No modern video game series has been as influential as Dark Souls, which didn’t just inspire the design and philosophy of countless other titles, but created the entire Soulslike genre. But while other studios have tried to emulate the formula for years, no one has even come close to FromSoftware’s singular masterpiece: Bloodborne.
The blood-soaked streets of Yarnham remain one of the most chilling video game settings ever seen, and Bloodborne’s refinement of the Souls formula is so compelling that even FromSoftware’s more recent titles, like Sekiro and Elden Ring, haven’t surpassed it. The only downside is that Bloodborne has never broken out of its PlayStation 4 prison.
Alone with the horrors.
At first glance, Bloodborne might seem like a Souls game with Lovecraftian horror slapped on top, but it soon becomes clear how the game forges its own vibrant identity. You begin in the gothic city of Yarnham, with no idea of who you are or what’s happening to the city. All you know is that unspeakable horrors now stalk the streets.
Yarnham is a stunning accomplishment of level design, a grand monument to humanity’s power and ingenuity laid low by hubris. As you’ll learn, ancient ruins were found beneath it, prompting an investigation by the College of Byrgenwerth. But a search for power led to the discovery of terrible beings called Great Ones, prompting the city’s downfall.
What immediately stands out about Bloodborne is its oppressive feeling of isolation. That’s a Souls trademark, but Bloodborne perfects this idea like few other games have. The city’s twisted architecture bears down on you as horrific creatures lurk around every corner, and even their cries are enough to send a chill down your spine. But those eerie streets also open up to more fantastical locations, like the surprisingly cozy halls of Bygenwerth, the stunning gothic spires of Cainhurst Castle, and the beautifully decrepit gardens of the Hunter’s Dream.
Bloodborne isn’t all gothic citadels and dark streets.
All of this is permeated by a superb, understated story that’s told through item descriptions and environmental storytelling as much as character dialogue. It’s a story about our tendency to never be satisfied, to always seek out more knowledge and power until we lead ourselves to ruin. Despite how powerful we can feel, humans are ultimately frail and insignificant creatures, a fact Bloodborne constantly reminds you of.
Bloodborne’s other crowning achievement is its combat. The crux of what makes it feel so innovative is its emphasis on offense and aggression, which is largely thanks to the game’s Rally system. This lets you recover portions of lost health by attacking the enemy, and this single change completely alters the way you approach a Souls experience, as you’re rewarded for relentlessly attacking rather than sitting back and trying to soak up hits.
Playing too much Bloodborne might give you nightmares.
The game’s combat and character progression are designed to feed into that core idea of aggression. You have expanded dodge abilities, but limited options for blocking. The game’s hideous weapons feature abilities tuned for offense, like a giant sawblade that hacks enemies into pieces, or a blunderbuss that shoots a massive blast. This offensive focus takes some getting used to, but makes you feel like an unstoppable wrecking ball once you grasp the game’s systems.
Bloodborne, like most Souls games, is notoriously difficult, but it also feels like the game provides players with a wealth of opportunities to improve. Bosses require you to learn patterns and think on your feet, while exploration rewards you with new weapons and enhancements. Bloodborne isn’t hard for the sake of being hard, but deliberately challenges players to practice and get better.
Bloodborne has some of the best and most challenging bosses in the entire Souls genre.
Every single element works in concert to create an experience that’s gripping from start to finish. Despite Bloodborne’s intense challenge, it’s an experience that never feels defeating. There’s a constant sense that you’re learning from your mistakes, which is a core part of why Bloodborne remains FromSoftware’s best game. With all that in mind, it’s infuriating that the only way to play Bloodborne is on a PlayStation 4. Despite heaps of critical and fan acclaim, Sony has never seen fit to remaster Bloodborne, port it to the PS5, or give the game a PC version.
It’s frustrating to see one of the grandest achievements in modern gaming fall by the wayside, but we can at least recognize its profound influence on gaming. Countless other Soulslikes would look to it for inspiration, like the surprise 2023 hit Lies of P, and its innovations feel like they gave FromSoftware the impetus to experiment even more with Elden Ring. The Souls genre shows no sign of losing steam, but it may never quite reach these heights again.
