The upcoming Soulslike game Thymesia has been garnering a lot of excitement from fans of games like Bloodborne looking for a game to help scratch a similar itch. But while Bloodborne is full of conflict between mortals and aberrant gods that are nearly incomprehensible, Thymesia may be setting up a world very different. The new action RPG might be creating a world, and threat, more similar to games like Resident Evil or Castlevania with its spin on the plague-ridden world.
The comparisons between Thymesia and Bloodborne began almost immediately as fans of Bloodborne have been patiently waiting and hoping for a PC port. The Gothic aesthetic and presence of some kind of plague infecting the denizens of both games may end being as far as that similarity goes however. While next to nothing is yet known about the story of Thymesia, some inferences can be made based on the gameplay trailers fans have seen so far. Those inferences may point toward a blend of quite a few games' styles of storytelling.
Thymesia May Have a Very Different World Than Bloodborne
Despite Thymesia's obvious parallels to Bloodborne, their worlds are likely very different. Thymesia is probably looking to distinguish itself from the pack of Soulsborne games by embracing some of its elements that are more akin to more traditional fantasy worlds like Castlevania and to an extent Devil May Cry. The DMC comparisons can be drawn not only by the fast-paced action, but by the tone of its world. The areas shown off so far are often wide open to facilitate the quicker speed of its combat, but bears the same overbearing atmosphere that make it clear that things are not well in the world of Thymesia, albeit minus the anime-style narrrative.
Bloodborne's world is slowly revealed to be a horrorscape infected by the presence of eldritch gods. This Lovecraftian influence that's present in other games like Elder Scrolls is hammered into players throughout Bloodborne, as their character is slowly drawn closer and closer to insanity by the Great Ones. Reality changes in-game based on the player's Insight count, and even the most stalwart members of the Healing Church end up going mad and becoming grotesque abominations. While aesthetically Thymesia carries a healthy dose of Lovecraft and Gothic literature at large, certain clues in its gameplay trailers could point towards a less eldritch approach.
Enemies shown in Thymesia so far definitely bear the signs of infection, with tendrils extruding from heads and rotten corpse-like enemies. Thymesia's protagonist Corvus also evidently uses alchemy alongside his weaponry in a way to help purge the infection. But based on the overall lower level of deformity shown compared to Bloodborne and the presence of multiple human enemies devoid of transformation there may be a less Lovecraftian force at work. The presence of super-powered humans that aren't yet mutated could point toward a plague more similar to something from a Resident Evil game.
It's possible that Thymesia's major threat is a plague that's being propagated by human or superhuman means. The lower level of transformation in its enemies could imply that some people in Thymesia's world are able to resist or even benefit from whatever plague exists. Certain people may have innate abilities that are exacerbated by the plague. This would fall in line with something like Resident Evil's host of viruses and plagues that can be manipulated to grant enhanced abilities instead of horrible mutation. This approach would obviously vary wildly from Bloodborne. But in this it may be a smart move away from Bloodborne for Thymesia.
How Thymesia Can Stand Out From Soulsborne Games
Distinguishing itself from the other Soulslike games will be important for Thymesia. Taking parts of what's good from games like Bloodborne can ultimately fall flat if the game ends up feeling like a poor emulation of other games' worlds. Simply retreading ground too similar to Bloodborne wouldn't be enough. Stylish combat in Thymesia is one deviation from Dark Souls that feels more like DMC and Castlevania. And those influences could also point towards where the story of Thymesia goes if it doesn't take the same approach that Bloodborne did in creating its major threat.
While games like DMC and Castlevania still very much feature the impact of gods' interference in the mortal world, those gods tend to be more recognizable. In those games humans become mutated or infected by various demons and other deities but without delving into the Lovecraftian ideas about madness and the "eldritch Truth." This doesn't make those games any less enjoyable for many fans, it's just a different experience. While Thymesia is obviously something to keep an eye on for Bloodborne fans, taking elements from other stylish action games could help blend together into a unique package for Thymesia.
Speculating based on the enemies in the trailer and Thymesia's apparent influences from action games outside the Soulsborne subgenre can lead to some promising conclusions. The presence of the humanoid enemies, like several human knights and a glimpse at a mysterious female boss, displaying paranormal abilities may point toward a threat that blends some of all of its predecessors. A deity or other paranormal force akin to Dracula in Castlevania or Mundus from DMC that is able to infect the world with a Resident Evil-style plague could put Thymesia in the distinct space it needs to avoid just being a Bloodborne clone.
Games like Sekiro and Bloodborne have paved the way for Thymesia. As such the new title will need to do a lot to make it feel both like a member of that group and its own unique experience. It seems like Thymesia may be taking a narrative approach closer to Castlevania or Resident Evil with its lore. Embracing other influences outside the Soulsborne genre may be what makes or breaks the potential success of Thymesia.
It seems clear that Thymesia is taking a less cosmic approach to its horror than Bloodborne. But doing so may help it avoid overly-harsh comparisons from a fanbase that is incredibly dedicated. Thymesia has some differences that may seem minor, but will ultimately decide whether the game is successful or not.
Thymesia is set to release on PC later this year.