Jugendstil
Member
Same. The only game I've platinumed. It checks so many boxes for things I'm into, it's like Miyazaki inceptioned me and made a game. Easily in my top five games of all time.
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LTTP: Bloodborne is good but not great (spoilers)
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Same. The only game I've platinumed. It checks so many boxes for things I'm into, it's like Miyazaki inceptioned me and made a game. Easily in my top five games of all time.
texhnolyze
Banned
Bloodborne has been amazing for me, though I'm stil in the middle of the game. Vicar Amelia and Blood-statved Beast didn't pose that much challenge for me, but man I was totally wrecked by Paarl. Maybe I should just leave him be for now and try later. I've run out of echoes anyway. It's the first time in the game I run out of blood echoes. Damn. My only issue so far is that I'm not sure if I'm progressing in the right way. Sometimes I feel lost and not sure where to go next. I feel like I shouldn't have fought Paarl at my current state.
Bronetta
Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
If you took out Amelia then you can also take out Paarl. Aim for the legs to make it collapse
OmegaTreeFish
Banned
Opinions and all that. I completed ds 1 and 2 once plus a half play through. I completed ds3 once. I completed bb 4 times, plus got plat plus a few runs through the first part of the game. By far the most replayable to me.
I never had issues with vials as always bought extras after leveling bar maybe 3 instances i went and farmed a certain lecture hall for 15 mins a time for echoes to buy a shit ton of vials.
I also chose the 'bad ending' the first time because i did a blind run and having missed some things it made sense to be woken from the nightmare. It took me 26 hours. I then did ng+ and got all the bits i missed. Took 14 hours i think. Then did NG++ to get final ending. Took about 6 hours i think.
Game is in my top 3 all time fav games. DS games are great but not even close to BB for me.
I never had issues with vials as always bought extras after leveling bar maybe 3 instances i went and farmed a certain lecture hall for 15 mins a time for echoes to buy a shit ton of vials.
I also chose the 'bad ending' the first time because i did a blind run and having missed some things it made sense to be woken from the nightmare. It took me 26 hours. I then did ng+ and got all the bits i missed. Took 14 hours i think. Then did NG++ to get final ending. Took about 6 hours i think.
Game is in my top 3 all time fav games. DS games are great but not even close to BB for me.
I agree, to an extent, but from a different perspective.
For Souls-standards, I think it is slightly subpar (my opinion); as far as video games in general, I think it is a top-tier, 5/5 game. Also, I think the DLC is good but not great. An improved sequel could be arguable GOAT status.
For Souls-standards, I think it is slightly subpar (my opinion); as far as video games in general, I think it is a top-tier, 5/5 game. Also, I think the DLC is good but not great. An improved sequel could be arguable GOAT status.
pete_townshend
Banned
My least favorite of the Souls games, but still enjoyable.
It just waaaay easier than the other games, as some have already mentioned.
Extreme mobility + huge boss arenas + instantaneous healing with blood vials + regain system + a pretty easy parry/visceral attack combo made most fights a cake walk.
Great environments, I was just expected a bit more of a challenge.
It just waaaay easier than the other games, as some have already mentioned.
Extreme mobility + huge boss arenas + instantaneous healing with blood vials + regain system + a pretty easy parry/visceral attack combo made most fights a cake walk.
Great environments, I was just expected a bit more of a challenge.
Eh maybe it's hard if you go at that point in the game. I honestly can't tell because i went there much, much later in the game and i slayed it in... less than 1 minute i think lol
D
Deleted member 325805
Unconfirmed Member
The technical issues stopped it from being great for me, but it was very good still.
Well, I think it's beyond great even, but I've also understood that everyone's experience, especially with the bosses, varies wildly.
The journey to the plat trophy is one of my favorite experiences of this generation. Since then I also believe a single playthrough just isn't enough for these games to fully appreciate the whole picture. I didn't think of it as flawless when I played it first either, but after a year of returning to it a couple times and playing through the DLC I feel like calling it a masterpiece is no exaggeration.
Edit: also blood vials are fine. Needed to farm them a little in the beginning which also helped to get a grasp of the combat and parries, but after that buying them was an unproblematic solution for me. I like it more than just being handed free heals at checkpoints actually, it makes more sense that heals are a valueable ressource, especially within the context of this setting.
The journey to the plat trophy is one of my favorite experiences of this generation. Since then I also believe a single playthrough just isn't enough for these games to fully appreciate the whole picture. I didn't think of it as flawless when I played it first either, but after a year of returning to it a couple times and playing through the DLC I feel like calling it a masterpiece is no exaggeration.
Edit: also blood vials are fine. Needed to farm them a little in the beginning which also helped to get a grasp of the combat and parries, but after that buying them was an unproblematic solution for me. I like it more than just being handed free heals at checkpoints actually, it makes more sense that heals are a valueable ressource, especially within the context of this setting.
Whoa whoa whoa whoa hold the fuck up
Does the JPN version have a separate trophy list from the USA version? How the hell did I not know this?!?!?!?
EDIT: looks like no, that poster must have just gotten the platinum again on a second account. Dammit
Rock Howard
Member
Dear, oh dear. What was it? The Hunt? The Blood? Or the horrible dream? Oh, it doesn't matter... It always comes down to the Hunter's helper to clean up after these sort of messes. Tonight, Gehrman joins the hunt...
CharminUltra
Member
It's not my favorite Souls game (Dark Souls is, with Demon's Souls being 2nd place), but it's a damn great game.
LordOfChaos
Member
I didn't really think to just buy vials with excess echoes on my first runthrough, and honestly the grind for them was never really that much. In the intro area I had to, and a few more times during the first fourth or so, but the latter game I thought kept you pretty well stocked.
Playing it again though that's a welcome tip, going from not often running out to almost never.
Playing it again though that's a welcome tip, going from not often running out to almost never.
onken
Member
I am ashamed to say I never beat it. Unlike the other Souls games I tried to play it totally blind without wikis but it didn't seem to work out this time for whatever reason. Should I use my blood to upgrade X weapon, or save it and get some weapon and upgrade that? Which weapons seem like a total waste of time until you fully upgrade and then they become the best? Which stats are worthwhile and which are a waste of time?
I got as far as blood-soaked beast but I couldn't get past it, I don't know if I'm underleveled or I screwed up my point allocation or what. Feels like a chore to collect enough vials to even start the fight again. Hummm.
I should probably just read a guide and start again, but the thing is I never had to do that with the other games. Do they have Soul Vessel equivalents in this?
I got as far as blood-soaked beast but I couldn't get past it, I don't know if I'm underleveled or I screwed up my point allocation or what. Feels like a chore to collect enough vials to even start the fight again. Hummm.
I should probably just read a guide and start again, but the thing is I never had to do that with the other games. Do they have Soul Vessel equivalents in this?
You could buy vials from day 1. A patch later increased the total storage capacity for vials from 99 to 600 iirc.
LordOfChaos
Member
Tbh any of the starter weapons can carry you through the game, excepting the DLC maybe. What do you have? You can also find other weapons early, like in the sewers. Or buy them if you don't like your weapons, i.e kirkhammer is only 3000.
In this game I think most things favour strength early on and then skill, unless you're doing an arcane build on purpose.
Similarly I'm sure you can't have screwed up the allocation by the point of blood starved beast (I lawled at blood soaked beast
), if you post the screenshot of your stats people could give pointers.Half of this thread is the same "still the best game ever lulz" comments that happen with Bloodborne without an actual discussion about the points the OP makes. All of which are valid points at that. GAF never changes.
I'll definitely say you're right OP in regards to the bosses. The game drops significantly in boss quality in the later half. An issue similar to the first Dark Souls. It was also a poor design choice to repeat the mistakes of Demon's Souls but make it far worse with the blood vials of BB, making it a limited item that had to be farmed. Hands down the dumbest healing system in all of Souls.
As for the runs back to the boss, it's something that is part of all Souls games. I can't say it has ever bothered me, but having played Souls games for so long and so many times with every playthrough, its been a while since I've experienced constant runs back to a boss.
As for the ending, I think you probably should have guessed what would have happened when choosing to submit your life. Gehrman made it pretty clear. Nevertheless, I do agree that they shouldn't have forced you into NG+. DS2 fixed that mistake yet for some reason they repeated it with BB. They repeat a lot of mistakes with BB for some reason. For example, the stupid lamps that only take you back to the hub area. Just adds more unnecessary loading screens to the game.
Overall though, despite its flaws, I loved its combat, story and world, and art direction immensely to be bothered too much by these issues.
I'll definitely say you should play the Old Hunters DLC. It really makes up for the weaker second half of the game in the same why Artorias of the Abyss does for Dark Souls and it hands down has the best content and bosses of the game.
I'll definitely say you're right OP in regards to the bosses. The game drops significantly in boss quality in the later half. An issue similar to the first Dark Souls. It was also a poor design choice to repeat the mistakes of Demon's Souls but make it far worse with the blood vials of BB, making it a limited item that had to be farmed. Hands down the dumbest healing system in all of Souls.
As for the runs back to the boss, it's something that is part of all Souls games. I can't say it has ever bothered me, but having played Souls games for so long and so many times with every playthrough, its been a while since I've experienced constant runs back to a boss.
As for the ending, I think you probably should have guessed what would have happened when choosing to submit your life. Gehrman made it pretty clear. Nevertheless, I do agree that they shouldn't have forced you into NG+. DS2 fixed that mistake yet for some reason they repeated it with BB. They repeat a lot of mistakes with BB for some reason. For example, the stupid lamps that only take you back to the hub area. Just adds more unnecessary loading screens to the game.
Overall though, despite its flaws, I loved its combat, story and world, and art direction immensely to be bothered too much by these issues.
I'll definitely say you should play the Old Hunters DLC. It really makes up for the weaker second half of the game in the same why Artorias of the Abyss does for Dark Souls and it hands down has the best content and bosses of the game.
I think the idea was great but the implementation was flawed. On subsequent playthroughs I appreciate them much more as pieces of content to break up the story. If you do them after a few bosses they give you a nice break and new areas to try out your new weapons and the bosses are much harder than the base game if youre doing them wihtout being over leveled. I wish I did this on my first playthrough as it would have made me appreciate them much more. Oh and yeah co-op is best for these parts as well.
Thats what I thought, thanks for the clarification.
Vial farming shouldn't be an issue given that you should have plenty of souls left over after leveling to spend on replenishing your stock. There are also areas that are super easy and quick to farm for 8-10 vials a run, and if youre running low that often are great ways to help you tune up on your mechanics. I do agree I prefer the estus system over this, but I don't think this is as big of a criticism as its currently being made out to be.
I also disagree about the second half bosses. Daughter of the cosmos, Margos wet nurse, gerhman, Amygdala, and martyr, are just as good as any of the first half bosses if not better given that they are more difficult as well. This isn't even including the DLC which falls into the second half given that you'll need to be end game level to get through it even if you can access it early on-especially true if youre needing to farm vials that much in your play through.
So I mean while I can see the farm vials being a legitimate gripe, I never the less would say they aren't game breaking if youre buying them with your extra blood echos and using your stash of coldbloods.
zenspider
Member
The more time passes, the more I think it might be. The only criticism worth considering is either from a Souls-centric perspective, or "series" neophyte who think AAA games that aren't roller coaster rides disrespect their time, and neither diminish the experience and it's resonance.
I've never gotten too into the lore of Souls games, but Bloodborne is not only told beautifully, but taut and concise enough that it requires very few leaps with the information available. It's worth consideration and analysis, something very few game's stories outside of the indie-sphere can claim, and less that are not essentially somewhat interactive books.
InsaneTiger
Member
OP is wrong. Listen to Joseph Anderson, his critique is the best.
LordOfChaos
Member
I agree, though I'd add Froms old standby technical problems to be fair.
40 hours into it I was hardly noticing anymore, but going from even a regular 30fps game back to its frame pacing issues takes readjustment, let alone a lightning quick 60fps game like doom.
I love it in spite of those issues, but I'm flabbergasted that From/Japan Studio haven't fixed this.
I personally didn't have to farm vials too much, and I only ended up having to do it with two bosses in the DLC, which adds to my point. Most people end up having to farm vials when they're up against a boss because you're up a against a wall that isn't giving you any echoes or blood vials drops. When that is the case, the solution is not as simple as spending your left over echoes after leveling, you have no echoes to spend. its a step back from a system that already worked quite well such as with the estus. When farming can end up as the only means to get health items in a punishing game where you're constantly healing, I consider that a flaw.
As for the bosses, the only ones I consider actually good in the second half are Gehrman and Logarius. Ebrietas and the Wet Nurse are another 'get behind them' boss that is quite prevalent in BB. Only in their case they're completely helpless when you do it. Amygdala I wouldn't consider bad, but I wasn't impressed by it, similar to the Shadows of Yharnam. Then you have the likes of Rom, One Reborn, Micolash, Witches of Hemwick, and the Moon Presence, which are either very mediocre or bad. I don't consider the DLC bosses part of the second half of the game, because they're not part of the base game. The OP's experience clearly reflects this.
As I said though, some of these issues didn't stop me from loving the game as much as I do, to the point of considering it my own personal favorite game. But this game isn't the second coming of games as GAF makes it out to be.
I think it's a great idea it just needs some work. Like it takes too long to get the difficulty rolling and to mqny non populated enemy areas. I wouldn't mind more enemies with weapon varations and hell..even reskins because they showed that the fat bosses (watchers ithink they call them?) worked with having multiple versions.
Agree to disagree I guess. Witches, and rom I would consider first half-maybe not rom but absolutely witches. Ebrietas has a pretty nasty counter to staying behind her by swinging her tentacles which have a rather long reach, and her charge attack is to this day the hardest charge attack to dodge in the soulsborne series, especially since it can one shot you. But really thats all a matter of preference and I wouldn't really argue with your opinion of it, I just disagree in general about that argument.
The vials we both sort of agree with, but I don't think its a big deal that takes anything away from the game. I would also add the DLC is far kinder with giving you means in which to farm vials against its harder bosses than the base game to mitigate the difficulty spike as well. But again, I understand that its an inferior system to the estus-I just don't think I would categorize it as bad.
Also BB is a master piece; best game of the generation by far and probably top 5 maybe even higher for me in terms of game rankings overall so I suppose I fall into the BB-gaf love/circle jerk.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
It's heavily influenced by Lovecraft.
Personally I like Lovecraft more than the setting that Dark Souls has, but that's really more personal taste.
onken
Member
Tbh any of the starter weapons can carry you through the game, excepting the DLC maybe. What do you have? You can also find other weapons early, like in the sewers. Or buy them if you don't like your weapons, i.e kirkhammer is only 3000.
In this game I think most things favour strength early on and then skill, unless you're doing an arcane build on purpose.
Similarly I'm sure you can't have screwed up the allocation by the point of blood starved beast (I lawled at blood soaked beast
Save won't load because the game install is not complete (it is)... Sigh.
Moon Presence
Member
A shiver ran down my spine when I heard this. It's one of those moments that I'll never forget.
Yep. Hands down.
I feel like most of GAF's almost masturbatory worship of BB stems from the fact "it got robbed of GOTY". Like I rolled my eyes a lot in those weeks where it felt like there was a new "Bloodborne is amazing" thread every week.
Its a good, fun game, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece or even the best game of 2015.
It had flaws like
-Long load times (yeah it got patched)
-Blood vial farming (apparently it got patched)
-Challice Dungeons holding back some cool bosses and the fact the dungeons themselves suck
-Side quest pacing felt off
-The pacing overall felt off
-Rom is trash
Also for fucks sakes for people who go "Praise the moon", it should be 'MAKE CONTACT". Like holy shit, seeing people say "Praise the moon" still bothers the fuck outta me.
Some people might complain that BB's lack of weapons is a flaw, but I preferred fewer unique weapons with transformable moves opposed to souls bukkake of weapons you'll probably never use.
But still, I had way more fun and felt immersed in other games than BB in 2015.
Its a good, fun game, but I wouldn't call it a masterpiece or even the best game of 2015.
It had flaws like
-Long load times (yeah it got patched)
-Blood vial farming (apparently it got patched)
-Challice Dungeons holding back some cool bosses and the fact the dungeons themselves suck
-Side quest pacing felt off
-The pacing overall felt off
-Rom is trash
Also for fucks sakes for people who go "Praise the moon", it should be 'MAKE CONTACT". Like holy shit, seeing people say "Praise the moon" still bothers the fuck outta me.
Some people might complain that BB's lack of weapons is a flaw, but I preferred fewer unique weapons with transformable moves opposed to souls bukkake of weapons you'll probably never use.
But still, I had way more fun and felt immersed in other games than BB in 2015.
Fahzgoolin
Banned
Valid points.
Replaying it made me realize I don't like it as much as I thought. Replays don't hold up well imho.
Replaying it made me realize I don't like it as much as I thought. Replays don't hold up well imho.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I'm still 50/50 on the tonal shift. I guess I like what it does to the story and bosses but I think the visuals became kind of uglier when it moved away from the victorian/mercurysteam lords of shadow stuff into just that blinding purple sky and suddenly everything is very brown.
idk, weird one for me.
pretty done
Member
It's a technical piece of shit and the blood vial system sucks ass. Other than that it's probably the best Souls game. DS1 is still my favorite tho.
This game is still being talked about and getting threads since 2015 can't say the same for the other supposed GOTY titles.
Agree with almost everything OP.
I recently finished DS3, it's the only other Soulsborne game (next to BB) that I've played so far, and it at least addresses the ending issue where you can actually choose when to start a NG+.
I seriously enjoyed my time with these games, and I do consider BB a masterpiece.
It's still flawed, but that doesn't mean it can't be a masterpiece.
I also recently gave co-op a try and it is also a lot fun.
I recently finished DS3, it's the only other Soulsborne game (next to BB) that I've played so far, and it at least addresses the ending issue where you can actually choose when to start a NG+.
I seriously enjoyed my time with these games, and I do consider BB a masterpiece.
It's still flawed, but that doesn't mean it can't be a masterpiece.
I also recently gave co-op a try and it is also a lot fun.
Neogaf is not a representative of the gaming community at large. I know more people who talk about Witcher 3 than BB, and hell despite its flaws I had more fun with MGSV than BB.
KillerDark
Member
Definitely have to disagree, Bloodborne is easily one of the best games of this generation. Seems like most of your dislike is based around your ending choice. Why would you agree to give up your life, what did you expect..?
Basketball
Member
The only thing crappy about the game is the vial farming but usually the answer is to
git gud
lvl99 Pixel
Member
Still annoys me how enemies clip through objects and walls. I don't expect them to fix that kind of thing next time since the games are so iterative. The camera is one of the worst ive ever seen too.