Bloodborneis both a blessing and a curse for theDark Soulsseries. In one sense, it attracted a countless number of new gamers to the series who might have never tried it, if not for the PS4 exclusivity. On the other hand, theDark Soulsgames do not measure up against many ofBloodborne’s best qualities. Of course,Dark Soulscan never escape comparisons towards the gothic-cosmic horror masterpiece, as the games share many similarities (and, of course, the same developer).
With a new trailer and details about the highly anticipatedElden Ringemerging this E3, it makes sense to think about the similarities and differences in the games that inspired it.Elden Ringlooks like FromSoftware’s most ambitious title to date. That ambition is most obvious in howElden Ringmight take the best bits out of previous FromSoftware titles, includingBloodborne. Fans still clamor for a sequel or remaster of the game to this day, showing how important it still is to FromSoftware fans. However, many fans who preferBloodbornedo so because of its many distinctive differences to the developer’s other games.
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Bloodborne’s Dark Souls-like Development
One of the key comparisons often made between the firstDark SoulsandBloodborneis the creative team that worked on them. In particular, creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki was the lead onBloodborneas well as the originalDark Souls. That fact is often used to explain the troubled launch ofDark Souls 2.Miyazaki worked more closely onBloodbornethan on the second game in theSoulsseries, and the signature flair ofDark Soulsis apparent inBloodbornetoo.
Dark Soulsskyrocketed theSoulsseries to fame after the cult success ofDemon’s Souls, with its tight, interconnected world and deeply complex narrative.Bloodbornetook this formula, and reworked all the mechanics. While this may seem like a difference to the series writ large, it actually emulated whatDark Soulsdid to the series' tropes. In the same way,Bloodbornemoved the franchise to entirely new heights, redefining certain elements of it. Since then, there are have been countless games likeBloodborne.These games take the quicker gameplay and aggressiveness and make it a priority.
Thanks to the input from Miyazaki and otherDark Soulsdevelopers,Bloodbornemirrored its predecessor’s innovation and inspired so many other games to copy it. Souls-like games are incredibly popular nowadays, and many of them (like the upcomingThymesia) seem to take more heavily fromBloodbornethan other FromSoftware titles. This commitment to not playing it safe with design, and incorporating new and exciting mechanics is exactly the philosophy ofDark Soul’s development.
How Bloodborne Made “Soulsborne” a Thing
Thanks toBloodborne, the gaming phrase"Souls series" morphed into “Soulsborne.” Not only did the game bring more players to theSoulsseries, but it was such a landmark title that it changed how the franchise is talked about in general discussion. Of course, for this series moniker to take off, the game has to carry several elements of the previous games over. For example,Bloodborne’s locations look similar to otherareas in theSoulsseries. The same level of difficulty and occasionally obtuse mechanics also appears inBloodborne. The world connects in a complex way as well, and it is those tight, oppressive, but sprawling landscapes that characterize theSoulsborneseries.
Engendering ‘Passivity’: Bloodborne Shirked the Shield
Interestingly,Bloodborne’s item descriptionstake shots at styles ofDark Soulsplay. Unlike the wealth of options inDarkSouls, the only shield available inBloodborneis a wooden plank shield. The description on the item notes that it can “engender passivity” in the player, which both reflects onBloodborne’s radically different playstyle, and also mocks a commonDark Soulsmode of gameplay.
It is hard to exactly determine thebest starting class inDark Souls.However, many players find themselves picking the “knight” at character creation. This knight is decked out like the typical sword and board medieval warrior, and plays like one too. While sorcerers and clerics inDark Soulshurl magic motes and holy lightning across the map, knights typically get up close and personal, glancing out from their shields every time they attack.
According toBloodborne, that’s a really boring way to play the game. While the sword and shield may be a popularDark Soulsarchetype, online players will notice the abundance of shirtless great sword wielders that roll and bound acrossPvP areas, often with only a tiny dagger for countering opponents. This is the exact playstyle thatBloodborneencourages.
The Problem With Parrying in Bloodborne
As well as removing all things shield-like in the game,BloodbornereimaginedDark Soul’s parry mechanics, and made the game magnitudes quicker as a result. In theSoulsseries, players can parry with a shield or specific dagger in their off-hand in a very tight window. On the other hand,Bloodborne’s method of parrying uses guns. These guns give a much larger parry window thanDark Souls. A more accessible parry mechanic is entirely necessary forBloodborne,which boasts a much more frenetic style of play. As such, the different parry mechanics makeBloodborneplay in an entirely distinct way to its predecessors.
Themes, Glorious Themes
Much has been written on the oppressive nature ofDark Soulsand its mechanics, and how it comments on the cyclical, perpetual nature of violence and empire. In particular, games likeDark Souls 2make explicit commentary on how the engines of imperialism have this eventually self-destructive quality. The staggering corpse of King Vendrick is a perfect example of this, an eternally wandering agent of a collapsed empire who cannot do anything but tread the fateful steps of his past.
Bloodbornetakes an entire different approach to its themes. The game starts as this coiling gothic horror dealing with lycanthropy and disease, and the ways society breaks down under various pressures. As this plot unfurls, it reveals its true intentions: it iscosmic horrorof the highest proportions. The intimate terror of disease and infection of the early game pales in comparison to the grim horror of the unspeakably large entities that stalk the endgame.
Another fascinating element is the game’sinsight mechanic.Players can go through the majority of the game entirely unaware of the cosmic horror implications, and there are even multiple endings depending on how much the player interacted with the cosmic entities. The fact that one player can go through a game that seems to be focussing on human psychology, nightmare, and trauma, and be totally unaware of the greater cosmic threat underlying the game’s themes is fascinating. Arguably, it demonstrates thatBloodborneis not only thematically different toDarkSouls, but portrays those themes in a much more complex narrative.
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