Bloodborne - Demon's Souls Spiritual Successor's Spiritual Successor

Yeah, I think that’s a big part of it for me. If I could just restart right away at the start of the fight, I’d be happy with it. Instead, the run up to the boss eventually becomes an extended loading screen.

Made my way to Byrgenwerth. The Forbidden Woods was one of those areas that I couldn’t remember which game it was actually in. I must’ve played a lot of it offline last time as I don’t remember all the available summons this time around. I’m dreading the next boss fight though maybe it’ll be easier with the threaded cane instead of the axe.

Was this an entirely unintentional pun? :D Also, did both of you eventually finish? When I first played it a couple years ago, I finished the game but wasn’t able to kill some of the optional stuff (the guy on the rooftops stands out as someone I had to eventually give up on.) I’ve definitely gotten a lot better so I’m hoping to take him down this run.

There’s one resurrecting guy I can still remember vividly. I could never find him, I just remember running around a tiny indoor area for like thirty minutes trying to find him.

Not only was it unintentional, I had to read your post a dozen times to figure out what the heck you were talking about. How was that a pun.

But I get it now. In Dark Souls you ring bells! And other characters ring bells in Bloodborne even though you don’t.

No, I haven’t played since I last posted above, where I gave up on going through the Nightmare areas and went into the DLC area. However, I haven’t gone back to the PS4 in a while.

Oh, I meant the chime maidens that keeps summoning the red enemies in the chalice dungeons. They keep bringing more and more of them until you take them out. I had the bell term mixed up with the sinister bell-ringing women that can summon other players into your world though.

Don’t give up - fear the old blood!

He was definitely a tough one. He and Gascoigne gave me the most trouble. I haven’t done the dlc yet, though.

Progress! The Shadow of Yharnam went down on my second try, and now it’s on to Byrgenwerth.

I think this is still my favorite Souls game, but I feel like I struggle more with the camera and targeting than I did in the others.

Also, is there any reason to save my Madman’s Knowledge? I’ve got like 25 sitting in my inventory.

The short answer is that you should hoard them, and only use them if you run out of insight.

Insight is mostly a negative stat. There’s at least one threshold where a higher insight will make some enemies stronger, by giving them new moves. Also, insight lowers your frenzy resistance, and frenzy sucks.

There’s only three reasons to want insight:

  • You need 1 insight to level up
  • You want to spend insight at the messenger shop
  • You want to use an item with a insight activation cost

But in all of these cases it’s better to just use the Madman’s Knowledge when needed, not pre-emptively. (If you use it pre-emptively, it might just be stolen away by a certain kind of enemy).

I’m going to try to get by the Unborn One or whatever is name is, after going through the much bigger than i remember Unseen Village. Did 2 of the 3 hunters in my first go, which was much different than my first run a couple years ago!

There are also some minor story/lore reveals that you only get at high Insight.

Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation! I ran into the situation described at the end which made me think it was something I wanted more of.

So I managed to take down Rom, the Vacuous Spider (man, what a cool name) on my third attempt. I did use the NPC summons, but they died pretty early on so I feel like I get at least 2/3 credit for it.

I love the turns the game has taken in tone and especially the design of the enemies and bosses. There’s some really creepy and unsettling stuff now, and fewer werewolves or giant furry beasts.

…and now my forward momentum seems to have stalled a bit. The two areas I have open, Cainhurst and Yahar’gul, are both kicking my ass with enough vigor that I’m not sure which one I’m meant to be pursuing at this point–or if I’ve missed another path entirely.

Good god though… those creatures revealed upon defeating Rom are unsettling. Really, one of the most memorable images I’ve come across in a game recently.

I ended up finding my way to the Nightmare Frontier, and boy if that isn’t pushing me towards the breaking point with the cluttered terrain. I’ve died a number of times from getting trapped on rocks and tombstones hidden in the weeds.

Man I sure hate that level. I’m heading to Cainhurst right now, then will go back and get the boss of the Unseen Village.

All three areas you’re in are fairly tough. I would do Yahar’gul last.

It seemed to me that using summons on that fight just made it harder. I would give yourself 4/3 credit!

Killed the wet nurse today and just started the DLC for the first time. Should be interesting!

Further progress: I beat Micolash on my first attempt, and I feel like I must be getting pretty close to the end, just based on the tombstones in the Hunter’s Dream. Is this the shortest game in the series?