BruceLeeRoy
Banned
From Moonlight to Ludwig
From Software has been one of my favorite developers since I was a wee lad. I still remember to this day the first time I booted up Kings Field and marveled at how atmospheric it was. Nevermind that it was probably one of the most cumbersome games to play of all time (I mean you used what is now R1 and L1 on the playstation controller to look up and down) it was completely engrossing. In the beginning of Kings Field when I realized I could go anywhere I want and explore at my own will it felt like I had stumbled into a form of virtual reality. Almost every part of the island Melanat is open to you if you have the strength, and luck to traverse it.
You Loved them or Hated them
The unfortunate thing was From Software was a very polarizing developer. I remember EGMs panel giving Kings Field 2 a combined score of like a 4 or 5 out of 10. Meanwhile PSXtreme gave it a 9. The reason being is the combat and movement were extremely clunky. You moved at a snails pace which was so the game had time to load the next area making it seem like a seamless world. Some gamers could forgive that though because FS were masters of atmosphere and subtle storytelling.
Miyazaki's Souls
With Miyazaki serving as game director Demon and Dark Souls were finally games where the mechanics were good enough that a lot more of the populace could appreciate what fans of FS have been praising for years. You had brilliant level design, great enemies and an oppressive atmosphere that gave way to moments of calm and beauty. The general mechanics are by no means perfect and still retain a bit of that clunk you have come to expect but they were a massive step forward for the developer.
Bloody Masterpiece
Enter Bloodborne.
Having just beat it and starting on my NG+ I can say it is a masterpiece of gaming. It takes all of From Softwares strengths and elevates them and most of their weaknesses and masters them.
There are of course some blights on it in the form of its online system. Co-op with specific people is still a nightmare and invading or being invaded doesn't happen nearly as often as it should.
Those things aside though the game is sublime.
The combat is so much better than anything FS has ever done. Each weapon brings with it a unique set of skills that are deep and hard to master. I regularly rotate through my Blades of Mercy, Ludwig, and Chikage depending on the situation. Each weapon vastly different than the one before but no less effective.
Then you have the Viscerals. Counter Attacks that enable you to fight foes far more powerful than you once you master its use. I found myself going into areas severely under leveled but being able to survive because I could effectively counter all the enemies. Its exhilarating but also requires real skill. Plus the impact sound that comes through your speakers when you successfully pull one off and your enemy drops to his knee will bring a smile to your face every time.
The Level Design will consistently amaze you. Discovering how the different environments all connect to each other and lead from one section to the next always surprised me. DS did that as well but its even more well thought out with BB.
The art and visuals are also spectacular. Each area is just dripping with atmosphere and foreboding with huge castles looming in the background or nightmarish spiders clinging overhead the art direction is the best of any game I have seen.
Just look at this:
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The enemies are astounding as well with huge variety and unique attacks. This is also a testament to how good the combat is because you could never get comfortable with just one type of play-style. Some encounters required you be extremely agile while others were better served trying to stagger and stun. It made each fight tense and life threatening.
Along with the enemies are the bosses who are my favorite of any game so far. They are so well designed and I found myself marveling at the creativity of the artists every time I fought a new one.
The Music is the best of every FS game outside of Kings Field The Ancient City which I still think is my overall favorite. When the orchestra swells behind some fights you can just feel your adrenaline peaking and your palms start to sweat.
Still though nothing beats this for me
The Lore has been a massive surprise for me. Going through the game again and reading the story thread has been just utterly blowing my mind. There are so many little details and clues to pick up on that flesh the narrative out and add such an excellent backdrop to your actions. Like the previous games though its completely up to you whether you delve into the history of the characters you come across and the locations you visit but it is a very rewarding task. You gain some tragic insight behind some of the NPC's and come to loathe others you thought had your best intentions in mind. It's again masterfully woven into the game.
Then there are the small things I love so much.
- The hats I can adorn my little messengers with and how I pretend when they rise to greet me at a lamp they are attempting to serenade me with their clanking jaws.
- The undulating mass of smoke that is the fog gates. It has this beautiful swirl and movement to it. Anytime I go to fight a boss for the second time I can't help but stare at it a bit.
- The cloth physics that add so much satisfaction to a well placed hit with your blade or a giant exploding at your feet blowing your cloak behind you in spectacular fashion.
- Even The Doll Should It Please You - I actually had a moment about 15 hours into the game where after channeling my blood echoes I went to set my controller down and as I did so it hit the right bumper making my bloodthirsty character do a massive swing that came crashing down on the dolls head leaving her lifeless........
Yeah I started the game over.
In all this is the best game I have played in the series and certainly this gen which means its now in my Top 5 games of all time list. It's really is great to see a developer I have loved for so long finally get the recognition they deserve.
The last time I loved a game this much it had a very similar atmosphere and also had an amazing combination of music, gameplay and art.
