Bloodborne PS4!

[Steven_RW]

Thanks that all makes sense now.

Agreed re it being obtuse but it has the lucky charm of being addictive enough that if you put aside a weekend to play the game you would really work most of it out yourself.

I checked in GAME for Dark Souls but they only have part 2. Ebay time..

:-)

Cheers

Steven RW

[Baryonyx]

LookAtMyCat said:

IMO Dark Souls is still a far superior game; the single greatest piece of entertainment media ever created in my view. In terms of 'exploring other worlds' it is leagues ahead of Bloodborne and if that's your favourite aspect of Bloodborne, you should immediately play Dark Souls (not DS2).

Dark Souls is amazing, but at present, I'd say Bloodborne is better. It's easy to look back fondly on Dark Souls, but it won't stack up so well now next to Bloodborne. Not to say it isn't amazing, it is. I think people often forget the last third of the game, that was quite dreary and straightforward compared to the first half of the game. It all seems to lead up to Smough and Ornstein and feels impeccably paced until then, but after that it goes a bit flat.

I love Dark Souls 2 as well, which handled story and lore in a much more interesting way but was perhaps not quite as fine to play as Dark Souls. The fact that you could clear areas but running them repeatedly, the over-reliance on giant humanoid bosses, the Royal Rat Authority boss, the lack of interlocking design in the levels all conspired to spoil the purity of the original Dark Souls experience.


So what does Bloodborne bring? Well, I love the world and lore. The pacing seems spot on, having just beaten Rom, I feel like I'm a decent way into the game, if not starting to chase down the endgame. The tension, the intrigue and the mystery just continue to build as the game goes on. It's an entirely new lore to explore, and the slow reveal of it is utterly delicious. The combat is refreshingly balanced due to their being no shield or heavy armour sets, you feel like you're really on your toes as you dodge and counter. That's not to say there isn't a place for shield combat or magic, but that's for Dark Souls 3. The enemy design is incredible, and bosses have gone back to the variety of forms seen in Dark Souls, rather than 'here's another giant knight' in Dark Souls 2. The level design is fantastic too, filled with interlocking elevators, gates and doors which link areas together in the way that made Dark Souls so revelatory. It's a beautiful Lovecraftian nightmare that sucks you in as a player and makes you desperate to discover it's secrets. It is beyond compelling to play. And of course, it has benefited from a great deal of refinement in the years that have intervened since Dark Souls was released. I really, truly hope that both series will run alongside each other from now on as I dearly love both.



Anyway, back to my day with Bloodborne. I beat Rom, though it was hard fought. His attacks are easily telegraphed but it seems as much luck as skill to where he will move relative to his spider mob, and if that will present a flank for you to strike. In the end, I whittled him down, throwing molotovs and throwing knives to finish him off. The knifes are effective, over 100DMG per knife when he has head in the air and they hit his underbelly. I was surprised shortly after to get a teleport to the sidequest area of the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall area. I had just stopped to check my gear when 'poof', I was away! If you are interested in completion, make sure you're aware of how to get to the sidequest areas as you don't want to miss them. Cainhurst is missable if you don't light the lantern right away, and I believe the lecture hall teleport may be a one-time deal too!

Rom was easily the hardest boss so far. Most bosses I've easily blown through in one go, or near enough. Whilst the only way to win on Bloodborne is to 'git gud', I've not really found any irritating difficulty spikes and progress is generally smooth, fun and challenging. It feels very fairly balanced, which is imperative when the enemies respawn in classic Dark Souls style. There is no slow chipping away at a level until you get a clean run at the boss here. That fairness is so suited to Dark Souls. I know people complain about them being hard but really, try playing Ninja Gaiden 2 on Warrior difficulty and tell me dark Souls or Bloodborne is hard! There, there was no stat buffing, no grinding to level up your character. You just got a finite amount of health and strength and went out and tackled incredible challenges. Then, at the end of the game, when you'd struggled and overcome every boss so far, they hit you with a cheesy gauntlet where you have to fight two of every boss at once! Urgh!

[DoubleSix]

Never got round to opening it...

[Steve Evil]

Baryonyx said:

I was surprised shortly after to get a teleport to the sidequest area of the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall area. I had just stopped to check my gear when 'poof', I was away! If you are interested in completion, make sure you're aware of how to get to the sidequest areas as you don't want to miss them. Cainhurst is missable if you don't light the lantern right away, and I believe the lecture hall teleport may be a one-time deal too!

Not got much in the way of insight then?

[Steven_RW]

Progress!

I have now ground away at the opening level, learned how to time killing the guys in the street with relative ease, picked up some souls, killed the werewolves, learned how to time killing the guys with the bricks (and their cousin who holds the big log in his hand), I also found a large pig thing in the sewers that charged me and I ran away. Later on I climbed a ladder and ended up in another entrance that allowed me to stab the big in the side, safely. I then beamed back to dreamland to “level up” some of my stats through the Doll. Also repairing my weapon and fortifying my weapon (twice the staff and once the pistol).

I’m now readily getting around for more than 5 to 10 mins without dying where previously I was getting killed sometimes within 2 mins of restarting.

I guessing I am “gushing” about the fact the game has opened up to me now and I am opening doors, going up elevators and so on.

Before attempting to kill the first boss, I was running around picking up as many souls as possible to level up and during that time I went across a bridge that had a team of townsfolk that were then steam rollered by a massive rolling fireball. I kept going that way and found another boss that had some sort of shotgun. This was before I had even killed the first boss on the bridge. I tried to run away but was trapped in that nightmare and got pasted eventually. I didn’t get a chance to take down his name before I was in the fight, though he kept saying eventually YOU will be evil too. Etc.

Brilliant game and massive satisfaction learning how to kill each type of enemy.

I’m still a reasonable distance away from killing the werewolves without hiding in the doorway but hey… I’m making progress 

Cheers
RW

[LandR]

Now that you are levelling up you need to make sure you are levelling up stats that will increase the damage your weapon of choice does.

Some scale off skill, some scale of strength, some scale of arcane etc.

You can tell if you go into the weapons screen and look at the section where it has A, C, D, E etc next to the strength / skill / arcane / blood symbols. This tells you how it scales.

So if you use, e.g. the threaded cane. You wouldn't go upgrading strength as the threaded cane doesn't scale that well of strength. Instead you would increase skill.



If you see on that screenshot under attribute bonus you can see that weapon scales C from strength, D from skill and D from arcane. It has NO scaling off blood. The number on the left column for the weapon (in this case 150) is the base damage the weapon does. The number on the right ( + 115 ) is the bonus damage you get from gems and your attribute scaling.

As you upgrade the weapon with blood shards you will increase the number on the left. As you upgrade your stats you will increase the number on the right.

There is a good write up here of weapon damage stats and scaling if you want in depth details of how damage is calculated. Although this is only important once you start getting to the point where you need to stop levelling a certain stat as you start hitting diminishing returns.

[Steven_RW]

LandR said:

Helpful stuff

Thanks very much. I was beginning to wonder what to level up and why. Most of my fighting is done with the threaded cane not on its special long range mode. More using it as a sword.

I have levelled up my health and endurance so I can do a couple of hard attacks without immediately becoming vulnerable.

Out of interest, how was I supposed to know all the stuff you have typed above? Should it have been obvious (bearing in mind I have been gaming since we bought a zx speccy 48k back 30+ years ago).. or is it that I should have picked it all up from previous games of this genre/style?

What was the name of the guy with the shotgun that I found myself attacking? He is clearly a boss as you cannot retreat.

Thanks very much.

Stevn RW

[DoubleSix]

Steven_RW said:

LandR said:

Helpful stuff

Thanks very much. I was beginning to wonder what to level up and why. Most of my fighting is done with the threaded cane not on its special long range mode. More using it as a sword.

I have levelled up my health and endurance so I can do a couple of hard attacks without immediately becoming vulnerable.

Out of interest, how was I supposed to know all the stuff you have typed above? Should it have been obvious (bearing in mind I have been gaming since we bought a zx speccy 48k back 30+ years ago).. or is it that I should have picked it all up from previous games of this genre/style?

What was the name of the guy with the shotgun that I found myself attacking? He is clearly a boss as you cannot retreat.

Thanks very much.

Stevn RW

It's is fairly typical of the genre. But don't be hard on yourself, the game does little to help newcomers.

[Steve Evil]

Steven_RW said:

What was the name of the guy with the shotgun that I found myself attacking? He is clearly a boss as you cannot retreat.

Father Gascoigne. His weakness is losing at the World Cup.

[LandR]

Steven_RW said:

Thanks very much. I was beginning to wonder what to level up and why. Most of my fighting is done with the threaded cane not on its special long range mode. More using it as a sword.

I have levelled up my health and endurance so I can do a couple of hard attacks without immediately becoming vulnerable.

Out of interest, how was I supposed to know all the stuff you have typed above? Should it have been obvious (bearing in mind I have been gaming since we bought a zx speccy 48k back 30+ years ago).. or is it that I should have picked it all up from previous games of this genre/style?

What was the name of the guy with the shotgun that I found myself attacking? He is clearly a boss as you cannot retreat.

Thanks very much.

Stevn RW

I only know this as I have played the previous games. But their is a button you can click on the stats screen, I can't remember it right now, but it lets you scroll through all the stats and it tells you what each of them does.

Since you are using the threaded cane you want to level up skill as the threaded cane scales highest off skill. Right now it's probably got a C scaling for skill and D for strength and arcane. As you upgrade it you can get that up to 'A' for Skill.

The soft cap for attributes is about 25. After that the additional scaling you get isn't great.

You can see below, after level 25 the additional dmg you get per 5 levels more than halves.

[Steven_RW]

DoubleSix said:

It's is fairly typical of the genre. But don't be hard on yourself, the game does little to help newcomers.

Okay thanks. I am fairly resilient as long as the game makes it feel worth the effort and this one does.

I had a similar experience when I played Skyrim. I had been away from RPG for so long (last proper one was ultima 6...) but it was so worth the effort that I stuck at it.

I wonder if I will play through this game quite quickly now I have traction or if it will take a solid number of hours and dedication. How long were the other games in the genre/series?

Cheers

Steven RW

[LandR]

Steven_RW said:

Okay thanks. I am fairly resilient as long as the game makes it feel worth the effort and this one does.

I had a similar experience when I played Skyrim. I had been away from RPG for so long (last proper one was ultima 6...) but it was so worth the effort that I stuck at it.

I wonder if I will play through this game quite quickly now I have traction or if it will take a solid number of hours and dedication. How long were the other games in the genre/series?

Cheers

Steven RW

I think 45-50 hours, if you explore everything would be about right.

[Steven_RW]

Ah. Good and bad. Will be fun for the time but unfortunately no Skyrim mega epic 300hrs plus.

Still, well worthy of the ££

[LandR]

Steven_RW said:

Ah. Good and bad. Will be fun for the time but unfortunately no Skyrim mega epic 300hrs plus.

Still, well worthy of the ££

Get a decent build made and get into PvP.

You want to be invading and murdering other players. That's where you test yourself. Right now I'm a few bosses from finishing it but have no interest in finishing right now as I have access to some prime PvP areas. Instead im running deep dungeons to get loot drops to make my weapons better for PvP.

You are soon also going to be able to create chalice dungeons in the Hunters Dream. Beat a few off these and you will be able to create Root chalice dungeons, these are randomized dungeons with randomised loot / bosses / layouts. Some bosses only ever show up in Chalice dungeons, some are harder versions of the bosses in the main game.

Once you beat some chalice dungeons you will have access to deeper dungeons then eventually defiled dungeons. Which are dungeons that force you to beat them at 50% HP, then root Defiled dungeons which are the randomised versions...

And if FROM actually fix matchmaking in dungeons, you will have sinister dungeons where you can invade / be invaded.

Lots to do outside the main game.

Edited by LandR on Friday 17th April 12:18

[Baryonyx]

Steve Evil said:

Baryonyx said:

I was surprised shortly after to get a teleport to the sidequest area of the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall area. I had just stopped to check my gear when 'poof', I was away! If you are interested in completion, make sure you're aware of how to get to the sidequest areas as you don't want to miss them. Cainhurst is missable if you don't light the lantern right away, and I believe the lecture hall teleport may be a one-time deal too!

Not got much in the way of insight then?

I've got 35 Insight. At the time I was scooped up and taken away, I couldn't see the Amygdala until it had a hold of me, but admittedly I was looking at my inventory screen and swapping my Flamesprayer for my pistol when it grabbed me. However, I now understand that you can access the Lecture Hall via other means, and that is how to get to the upper floor. I absolutely love that Lecture Hall area. It makes me so nostalgic. Back when I was young, my brother and I would go to the Hancock Museum in Newcastle with our grandad almost every weekened. It's been ruined by interior renovation now, but back then it was so reminiscent of the interior of the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall, very dark and clad with wood panelling, bereft of natural light. It was a proper Victorian style museum. I think that's why Bloodborne resonates so much with me, and probably with other English players, as the architecture is so familiar.


Anyway, on the subject of Insight and the little I've read on it, I'm not sure the guides are entirely correct. They say that at 40 Insight, Lesser Amygdala become visible in the Catherdral Ward. However, when I'm there now I can see huge Agydala creatures all over the place! And I don't know if that is because I have 35 Insight or because I'm nearing the end game! I also note the internet says that at 60 Insight, you'll hear the occasional sound of a baby crying whilst in the Hunter's Dream. Well, I can hear that occasionally, in various different areas of the game!


Anyway, some quick mini spoilers below, so don't read on if you haven't finished the storylines of the Beast and the Crow at the church. Don't read until you're at least post Rom, and preferably until you know exactly what I mean when I speak of the crow and the beast.




I was purposefully obtuse with the above sentence to not give anything away, but I am of course referring to the stories of the Madman and Eileen.

The madman storyline took me by surprise. I thought he was a monster on the rooftop at the forest when I found him, and almost struck him down. On going back to the Cathedral Ward last night, I discovered he'd killed the strange creature near the lamp (and will apparently murder any survivors there, including Arianna - take note). I challenged him and went to strike him down. fking hell, he does a lot of damage quickly! I jumped backwards to heal and found that he couldn't enter the Cathedral due to the size of the door, so I poisoned him from a distance.

Similarly, I went to find Eileen. Completely missed most of her storyline. I first found her in the Cathedral Ward, where the madman eventually ends up. She said she was hunting a hunter, but I'd already killed him by that point. Having then ruined the storyline, the only thing I could do was challenge her myself. She was tought, but with the Astral Damage buff on my cane, I was able to put her down. Her weapon set and armour set is amazing!

It was last night that the game really knocked me for six, when I found these little storylines wrapping themselves up and realising how much choice the game gives you, even if you do not appreciate it. I'd be tempted to say this is the best game I've ever played and I haven't even finished it. Whereas by this point, Dark Souls had peaked and seemed like a grind to the end, and Dark Souls 2 was picking up again after a midgame slump, Bloodborne just burns brighter and more furiously than ever. The developers have surely learned from the pacing that Dark Souls suffered at the end and have intently decided that they'd craft the game to become more addictive as it goes on, to the point where you crave the answers to the questions you have.

[LandR]

How do you get back to Lecture Hall ? I didn't light the lamp and now I can't warp back...

[Baryonyx]

LandR said:

How do you get back to Lecture Hall ? I didn't light the lamp and now I can't warp back...

I believe there is a way in from the Unseen Village that will take you onto the first floor, but I can't confirm that.

[Durzel]

LandR said:

How do you get back to Lecture Hall ? I didn't light the lamp and now I can't warp back...

If you were taken there by the lesser Amygdala just before Yahar'gul, Unseen Village (room with a silver dish in the middle) then just go back there again (via Cathedral Ward, right side if you're looking at the cathedral from the outside).

Otherwise, you'd have to beat The One Reborn and interact with the guy sat in the chair, that takes you to there too (different floor though I think? Both have lamps).

[LandR]

Thanks,

I haven't found the one reborn yet. That's probably the next boss I have to face. I think the last main game non-optional boss I beat was Amygdala.

[Steven_RW]

LandR said:

Get a decent build made and get into PvP.

You want to be invading and murdering other players. That's where you test yourself. Right now I'm a few bosses from finishing it but have no interest in finishing right now as I have access to some prime PvP areas. Instead im running deep dungeons to get loot drops to make my weapons better for PvP.

You are soon also going to be able to create chalice dungeons in the Hunters Dream. Beat a few off these and you will be able to create Root chalice dungeons, these are randomized dungeons with randomised loot / bosses / layouts. Some bosses only ever show up in Chalice dungeons, some are harder versions of the bosses in the main game.

Once you beat some chalice dungeons you will have access to deeper dungeons then eventually defiled dungeons. Which are dungeons that force you to beat them at 50% HP, then root Defiled dungeons which are the randomised versions...

And if FROM actually fix matchmaking in dungeons, you will have sinister dungeons where you can invade / be invaded.

Lots to do outside the main game.

Edited by LandR on Friday 17th April 12:18

Thanks - I just gained the skull (or other thing..) that allows me to ring and request help for others and so on. I will get a little further and then brave it up and go for it :-).

This is a good foray into a new genre.


Steven RW