Evan Hills

There are few games that have given me an experience as unique and memorable as “Bloodborne.” Bloodborne is an absolutely amazing third person, action and horror role-playing game made by game developers, FromSoftware. Its unique combat system, gothic art style, and deep themes kept me hooked until the very end and then some. The visceral, fast-paced combat of Bloodborne is what makes it truly unique among others of its genre. It places heavy emphasis on aggressive movement, rewarding the player with health and flow if they perform well. While on the other hand, punishing them with death if they are too passive. Specifically, it encourages aggressive behavior by providing incentives to do so. For example, whenever your character receives damage, you are provided a short window of time to attack the enemy and gain health back with each hit. Another example is the movement and counter system. Whereas most similar games have the character roll to perform a dodge and parry with a shield, interrupting the flow of combat, Bloodborne offers the simple, but effective alternative that is the “Hunter Dash” and “Visceral Attacks.” The dash is a much faster and fashionable dodge compared to the rolling mechanics of other games that allows for quick counters, evasive maneuvers, and item usage. Visceral Attacks are difficult to describe, but are essentially your finisher moves whenever the enemy presents the opportunity. You thrust your hand into their body and pull, sending blood flying everywhere. I could write an entire essay on the intricacies of just one of these mechanics, but it is time I move on. Relating to the life-steal system that was previously discussed, different weapons in the game restore different amounts of health, with the “Burial Blade” (my favorite weapon) restoring the most, which leads me to the next point. The weapons system of Bloodborne is something utterly unique and captivating. Your entire gameplay is built around these 26 different weapons and you could even say that they define the gameplay itself. The defining feature of each weapon is its ability to transform, giving it increased versatility and utility. For example, the flagship weapon of Bloodborne is the Saw Cleaver, a weapon that is defined by its short, curved saw blade in its first form (dealing extra damage to particular enemies) and a longer ranged cleaver in its second form. The first form has quick, high damage attacks versus “beast-type” enemies, but you can transform the weapon in the middle of an attack to its longer reaching, slow second form if the situation arises. You hold these weapons in your right hand and a gun or other similar item in your left. Some weapons like the Burial Blade have a second form that requires two hands to use, putting away your left handed weapon in the process. The art direction of Bloodborne is also really emphasized by its blood. Every time you attack an enemy or get attacked yourself, extraordinary amounts of blood fly out. The blood in Bloodborne has object permanence, meaning that the blood won’t slowly disappear like in other games. It only disappears once you reset the area by either dying or reloading it. The exploration, combat, and look of Bloodborne is just so unique among others of its genre. It may not be the very best in any one category, but its willingness to be new is what makes it truly great.