- "Hunt your nightmares."
- ―Tagline.
Bloodborne is a 2015 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware with supervision by SCE Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 console. It is the second major collaboration between FromSoftware and Sony following 2009's Demon's Souls.
Bloodborne takes place in Yharnam, a decaying Gothic-themed town whose inhabitants suffer from a blood-borne disease and have degraded into monstrous and nightmarish beasts. The player controls a sick visitor to Yharnam referred to as the "Hunter", who searches for a substance known only as "Paleblood". Aided by an old crippled man and an animated human-sized doll, the Hunter has to explore and uncover Yharnam's secrets while fighting feral creatures and cosmic beings. The game is presented from a third-person perspective in a non-linear environment. Players control the Hunter, a customizable avatar whose attributes and physical appearance can be altered, while gameplay focuses on a fast-paced strategic combat and focus on exploration. The Hunter has to explore Yahrnam, which is haunted by various monsters and increasingly crazed residents. The game takes much influence from earlier From titles like Demon's Souls, but with emphasis on aggressive combat strategies, multi-form weaponry and defensive usage of firearms.
Development on Bloodborne began in 2012 under the title Project Beast; Sony approached FromSoftware creative head Hidetaka Miyazaki. Miyazaki desired to make a new intellectual property after 2011's Dark Souls, while Sony expressed interest in a title for its then-upcoming PlayStation 4. Bloodborne was designed on the foundations of Miyazaki's previous titles while incorporating elements from gothic horror literature and H.P. Lovecraft mythos. Yahrnam's architecture was influenced by real-life structures in Romania and the Czech Republic. Japan Studio helped co-developing the title. The title was announced at E3 2014.
Bloodborne was universally acclaimed. Praise was directed towards the game's gameplay, high difficulty level, atmosphere and gothic art direction, map design and soundtrack, while criticism commented on the game's technical performance and loading screens, which were patched after launch. Bloodborne won multiple end-year accolades following its release. It was a commercial success and exceeded Sony's expectations, selling over 3 million copies by 2019. It received an expansion pack, The Old Hunters, and received additional media such as a board game, a card game and comics.
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=Endings[]
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Legacy[]
Since its release, Bloodborne has been considered one of the best games of the eighth generation, as well as one of the greatest games ever made; its influence was noted on later FromSoftware titles such as Dark Souls III (2016), Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) and Elden Ring (2022).[1] The game was cited as influence on God of War (2018)[2] and The Last of Us Part II (2020).[3] The 2021 action role-playing title Lies of P was noted by gaming press and players for its numerous similarities with Bloodborne[4][5], although developer Round8 Studio called them "unintentional".[6]
Bloodborne has been referenced in several other Sony-published games, including Ghost of Tsushima (2020), Astro's Playroom (2020), God of War Ragnarök (2022) and Astro Bot (2024). FromSoftware's 2018 title Déraciné, which was published by Sony, also contains references to Bloodborne.
Potential continuation and remake[]
In 2018, the presence of Bloodborne references and easter eggs in Déraciné led to speculation regarding a potential sequel. In December of that year, Miyazaki publicly apologized over the assumptions, and denied its implications for a sequel.[7] When asked on the matter of a sequel in October 2019, Miyazaki clarified that it would be Sony's decision.[8] In an interview with IGN in February 2024, Miyazaki reiterated that the decision of Bloodborne's future was Sony's as the intellectual property's holder.[9]
In an interview with Eurogamer in February 2024, Miyazaki discussed the possibility of a remake, suggesting that "new hardware" could justify such project.[10]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.vg247.com/elden-ring-spirit-of-bloodborne
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20180515184739/https://www.rollingstone.com/glixel/news/god-of-war-level-design-inspired-by-bloodborne-w518527
- ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/the-last-of-us-2-was-originally-a-bloodborne-inspired-open-world-game-because-naughty-dog-wanted-it-to-be-as-different-as-humanly-possible-from-the-first-game/
- ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/bloodborne-changed-the-face-of-action-rpg-horror-but-lies-of-p-could-redefine-our-expectations/
- ↑ https://www.denofgeek.com/games/lies-of-p-imitating-bloodborne-comparisons/
- ↑ https://kotaku.com/bloodborne-vibes-weren-t-intentional-say-pinocchio-sou-1848146308
- ↑ https://www.dualshockers.com/bloodborne-sequel-deracine-easter-egg-response/
- ↑ https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2019/10/souls_director_miyazaki_says_making_bloodborne_2_isnt_his_call
- ↑ https://nordic.ign.com/elden-ring/79128/feature/two-years-after-elden-ring-miyazaki-trusts-the-players-to-figure-it-all-out
- ↑ https://www.eurogamer.net/elden-ring-boss-discusses-bloodborne-remake-benefits-of-waiting-for-new-hardware