hit from an enemy isn’t an instant health reduction. A quick glance at the red health bar can leave you thinking you have more health than you actually do. I have got used to this now but I don’t really see the purpose.
There is a nice variety of enemies with a nice variety of weapons. Some of them like to drag their axes along the ground, other likes to carry their flaming torches and pitch forks. Some prefer a more hands on approach and apply some poison and many of them just look like they should be avoided at all costs. The enemies also come in a nice variety of sizes right up to giants with equally large weapons. Fighting a group can be troublesome and they do have a habit of hanging about in gangs. There is a selection of wildlife too in the form of crows, wolves, a variety of dog like creatures and pigs; all on the large side of course. No matter what the type of enemy, all are dangerous and all very capable of quickly relieving you of your collection of blood echoes. At times running away to buy yourself a bit of time is more sensible than cowardly; at least that’s what I tell myself anyway.
And then there are the boss battles. This is where the challenge really increases. I’ve faced and defeated 7 bosses in the main story and 1 in the dungeons so far and most have given me significant trouble. I did manage to beat one of them at my first attempt but the general evidence would suggest that was a fluke. The bosses all come with a large health bar and it will take some time to beat each one. They come in all shapes and sizes but all hit hard and fast. I find there isn’t a huge sense of relief in beating one as I know there is another battle coming soon. After many defeats from the same boss it can almost feel personal and I find myself rather unsporting, shall we say, in my victory when it does eventually come.
The locations are stunning; creepy but stunning. The graphics are impressive and the gothic architecture is incredibly detailed. Ignoring the beasts burning at the stake and the many unpleasant sights, it is hard to imagine any location I have visited being somewhere you could ever feel at ease walking about even on a bright summer’s day. The locals also appear to like their statues, the type of statues that are a little unsettling and you expect to spring to life as you pass. It is all very atmospheric and the audio does a great job too; there is something eerie about the single chime of the clock bell. The character models are impressively detailed as well.
You’ll get to see a lot of the locations in your adventure and there is plenty of room for exploration; some parts are inaccessible at first. Shortcuts to bosses become very useful but there are a variety of useful items which can be found as well as the odd friendly scattered about. There isn’t a map to follow so you’ll no doubt stumble across a lot of it just by trying to find where to go next. The lack of map could leave the player feeling a little disorientated but I’ve yet to feel that. Of course, with visiting the various areas multiple times trying to farm blood echoes does mean you get to know the city rather well.
There is a multiplayer aspect which I’ve only dabbled with. Notes can be left for others from a predefined set of phrases. You can also see ghost like outlines of other players who have visited the area. The ghosts let you see their actions but I find it a little distracting. You can ring a bell to ask for help from others who may come into your world to lend a helping axe. In times of desperation it is hard not to turn to another. Of course, there is no guarantee as to the quality of the player you will get; I have had one helpful person and another who was having more trouble than me. You can also inadvertently allow another player into your world as an enemy. I’ve yet to face one of these enemies and I’m glad about that. Bloodborne feels like a solitary game to me so I’m trying to do as much as I can on my own. I only dabbled with this aspect for research you see, nothing to do with getting grief from a boss.
Bloodborne is a real mix of emotions. It is a stunning game and every bit as enjoyable as it is frustrating. In the 25 hours I have sank into this game so far I have come close to quitting 3 times. Very close. Each time I decided to take a break but the game gets under my skin. I find myself annoyed that I want to quit and I end up thinking about the boss battle, reading about it, watching others play against bosses and each time I found myself trying again the next day. It is designed to be challenging and it most definitely is but there is something that has kept me coming back for more and sometimes I’m not sure why I do it.
As for my opening question about whether I can survive in this unforgiving world; well that has still to be seen but if I ultimately fail (and I suspect I may) then it certainly won’t be for lack of trying. This is a game I love and hate in equal measure but I cannot help but be incredibly impressed by it. And incredibly frustrated.
Score: anything between 1 and 10 and I can feel the entire range in the same session.
pb wrote:
This game needs serious commitment.
It certainly does but if I can get as far as I have then anyone can. It does deserve some commitment as it is a very impressive game but at the same time, it will punish you for that commitment.
Hateful game. Excellent game. Hateful game. Excellent game.
This game needs serious commitment.
It certainly does but if I can get as far as I have then anyone can. It does deserve some commitment as it is a very impressive game but at the same time, it will punish you for that commitment.
Hateful game. Excellent game. Hateful game. Excellent game.
I lasted all of a few hours then traded it in. I may try again at some point but I've got far too much to play in the meantime. This game needs serious commitment.
Some games make me tense and nervous as I play them but Bloodborne is different; I am tense and nervous before I start playing. I have no experience on From Software’s previous games but I know their reputation well and I wonder, can a scared little newcomer like me survive in an unforgiving world?
The character selection screen allows you to select a class and create an axe wielding lunatic capable of scaring off all manner of creatures just by the appearance. At least, that was my plan. In reality the character’s outfit covered up most of his face which meant that the character creation screen was almost pointless. Still Bob was all set, me less so.
There is a brief introduction which gives you a purpose of sorts. I still found myself a bit lost, confused and without any direction but I did at least have an axe. I’m used to a little more guidance but at least I wasn’t dead yet. The opening section does contain a few pointers delivered courtesy of some creepy ghoul like creatures appearing from the ground; very helpful little creatures they are.
You’ll find yourself in Yharnam armed with your chosen weapon in one hand and a gun in the other. My axe wasn’t quite as intimidating as I’d like but it looked dangerous enough. A warm welcome awaits all in Yharnam and the locals all come to meet and greet you without hesitation. An illness has spread turning some inhabitants into rather large beasts and the rest into violent sociopaths. No matter what the lifeform, they come to mutilate you on sight and it doesn’t take long before the introductions start.
Combat is kept simple but effective. There is a button for the gun, a button for the melee weapon and a button for a charged hit with the melee weapon. The experienced will mix and match, others, like me will mash buttons frantically. Naturally the friendlies don’t stand around waiting to be whacked and the dodge button comes in very handy for avoiding an incoming attack. Or at least it would if I didn’t leave it so late. The pace is a lot slower than the likes of Bayonetta which suits me much better but that’s not to say this is an easy game. As I am reminded time and time again, it pays to be patient rather than storming in mashing away at the attack buttons. You’ll land 2, possibly 3 hits if you are lucky before the enemy strikes back and they can hit hard, very hard. Some can take out an entire life bar with one hit. There is a little stamina problem with your character to deal with as well. A few swings of the axe and he is knackered; quite an inconvenience when a pitch fork is heading towards your body.
You can extend your weapon onto a two handed device with a longer reach but it does come with a slight speed cost. The bigger the weapon the longer it takes to swing and it isn’t going to be suitable at all times. Switching between single and double handed variations is quick and easy though and you soon learn what setup is most suitable for each occasion.
The games starts off relatively simple. I dispatched a few enemies with ease and started to wonder if this game was as challenging as it is made out to be. I then came across a rather round enemy. He was a little shorter than my character but he’d certainly cost a lot to feed. I couldn’t help but notice the size of his axe and I suddenly felt a little inadequate. Still, he was shuffling about a bit and is quite a big boy so chances are he is slow and will have bigger stamina issues than me. On our first meeting he showed me that the game is a little trickier than the first few enemies had led to me to believe but I still felt I could take him. Back I went to try again. And try again. And try again. It seems I underestimated his abilities and overestimated mine.
The player is awarded blood echoes on dispatching an enemy and these come in very useful for boosting the stats. They can be spent on upgrades back at the sanctuary that is the Hunter’s Dream. There is a slight problem in that you lose the lot if you die however. When you only have a few it doesn’t really matter but when you have enough for an upgrade or two then it suddenly adds quite a layer of tension which didn’t exist before. I often find my progress halted as I head back to cash in; I’m not much of a gambler. All is not lost if you die though. If you defeat that which killed you then you get to reclaim all those blood echoes back; lose again and that stash is gone forever.
On leaving the sanctuary the world is returned to the state it was in at the beginning of the game. Reincarnation all round so you’ll be facing the enemies all over again. At first I wasn’t keen on this but it does serve as good practice to fine tune the combat skills. The grinding aspect does also let you earn blood echoes to help level up before progressing deeper and that is essential. When you confront a boss which gives you a bit of a hiding it is often wise to just re-visit areas and take down all the enemies again to build up the blood echoes and ultimately boost your stats in preparation for the next battle. It is always nice to go back to enemies which gave you bother earlier in the game, like chubby for instance. I can now take him out with a single charged attack from my axe, very satisfying. The weapons can also be powered up which does come in very useful.
Health can be replenished by blood vials (everything is blood related). Applying the vial isn’t instant and the character has a little animation to go through; it looks like he is smashing the vial. A hit from an enemy will prevent the health boost and all too often I have died whilst trying to replenish my health. The tricky thing with the health bar is that there is a white indicator which shows what your health will deplete to. For some reason taking a hit from an enemy isn’t an instant health reduction. A quick glance at the red health bar can leave you thinking you have more health than you actually do. I have got used to this now but I don’t really see the purpose.
There is a nice variety of enemies with a nice variety of weapons. Some of them like to drag their axes along the ground, other likes to carry their flaming torches and pitch forks. Some prefer a more hands on approach and apply some poison and many of them just look like they should be avoided at all costs. The enemies also come in a nice variety of sizes right up to giants with equally large weapons. Fighting a group can be troublesome and they do have a habit of hanging about in gangs. There is a selection of wildlife too in the form of crows, wolves, a variety of dog like creatures and pigs; all on the large side of course. No matter what the type of enemy, all are dangerous and all very capable of quickly relieving you of your collection of blood echoes. At times running away to buy yourself a bit of time is more sensible than cowardly; at least that’s what I tell myself anyway.
And then there are the boss battles. This is where the challenge really increases. I’ve faced and defeated 7 bosses in the main story and 1 in the dungeons so far and most have given me significant trouble. I did manage to beat one of them at my first attempt but the general evidence would suggest that was a fluke. The bosses all come with a large health bar and it will take some time to beat each one. They come in all shapes and sizes but all hit hard and fast. I find there isn’t a huge sense of relief in beating one as I know there is another battle coming soon. After many defeats from the same boss it can almost feel personal and I find myself rather unsporting, shall we say, in my victory when it does eventually come.
The locations are stunning; creepy but stunning. The graphics are impressive and the gothic architecture is incredibly detailed. Ignoring the beasts burning at the stake and the many unpleasant sights, it is hard to imagine any location I have visited being somewhere you could ever feel at ease walking about even on a bright summer’s day. The locals also appear to like their statues, the type of statues that are a little unsettling and you expect to spring to life as you pass. It is all very atmospheric and the audio does a great job too; there is something eerie about the single chime of the clock bell. The character models are impressively detailed as well.
You’ll get to see a lot of the locations in your adventure and there is plenty of room for exploration; some parts are inaccessible at first. Shortcuts to bosses become very useful but there are a variety of useful items which can be found as well as the odd friendly scattered about. There isn’t a map to follow so you’ll no doubt stumble across a lot of it just by trying to find where to go next. The lack of map could leave the player feeling a little disorientated but I’ve yet to feel that. Of course, with visiting the various areas multiple times trying to farm blood echoes does mean you get to know the city rather well.
There is a multiplayer aspect which I’ve only dabbled with. Notes can be left for others from a predefined set of phrases. You can also see ghost like outlines of other players who have visited the area. The ghosts let you see their actions but I find it a little distracting. You can ring a bell to ask for help from others who may come into your world to lend a helping axe. In times of desperation it is hard not to turn to another. Of course, there is no guarantee as to the quality of the player you will get; I have had one helpful person and another who was having more trouble than me. You can also inadvertently allow another player into your world as an enemy. I’ve yet to face one of these enemies and I’m glad about that. Bloodborne feels like a solitary game to me so I’m trying to do as much as I can on my own. I only dabbled with this aspect for research you see, nothing to do with getting grief from a boss.
Bloodborne is a real mix of emotions. It is a stunning game and every bit as enjoyable as it is frustrating. In the 25 hours I have sank into this game so far I have come close to quitting 3 times. Very close. Each time I decided to take a break but the game gets under my skin. I find myself annoyed that I want to quit and I end up thinking about the boss battle, reading about it, watching others play against bosses and each time I found myself trying again the next day. It is designed to be challenging and it most definitely is but there is something that has kept me coming back for more and sometimes I’m not sure why I do it.
As for my opening question about whether I can survive in this unforgiving world; well that has still to be seen but if I ultimately fail (and I suspect I may) then it certainly won’t be for lack of trying. This is a game I love and hate in equal measure but I cannot help but be incredibly impressed by it. And incredibly frustrated.
Score: anything between 1 and 10 and I can feel the entire range in the same session.
The character selection screen allows you to select a class and create an axe wielding lunatic capable of scaring off all manner of creatures just by the appearance. At least, that was my plan. In reality the character’s outfit covered up most of his face which meant that the character creation screen was almost pointless. Still Bob was all set, me less so.
There is a brief introduction which gives you a purpose of sorts. I still found myself a bit lost, confused and without any direction but I did at least have an axe. I’m used to a little more guidance but at least I wasn’t dead yet. The opening section does contain a few pointers delivered courtesy of some creepy ghoul like creatures appearing from the ground; very helpful little creatures they are.
You’ll find yourself in Yharnam armed with your chosen weapon in one hand and a gun in the other. My axe wasn’t quite as intimidating as I’d like but it looked dangerous enough. A warm welcome awaits all in Yharnam and the locals all come to meet and greet you without hesitation. An illness has spread turning some inhabitants into rather large beasts and the rest into violent sociopaths. No matter what the lifeform, they come to mutilate you on sight and it doesn’t take long before the introductions start.
Combat is kept simple but effective. There is a button for the gun, a button for the melee weapon and a button for a charged hit with the melee weapon. The experienced will mix and match, others, like me will mash buttons frantically. Naturally the friendlies don’t stand around waiting to be whacked and the dodge button comes in very handy for avoiding an incoming attack. Or at least it would if I didn’t leave it so late. The pace is a lot slower than the likes of Bayonetta which suits me much better but that’s not to say this is an easy game. As I am reminded time and time again, it pays to be patient rather than storming in mashing away at the attack buttons. You’ll land 2, possibly 3 hits if you are lucky before the enemy strikes back and they can hit hard, very hard. Some can take out an entire life bar with one hit. There is a little stamina problem with your character to deal with as well. A few swings of the axe and he is knackered; quite an inconvenience when a pitch fork is heading towards your body.
You can extend your weapon onto a two handed device with a longer reach but it does come with a slight speed cost. The bigger the weapon the longer it takes to swing and it isn’t going to be suitable at all times. Switching between single and double handed variations is quick and easy though and you soon learn what setup is most suitable for each occasion.
The games starts off relatively simple. I dispatched a few enemies with ease and started to wonder if this game was as challenging as it is made out to be. I then came across a rather round enemy. He was a little shorter than my character but he’d certainly cost a lot to feed. I couldn’t help but notice the size of his axe and I suddenly felt a little inadequate. Still, he was shuffling about a bit and is quite a big boy so chances are he is slow and will have bigger stamina issues than me. On our first meeting he showed me that the game is a little trickier than the first few enemies had led to me to believe but I still felt I could take him. Back I went to try again. And try again. And try again. It seems I underestimated his abilities and overestimated mine.
The player is awarded blood echoes on dispatching an enemy and these come in very useful for boosting the stats. They can be spent on upgrades back at the sanctuary that is the Hunter’s Dream. There is a slight problem in that you lose the lot if you die however. When you only have a few it doesn’t really matter but when you have enough for an upgrade or two then it suddenly adds quite a layer of tension which didn’t exist before. I often find my progress halted as I head back to cash in; I’m not much of a gambler. All is not lost if you die though. If you defeat that which killed you then you get to reclaim all those blood echoes back; lose again and that stash is gone forever.
On leaving the sanctuary the world is returned to the state it was in at the beginning of the game. Reincarnation all round so you’ll be facing the enemies all over again. At first I wasn’t keen on this but it does serve as good practice to fine tune the combat skills. The grinding aspect does also let you earn blood echoes to help level up before progressing deeper and that is essential. When you confront a boss which gives you a bit of a hiding it is often wise to just re-visit areas and take down all the enemies again to build up the blood echoes and ultimately boost your stats in preparation for the next battle. It is always nice to go back to enemies which gave you bother earlier in the game, like chubby for instance. I can now take him out with a single charged attack from my axe, very satisfying. The weapons can also be powered up which does come in very useful.
Health can be replenished by blood vials (everything is blood related). Applying the vial isn’t instant and the character has a little animation to go through; it looks like he is smashing the vial. A hit from an enemy will prevent the health boost and all too often I have died whilst trying to replenish my health. The tricky thing with the health bar is that there is a white indicator which shows what your health will deplete to. For some reason taking a hit from an enemy isn’t an instant health reduction. A quick glance at the red health bar can leave you thinking you have more health than you actually do. I have got used to this now but I don’t really see the purpose.
There is a nice variety of enemies with a nice variety of weapons. Some of them like to drag their axes along the ground, other likes to carry their flaming torches and pitch forks. Some prefer a more hands on approach and apply some poison and many of them just look like they should be avoided at all costs. The enemies also come in a nice variety of sizes right up to giants with equally large weapons. Fighting a group can be troublesome and they do have a habit of hanging about in gangs. There is a selection of wildlife too in the form of crows, wolves, a variety of dog like creatures and pigs; all on the large side of course. No matter what the type of enemy, all are dangerous and all very capable of quickly relieving you of your collection of blood echoes. At times running away to buy yourself a bit of time is more sensible than cowardly; at least that’s what I tell myself anyway.
And then there are the boss battles. This is where the challenge really increases. I’ve faced and defeated 7 bosses in the main story and 1 in the dungeons so far and most have given me significant trouble. I did manage to beat one of them at my first attempt but the general evidence would suggest that was a fluke. The bosses all come with a large health bar and it will take some time to beat each one. They come in all shapes and sizes but all hit hard and fast. I find there isn’t a huge sense of relief in beating one as I know there is another battle coming soon. After many defeats from the same boss it can almost feel personal and I find myself rather unsporting, shall we say, in my victory when it does eventually come.
The locations are stunning; creepy but stunning. The graphics are impressive and the gothic architecture is incredibly detailed. Ignoring the beasts burning at the stake and the many unpleasant sights, it is hard to imagine any location I have visited being somewhere you could ever feel at ease walking about even on a bright summer’s day. The locals also appear to like their statues, the type of statues that are a little unsettling and you expect to spring to life as you pass. It is all very atmospheric and the audio does a great job too; there is something eerie about the single chime of the clock bell. The character models are impressively detailed as well.
You’ll get to see a lot of the locations in your adventure and there is plenty of room for exploration; some parts are inaccessible at first. Shortcuts to bosses become very useful but there are a variety of useful items which can be found as well as the odd friendly scattered about. There isn’t a map to follow so you’ll no doubt stumble across a lot of it just by trying to find where to go next. The lack of map could leave the player feeling a little disorientated but I’ve yet to feel that. Of course, with visiting the various areas multiple times trying to farm blood echoes does mean you get to know the city rather well.
There is a multiplayer aspect which I’ve only dabbled with. Notes can be left for others from a predefined set of phrases. You can also see ghost like outlines of other players who have visited the area. The ghosts let you see their actions but I find it a little distracting. You can ring a bell to ask for help from others who may come into your world to lend a helping axe. In times of desperation it is hard not to turn to another. Of course, there is no guarantee as to the quality of the player you will get; I have had one helpful person and another who was having more trouble than me. You can also inadvertently allow another player into your world as an enemy. I’ve yet to face one of these enemies and I’m glad about that. Bloodborne feels like a solitary game to me so I’m trying to do as much as I can on my own. I only dabbled with this aspect for research you see, nothing to do with getting grief from a boss.
Bloodborne is a real mix of emotions. It is a stunning game and every bit as enjoyable as it is frustrating. In the 25 hours I have sank into this game so far I have come close to quitting 3 times. Very close. Each time I decided to take a break but the game gets under my skin. I find myself annoyed that I want to quit and I end up thinking about the boss battle, reading about it, watching others play against bosses and each time I found myself trying again the next day. It is designed to be challenging and it most definitely is but there is something that has kept me coming back for more and sometimes I’m not sure why I do it.
As for my opening question about whether I can survive in this unforgiving world; well that has still to be seen but if I ultimately fail (and I suspect I may) then it certainly won’t be for lack of trying. This is a game I love and hate in equal measure but I cannot help but be incredibly impressed by it. And incredibly frustrated.
Score: anything between 1 and 10 and I can feel the entire range in the same session.