This game is imminent and I'll be playing the shit out of it. And if it's anything like its spiritual predecessors, we'll definitely need a thread dedicated to it.

Starting things off, Edge had a feature/ preview of the game in this month's issue (scans here) along with an interesting Q&A with Miyazaki.

There's a fair bit in there we've already heard before, but there's a few nuggets teasing more.

This feature is basically a vague, unscored review, and it's pretty effing glowing. Online stuff was disabled/ NYI (day1patch for chalice dungeons) and they mentioned a mechanic that they were forbidden from talking about. They're also 40 hours in with 'no end in sight'.

As for guesses regarding the 'forbidden mechanic'? A snippet from Miyazaki's interview:

We covered topics like 'What is deep inside of a beast?' or 'What it is like to become one?'

 

Anybody else pick this up yet? I picked mine up late last night and am just now counting down the hours until work is done so I can start getting my ass kicked.

 

I saw the trailer and I really want to play it. Pretty sure it'd wreck my computer, though.

 

Isn't it for PS4?

I might consider getting it, but I think I'll get Dark Souls 2 before this one. And I should try Demon's Souls too.

 

Luckily, it arrived today. EU release dates suck.

Awesome game so far. It reminds me of when I first played Dark Souls - it's a fair bit different from the previous Souls games, so there's a lot of re-learning and dying in the beginning. Why did they have to change that triangle button around XD. But the challenge and freshness is there.

But yeah. Fast and aggressive. No shield makes stuff hectic and even strategic, keeping an eye on enemy patrols and assassinatin a foe here and there.

I died a bunch of times to a group of normal mobs, but I somehow managed to beat two bosses without dying, though first one took all 20 healing vials, and second one took 16. It feels like the bosses, or at least the first two I have fought, have been really well tuned. The feeling I got after beating the first boss was euphoric, like beating a challenging DS1 boss for the first time.

Really, really liking this. Having a brief break after seven hours of gaming

 

Fantastic game.

I'm the opposite of you Cleric ( leaving that typo there as evidence of my corruption already). Aside from the BS dogs that surprised me with their speed, I haven't really died to regular enemies much.

Cleric beast killed me several times. I know how to win now, I just need stock up again instead of Ramboing it.

Using Serrated Cane. It's a Cane-rapier that turns into a bladed whip thing with the tap of a button...

The weapons in this game are awesome...

The dreaded load times aren't as bad for me. I put an SSD in ages ago. It's about 20s when I die, 8s to HD.

 

Dark Souls is my favorite game of all time. Dark Souls 2 was pretty good, sadly just not as good as the first one in my opinion. Bloodborne looks like the result of that learning experience. It looks like what I've been waiting for.

I am not going to buy a console for a single game though. I've got a job, I could afford it without really worrying about the money, but I simply can't justify it to myself to spend that much money on a single game. Sure, there are other console games that I might be interested in, but those are few and spread across multiple different consoles (i.e. RDR, Bayonetta).

The current hype regarding Bloodborne doesn't make it any easier for me, but I've got Pillars of Eternity to look forward to tomorrow, so that's definitely going to help. I'm going to look forward to how the opinion of Bloodborne changes after the honeymoon-period is over, Dark Souls 2 started out the same way. Maybe I'll pick up a PS4 a few years down the line and still get to experience this game. Although I've been saying the same thing about the PS3 and Demon's Souls, so who knows.

Anyway, I hope you guys have fun with the game, and in a few months you really should get Dark Souls 1 in a Steam sale and play through that if you haven't yet.

 

Honestly? If the creator of your fav game of all time making a series (and it will be a series) on a console exclusively isn't enough to buy a cheap ass console, I don't see you ever buying one.

How are you guys building your characters btw? I'm going all skill/end, with a little vit.

Dodge or die, scrub.

I love the interruption mechanic, but it's not always reliable. I'll be taking hits sometimes regardless.

 

How vital/easy/hard is the health return mechanic? Reading reports they said one of the best ways is when you take a hit, if directly after you return damage you regain that health (or a portion of it?). Trying to promote faster play instead of dodge and shield for a moment to attack.

Sounded great reading it, don't have a PS4 myself to play the game.

 

Thinking of getting the game, just some questions

Is it necessary to have played the dark souls games to understand the story?

How hard would it be for a complete beginner at dark souls games?

 

Bloodborne is a stand alone game, so you don't need to have played any of the previous Souls games to understand the story. There will undoubtedly be some easter eggs and references that you may not understand, but that's about it.

As for how hard it would be for a complete beginner; the game is said to be difficult even for Souls veterans, but I honestly think the hardest part of the Souls games is gaining an understanding of all the mechanics of the games. It takes some time and research to understand how certain stats and equipment will affect your character and gameplay. All in all, you should probably expect to die a lot in the beginning.

I picked up Bloodborne yesterday, but I won't be able to play it until Friday. Work and school. ;__;

 

Just some additional notes. The game is so intense and stressful There's a LOT of atmosphere. Playing this, time flew incredibly quickly. The level designs have, so far, been very large and complex, with different paths everywhere, with a lot of secrets.

I'm not quite sure how much I like the removal of a lot of "complex" stuff, like weight, different rolls, different upgrade paths and so on. It's definitely more streamlined, but I was always a fan of oldschool rpg number crunching. I also feel like they reused assets way too often, but that's typical From Software.

As for build, for my first character, I'll be trying out all the weapons, so quality with equal life and stamina. Completely ignoring bloodtinge and arcane for now. I'll probably regret that when I get some of the awesome guns.

Eyron, the game is difficult, but previous Souls experience isn't really required. The gameplay and in general approach to combat is so much different here, previous experience actually hurts you sometimes.

Fardeki, the health regain is fairly easy and quite important. Enemies tend to stay still for a bit after attacking, so it's pretty easy to R1 smash your way to regain most of your lost health. Well, against an easy, lone enemy. It's not always that easy, especially against large, dangerous mobs who two-shot you But healing items are very plentiful in this game, and easily farmable, so you don't need the regain, but using it, you definitely regain most of your lost health back.

Day one impression, definitely matched the hype.

 

You don't want to rely on the Regain system. You want to not get hit. Maybe at higher vit levels.

It's most useful against weak enemies that get a lucky hit in so you don't have to blow one of your semi-finite pots (you can get more, but you've gotta farm/ buy them).

Btw, tip for starting class:

Spoiler

The 'cursed fate' one has a much higher value in a hidden stat that governs item drop rate. Supposedly. It's the one I'm playing anyway.

Eyron
Don't play this game for the story. This game, and its main hook, is the sense of personal gratification and achievement when you overcome insurmountable odds and the sometimes cheesy mechanics. It's punishing. It'll make you furious. You'll probably hate it at times...


But when you kick its ass? That feeling is awesome.

 

I'm up for a fury inducing challenge, haha.

 

Seriously, that brute with the giant axe in the first level? Fuck that guy.

I was about to break my controller in half until I got a semi decent handle on how to dodge successfully. I'm about to go grind his ass until I can kill him several times in a row without dying to make sure I got it.

 

I think they're called Excecutioners.

That big dude behind the boxes by that shortcut gate, right?

How many echoes does he give? I couldn't damage him, he kept blocking and my gun wasn't stunning him.

Those dogs piss me off. So fast. If they get the jump on you...

 

Yeah, he's got a massive axe and some kind of hood and cloak thing. I think he gave around four or five hundred? He's a tricky fucker. I lured him out of that alley, then tried to dodge behind him as he attacked. His swings are so damn wide though. Eventually, got behind him, charged power attack to stagger him, and then finished him off with a visceral attack and a couple normal slashes. The visceral thing is when you're really close and attack a staggered enemy, just like you do with the gun.

 

Yeah ik, I couldn't get behind him or sneak up on him. I'll try lure him out to a bigger area tonight. Thnx.

 

Honestly, I haven't been able to replicate it. His swing is just to damn wide. And seriously, those two werewolf things on the bridge? Assholes

 

You can go around them.

Spoiler

Drop down the ledge behind some destroyable boxes near the fountain in the courtyard where the Ogre is banging on the door. Hooking around to the left once you're down you'll eventually come upon a 2 story house with 4 enemies inside, one of them in a wheelchair. The exit on the second floor takes you to the bridge right on the other side of the werewolves.