Yes, I wrote in this thread getting on towards two(!) years ago now that BB is much more thematically organized than linear-plot organized, and I stand by that absolutely. It’s an obviously allegorical game, but it’s not very obvious what it’s an allegory for! I suspect it’s so easily interpretable and reinterpretable (I think my favorite is the immune response idea I linked way up above and ties in nicely with the idea that the game is about clearing some infection from the protagonist’s body) because they juggled a lot of their own ideas of what it was about while making it. There is not one single symbol path stretching through the game, but clearly multiple intersecting symbolisms are present, making the game a kind of tangled symbol nexus. There are guiding feelings, though. If I had to select a single feeling word for the souls games I think it would be “melancholy,” but for BB I think I would go with “fever.” Among video game companies, From has had spectacular success with creating ambiguous (and therefore useful) symbols. Did you know that Demon’s Souls is about climate change? I don’t, either, but it’s certainly an option!
Yea, I am not a lore hound. I have watched the videos and am amazed at what some people can dig out of the games but for me it is all about the PvE and PvP.
Probably right. I mean the whole Solaire story is almost impossible to do your first play thru without looking something up, and that is how probably 99% of the NPC stories are. In DS3 Sirrius has a long story but you need to visit two places kinda out of the blue to complete it.
It is strange that a genre sort of came out of nowhere and became my favorite type of game, and it doesn’t even have a strong narrative element, which I usually consider essential. But it’s also a case of the Souls genre utilizing the video game medium to its maximum strengths. Weaving a narrative (minimal as it may be) around dying over and over and trying again, concentrating on atmosphere and world building and emotions they evoke, and making gameplay that hinges on player skill as much as on stats and numbers and equipment. It’s such an intoxicating combination. I have trouble conceiving of a game that plays better to the strengths of the video game medium.
It is great in that it can appeal to the hardcore fighting player and the RPG guy who likes to read every description and get as much as he can out of the game. It also allows for co-op play and invading.
The game has been out a long time and yet Steam still averages something like 12-16k players a day, and people on youtube still crank out play thrus and lore videos.
The game also plays in almost a chapter format, not quest by quest but you enter a new area, work your way thru it and then fight a boss to progress beyond that area. The game is made to be played in sittings where you don’t need to know necessarily what you did last time, just where you need to go.
Souls games are the only games, where I play multiplayer.
The ability to ignore the stories and background info of the games while plowing through their challenges just reinforces their themes, as most of the time they appear to cast the player character as someone who is an at least partially ignorant pawn.
They do such a good job of building evocative settings that stick in your mind. Like a dragon burning up a bridge, and you as the player going underneath that bridge and precariously fighting on the edge as rats come out of a little hole to fight you. Or a village full of strung up bodies surrounded by fire around which people are praying before they spot you and come for you. Or a swamp area in a forest where archers shoot you from higher ground. Or a forest full of snakes. Or a cathedral where you fight in the rafters near the roof. Or a lecture hall where you fight puddles of water. Just one area after another of memorable set pieces that stick with you.
Ebrietas giving me grievance. I spent all my insight (10) to summon that old hunter, he died a lot. I always die when I try to evade the arcane/magic projectiles… Finally I learned how to dodge them. I hope to finish him today. I supported a couple of people and we could kill him, but nobody joined my summon call.
When Ebrietas is done, I want to start the Old Hunters DLC. I heard it is good.
Her…
or … it?
Man, I still think about this game a lot. Reinstalled because it’s October and there are still zero other games that do the gothic horror vibe anywhere near as well, which is really sad. Might just do a little chalice dungeon delving for old times’ sake.
If this was on PC I am sure I would have replayed it by now, but I just prefer playing on PC in my den to XBox in the family room.
Well who knows, maybe in five years the Bluepoint remaster, if it actually happens, will get ported.
Why not use PSNow on your PC? It works great (controller required). I tested Bloodborne on my notebook, pretty amazing.
From what I have read Miyazaki was heavily influenced by ICO, which was partially influenced by Half-life, or at least Half-life’s no cutscene 100% gameplay approach. I think ICO has like 2 cutscenes, an intro and an outro and maybe a quick scene of a door opening but 99% of the game occurs during gameplay.
It’s a strange link but it works.
That makes sense. The Ueda games are the only ones I’ve played that come close to Miyazaki ones for environmental ambience. Still gotta finish the Last Guardian.
Does Demon Souls come with that and what does PSNow cost? Per month I imagine?
No Demon Souls and $10 a month.
no Demon’s Souls… maybe down the line, who knows. I think only Ps4 games at the moment (?). I pay 10€ a month, but 60€ a year you could save 50%.
As a Halloween treat, a fan’s released a trailer and release date for an awesome looking PSX Bloodborne demake. It reminds me of that old Euro survival horror series Nightmare Creatures.