FromSoftware has crafted very impactful titles with its Soulsborne series. What began with Demon’s Souls has since expanded to the three main Dark Souls games and one-offs such as Bloodborne. What makes the Soulsborne games so appealing is their basic formula and ability to bring a rewarding challenge to the player consistently. Each Dark Souls game has slightly tweaked the formula but has generally kept the same mechanics.
Another FromSoftware game included in the Soulsborne genre is Bloodborne, which kept close to the basic formula but fairly drastically shifted the combat and playstyle. Bloodborne is still considered to be one of FromSoftware’s best titles, as it brings the familiar challenge that players have come to know and love from other FromSoftware games while providing enough change to make it stand out from the rest of the games. With that said, the changes Bloodborne makes to the classic combat and gameplay often make it difficult for players to return to the main Dark Souls games.
How Bloodborne Aligns with the Soulsborne Formula
Bloodborne may have differences from other FromSoftware games, but it is important to note that it still follows the same basic gameplay formula found in the other titles. The basic combat of Bloodborne follows very closely to the Dark Souls games because it relies on health and stamina management. Since the other Soulsborne games have made a name for themselves by requiring players to pay close attention to their resources, it makes sense for Bloodborne to follow suit and keep the same combat mechanics in order to stay aligned with the basic combat that fans have come to expect.
Additionally, Bloodborne’s story is just as mysterious as any Dark Souls title. Though players may not initially play the FromSoftware games for the story, fans playing any of the Soulsborne games are bound to become interested in the world, its inhabitants, and how the present-day events have come to be, thanks to FromSoftware's writing. Though Bloodborne’s story is fairly different from other Soulsborne games, it follows a similar delivery method and requires players to thoroughly investigate the game’s lore in order to discover the true story.
What Makes Bloodborne Stand Out From Dark Souls
Though Bloodborne follows closely the Dark Souls formula, it does have notable differences that make the one-off title stand out from the other games and ultimately make it difficult for some fans to return to the Dark Souls games. The biggest difference in Bloodborne is the fine-tuned combat mechanics. Though the basic mechanics are similar to other Soulsborne games, small changes drastically changed the way in which players approach any combat situation in Bloodborne
To match Bloodborne’s fast-paced combat, the game introduces a unique mechanic that allows players to recover some health if they are able to successfully strike an enemy immediately after being damaged. This rally ability even further encourages aggressive combat and also accentuates Bloodborne’s healing items, which also differ from Dark Souls’ replenishable Estus Flasks. Instead of allowing players to recover all of their health items at a resting point, Bloodborne provides players with a limited number of Blood Vials which must be found in the world or obtained by enemy drops, requiring players to continue to be aggressive to regain health and keep a stock of healing items.
How Bloodborne’s Combat Differs from Dark Souls
The biggest change to combat in Bloodborne is the omission of a shield. The Dark Souls games rely heavily on players utilizing a shield to block and parry enemy attacks. Though it is possible to play the Dark Souls games without a shield and only utilizing the roll to avoid damage, the combat in the games was clearly designed for players to utilize the block and parry mechanics as the pacing is dependent on waiting out enemy attacks and finding opportunities to strike. While Bloodborne does include shields, there are only a couple to choose from and neither is effective in the game’s combat.
In lieu of shields, Bloodborne gives players a firearm in their off-hand which, if used properly, can interrupt enemy attacks and allow the player to perform a visceral attack, similar to a parry and riposte in Dark Souls. The major difference is the utilization of the firearm and the flow of combat in Bloodborne. With no shield to block attacks and avoid damage, players are encouraged to be much more aggressive and utilize Bloodborne’s quick dash to dip in and out of combat and constantly stay in motion.
Bloodborne’s main weapons provide a unique twist when compared to the Dark Souls games. Though the weapons operate in a similar fashion with a basic and heavy attack, Bloodborne’s weapons are known as Trick Weapons and all of them are able to transform into alternate versions that greatly vary the attack pattern, strength, and mobility of each weapon. Even though there may be fewer total weapons in Bloodborne, the variety provided by the Trick Weapons allows the player to alter their combat style drastically.
Why Players Find it Difficult to Play Dark Souls after Bloodborne
It is clear that even though Bloodborne follows a similar structure to other Soulsborne games, there are major differences between the games. The most notable difference is in the combat mechanics of each respective game. Because Dark Souls goes at a slower pace and encourages players to wait or retreat to regain ground or health, many fans of the series often play the game very cautiously. Meanwhile, in Bloodborne, movement and aggression are key to maintaining an upper hand in combat and even allow the player to regain lost health, so Bloodborne players will find combat much more successful if the game is played aggressively.
If players were to approach a Dark Souls game similarly to how they would play Bloodborne, they'd find themselves playing too aggressively and unable to properly manage their stamina. Though the games share similar DNA, the subtle mechanical differences in the combat vary too much for players to play the games the same way. FromSoftware fans who play Bloodborne get used to the game's fast-paced combat and often find the Dark Souls games’ combat to be too sluggish by comparison.
Bloodborne is available now for PS4.