yes if you're new it'll be tough. every souls game has the initial learning curve. give the game a couple hours and you'll be rolling.
i never could get past the wolves (after the large door knocking troll), ragequit, and never went back to the game for about a year. just don't give up and you'll be fine.
C'mon I can understand complains about the begining, but the game also tells you how to equip your weapons and it's really not that complicated. If you can read, you can also find where your equipment is and the rest should be obvious.
I mean, pressing start (options) and taking the option with the armor symbol...not that difficult right?
It really doesn't matter at all at the start of the game if you die over and over, it's not like you're going to lose many souls.
Just take a break if you get frustrated then come back - there's no point playing if you're tilted as it'll just get worse.
It'll be worth it to persevere. I can certainly imagine it being a struggle, especially the first boss as it has a lot of damn HP which will be very intimidating for a new player.
Just put on that Benny Hill song and run past everything. Its something you have been able to do in all the games.
The first bit in bloodborne is prob the hardest part but if you have played souls games before you will know how to do it. If you havn't then you have to beat out all the bad habbits modern games have tought you. Go slow. Lure them one at a time (sometimes more will come but you can still kill them). Dont just mash attach and hope to win. Also look for short cuts and hidden paths. They are key to this game.
But seriously you can just run past everything. They are on a leesh and will stop chasing after a certain point. You can just explore the map this way and find new areas / shortcuts that make it a lot easier when you then want to progress through normally. I remember on NG++ just running straight to each boss and barely killing anything else because you genuinly dont need to.
edit:
to the people saying the difficulty curve is reversed its not actually true. Its mostly a consistant difficulty throughout the game. Its just the starting area, most people havn't worked out these games dont play like most modern games so it seems super hard. Once it clicks, the whole game is about the same difficulty wise. If you took someone who was struggling with area one and dumped them into the second half of the game (unseen village, nightmare areas etc) they would find it just as hard (possibly harder thinking about it). You just need that moment where you suddenly realise how these games are meant to be played and the whole game, first area included, because way easier.
A lot of good tips in this thread already.
Also: The enemies seem to have unpredictable timing with their attacks and wind-ups BUT if you take your time and play around a bit with learning attack-patterns and the like, you will find out that many enemies follow the same rhythm with how they attack and when you can dodge/attack. At least in my experience.
Attack-cycles and wind-ups in souls games are designed in a way to throw you off (at least that´s how i felt during my first souls-game). When you get around that, the games become much more manageable.
Any time I think about trying Bloodborne again I remember how frustrated I got with the beginning and it kills any thought about picking it up.
It honestly really frustrates me. I want to get into this game so badly. I absolutely love the setting more then Souls. My friend praises this game to high heaven and when I see people talk about it I feel like I'm missing out.
But I just wasn't having fun and that makes me upset.
This is how I felt after my first several hours throwing myself at the same area of the game, able to kill 1-3 guys at a time but couldn't get through the mob, and the one time I did I died to the ogre and couldn't get back.
I came back a few months later and things were going about the same, until I read a post from someone who wasn't stuck complaining about how most of the game is just running past enemies, so I tried just running past the guys around the bonfire area and found out they leash very quickly. I felt nothing but disappointment from getting by that way, but it worked so I kept doing it to get through there, killed the crow things past there and the patrols with the dogs, until I found a ladder down to a sewer-looking area. I died there and just didn't feel like bothering anymore. I was making progress, ever so slowly, but it wasn't fun.
The game has a great aesthetic and I had high hopes, but I've accepted that I will never "git gud" and I'm okay with that. My best experience with Bloodborne was accepting that it's simply not for me.
In the realm of video games, I absolutely disagree. I enjoy the occasional challenge, but some of my favorite games don't even have combat, let alone high difficulty. Life is often challenging and frustrating, our pastimes shouldn't always have to be.
Do a suicide run to the cleric beast, then spend time going through the area properly because you can then level up.
How to get to cleric beast:
From the lantern run to where the first guy is ignore him, jump off the gap to the left ignore everything there, run dow the stairs and run towards the square, head to the stairs on the left zig zag run to the arch way so you don't get shot. Once through run to the right and head up the stairs, again ignore everything and dodge the attacks, run past the warewolves and head to the end of the bridge ignoring the troll, get killed by cleric beast. Now you can level up. Alternitivly before heading to the cleric beast once on the bridge run into the house and head downstairs until you can get outside, once outside go up some stairs and open the gate now you are back at the lantern.
It's not like leveling up will help you much. Leveling up only means killing things a little bit faster (which you won't do without weapon upgrades) or taking another hit in the face which really doesn't help at all.
This is how I felt after my first several hours throwing myself at the same area of the game, able to kill 1-3 guys at a time but couldn't get through the mob, and the one time I did I died to the ogre and couldn't get back.
I came back a few months later and things were going about the same, until I read a post from someone who wasn't stuck complaining about how most of the game is just running past enemies, so I tried just running past the guys around the bonfire area and found out they leash very quickly. I felt nothing but disappointment from getting by that way, but it worked so I kept doing it to get through there, killed the crow things past there and the patrols with the dogs, until I found a ladder down to a sewer-looking area. I died there and just didn't feel like bothering anymore. I was making progress, ever so slowly, but it wasn't fun.
The game has a great aesthetic and I had high hopes, but I've accepted that I will never "git gud" and I'm okay with that. My best experience with Bloodborne was accepting that it's simply not for me.
In the realm of video games, I absolutely disagree. I enjoy the occasional challenge, but some of my favorite games don't even have combat, let alone high difficulty. Life is often challenging and frustrating, our pastimes shouldn't always have to be.
It's like people love to hinder themselves. You were on the right track and it takes not even 2 minutes to reach that point when you are running. You don't even have to run and just dodge your way through and learn to dance. I would suggest you trying again, kicking that games ass and getting that high that you will never lose again. It's no surprise people get an itch to replay this game every few months even though the game is over two years old now and not really that big compared to other Souls games. It's a feeling that no other game till now got me like this and I was the biggest Bloodborne noob ever and streamed that game to over 500 people that complained live. As soon as you learn to dance your way through the game...you won't take your opinion serious anymore. You will also realize that this is what gaming is about.
Yes, this is what you do. Spend some time here, you can farm vials while practice the timing of the stun and visceral. Can also practice backstab, etc. Time spent learning the mechanics early on.
It's like people love to hinder themselves. You were on the right track and it takes not even 2 minutes to reach that point when you are running. You don't even have to run and just dodge your way through and learn to dance. I would suggest you trying again, kicking that games ass and getting that high that you will never lose again. It's no surprise people get an itch to replay this game every few months even though the game is over two years old now and not really that big compared to other Souls games. It's a feeling that no other game till now got me like this and I was the biggest Bloodborne noob ever and streamed that game to over 500 people that complained live. As soon as you learn to dance your way through the game...you won't take your opinion serious anymore. You will also realize that this is what gaming is about.
I may or may not ever give the game another chance - after all, I do own it and I don't sell my games - but "this is what gaming is all about"? I've been gaming for about 35 years, I think I know what gaming is about for me.
OP I'd reccomend just continuing to die until you figure it out yourself. Also, don't read any guides! The Souls games really shine when you figure out / overcome the challenge on your own. Just understand you are going to die a lot! If you have the mentality that dying is bad, the game will get frustrating. Just accept it as part of the experience.
I may or may not ever give the game another chance - after all, I do own it and I don't sell my games - but "this is what gaming is all about"? I've been gaming for about 35 years, I think I know what gaming is about for me.
That's nice that you are gaming for 35 years. I drank normal water for years till somebody recommended sparkling water. Didn't like it first, but he said I should keep going and nowadays I don't like just water anymore. It's too boring. It's not like I wanted to insult you, but you haven't even killed one boss in this game and got the same high that everyone in here (except for the people that didn't manage till now) got.
That first Souls like experience is always tough. Bloodborne has the incredible ability of feeling even faster and more aggressive than some of the slower combat of Souls. Learn to dodge. Learn to use your gun. Practice running through the same area to progress and farm. And then decide if the game is for you - it's frustrating in the beginning, staggering around and dying frequently. But you have to figure out your approach!
I may or may not ever give the game another chance - after all, I do own it and I don't sell my games - but "this is what gaming is all about"? I've been gaming for about 35 years, I think I know what gaming is about for me.
If you have time, maybe you can watch some videos of people playing the first area. It might better demonstrate how to approach the game than the posts here.
That's nice that you are gaming for 35 years. I drank normal water for years till somebody recommended sparkling water. Didn't like it first, but he said I should keep going and nowadays I don't like just water anymore. It's too boring. It's not like I wanted to insult you, but you haven't even killed one boss in this game and got the same high that everyone in here (except for the people that didn't manage till now) got.
I know how the rush of overcoming a challenge feels. I play Monster Hunter for that kind of rush. I've played games like 1001 Spikes and Super Meat Boy. I threw myself at Veni Vidi Vici in VVVVVV for hours until I managed to clear it. But everyone has a limit, and I don't think I'm doing myself a disservice by giving up on a game that's testing my patience with trash mobs the way most challenging games do with bosses.
The general vibe I get from the Soulsborne community is "The games are easy and if they're not you're not trying hard enough/you haven't practiced long enough." I simply came here to offer a different perspective, and that is that it's okay to give up on a game if you've been playing for hours without having fun or making any meaningful progress.
I was running away from many things in the sewer and saw this friend. Shat my pants but somehow I sorta cheesed it by forcing it to attack me through a small tunnel where it couldn't fit. I just popped out for a few smacks and ran back in the entire fight. Felt a bit dirty but hell I needed a win at that point haha.
I know how the rush of overcoming a challenge feels. I play Monster Hunter for that kind of rush. I've played games like 1001 Spikes and Super Meat Boy. I threw myself at Veni Vidi Vici in VVVVVV for hours until I managed to clear it. But everyone has a limit, and I don't think I'm doing myself a disservice by giving up on a game that's testing my patience with trash mobs the way most challenging games do with bosses.
The general vibe I get from the Soulsborne community is "The games are easy and if they're not you're not trying hard enough/you haven't practiced long enough." I simply came here to offer a different perspective, and that is that it's okay to give up on a game if you've been playing for hours without having fun or making any meaningful progress.
I can't explain why, but I've played and finished (even speedrun Super Meat Boy) the Monster Hunter games on PSP and 3DS, but it's still different to this game. It's different with this game (even compared to Dark Souls and Demons' Souls). There is a reason that whole community around that game is talking like this. The games are not easy, but challening, but as soon as it makes click you play these games differently.
It's okay to give up, but not before you haven't even scratched the surface in my opinion.
Cane is swag, but as a 1st timer always go axe for an easier start. On bigger and "slower" enemies you can learn to time your charge attacks and stagger a few of them. Or just charge attack and roll away, rinse/repeat. Learning to parry with guns is optimal, but it can be a bit time consuming and lead to further frustration early on.
I remember the first time I played this game
I had a tough time... and had no idea how to get a weapon
I think I reached the 2 werewolves on the bridge by fighting with bare fists
Until a friend told me what was wrong with me and how to pick up the gun and other weapons and I was like "oooooooh"...
Its an awful onboarding experience. Summon and play with another play to get past Father Gascoigne. Once you get past him it actually gets easier for a while and you have the ability to learn the mechanics and get some levels.
Rush the first boss using a guide so you can get your first insight and start leveling up.
And as others have said, yes OP, you are that bad. But on the bright side, you have nowhere to go but up. Practice effectively using your gun and landing visceral attacks. That's what I did.
yes if you're new it'll be tough. every souls game has the initial learning curve. give the game a couple hours and you'll be rolling.
i never could get past the wolves (after the large door knocking troll), ragequit, and never went back to the game for about a year. just don't give up and you'll be fine.
There seems to be a disconnect for a lot of people when it comes to modern game design. A lot of people just seem to expect they should be able to get in and start tearing things up moment one.
But some games ask you to learn something, practice before it all clicks (And sometimes, they won't walk you through how to learn it; you just have to explore). Soulsborne games do exactly that. You can even with Splatoon 2 threads.
The beginning really is needlessly obtuse for beginners. In hindsight everything seems obvious enhough but people who advise you to get a madmans knowledge so you can level up probably forgot how it is when you don't know what a madmans knowledge is, where you can find it and what to do with it. Even when you use it nothing indicates you can level up now. Same with the Insight indicator when you see the Cleric Beast. "Oh wow that eye icon got to 1! ...What now?"
The first shorcut is one of the best hidden ones in the game I've encountered so far. Like.... why?
I only figured out that you can parry with guns because I played a shitload of DS. If you never played a Souls-game you might as well play through half the game without ever using the parry and then actually press R1 to do a visceral attack.
Now that I have the mechanics down I fucking love the game and marvel at the leveldesign/shortcuts, enemy encounters, artdesign, soundtrack and general gameplay. The only enemies I have problems with now are some of the hunters roaming everyting. I don't know how long I would've tried the dude on the tower in Old Yharnam if he didn't kill himself. Same with some other guy who escapes freaking everything I do. Them having unlimited stamina is annoying af.
PS: Someone in here said I complained about the brick wielding dude at the gate, which is not true.
PPS: Blood Starved Beast was an asshole though. Had him down to 2 hits 3 times and got rekt in the last second every time lol. I don't get why people hyped up Father Gascoine so much though. Beat that guy on my second try. Off to Hemwick now!
- The troll's attack wind-ups are long, making them very easy to stagger with gunshots. Use him for target practice. Eventually you'll see those guys as free blood vials.
- You can't level until you get insight from encountering a boss or using a Madman's Knowledge, but you can buy the Yharnum Hunter set from the messengers which is much better than your default clothing.
- Seriously why do they put so much trash in between the beginning and the Cleric Beast? The Cleric Beast is so easy compared to everything before it. I've never died to the Cleric Beast but have died plenty to the double Scourge Beasts right before them.
Some general mid game advice for you:
- Once you can level aim for 30 Vit, 25 End, and 25 in your attacking stat. Many will claim that End isn't that important. Don't listen to them. While that may be true for experienced players, newer players tend to waste stamina by inefficiently spamming attacks and dodges. The higher stamina makes that inefficiency more forgiving.
- Don't be cheap. Blood echoes exist to be spent. Don't sit on them for a rainy day. Remember that you can use coldbloods for extra blood echoes.
- Same for insight. So long as you have 1 you're in business, but be aware there are threats in the game that will permanently steal insight, so keep a Madman's Knowledge handy. Other than that, feel free to buy the specialized armor sets or tools from the Insight Messenger Bath, or summon an NPC or co-op ally to help on tough sections and bosses.
- Same for Blood stones to upgrade your weapons. You'll tend to have of surplus of lower level materials, so use them to upgrade any weapon you are using whether or not it's your primary or endgame weapon.
- Make sure that you always have at least one Bold Hunter's Mark, and hotkey it. That item will teleport you back to your most recent lantern without losing Blood Echoes, so use it if you are in over your head, like if you accidentally enter a boss room, and have a lot of Blood Echoes to lose if you die.
I beat BSB legit once. Every subsequent time I threw Pungent Blood Cocktails into a corner and attacked its back for free. Not worth the trouble to do it otherwise.
This is awful advice for a beginner. When you are familiar with the map layout you know which areas are safe and which have enemies or hell, where you're supposed to be going in general. Before then you are just running from danger into more danger, trying to find the path.
*Even when you come up on sections that are technically much harder than the opening section, it won't feel as impossible to complete because you'll be able to better identify and understand your mistakes.
The Old Hunters starting area is fucking hell compared to Yharnam. But you understand the game alot better. There's less for them to throw at you that you haven't seen, you're able to see traps coming alot easier, ect ect.
Jesus christ, should the developer also teach you how to start up and exit the game? Should they also teach you that the left stick is for moving and the right stick is for camera too?
I wouldn't call something bullshit just because I was too unintelligent to figure out how to use it, especially when everyone else can figure out just fine.
You are right about one thing though, It IS obvious, so obvious I doubt anyone would have any trouble with it.
Jesus christ, should the developer also teach you how to start up and exit the game? Should they also teach you that the left stick is for moving and the right stick is for camera too?
I wouldn't call something bullshit just because I was too unintelligent to figure out how to use it, especially when everyone else can figure out just fine.
You are right about one thing though, It IS obvious, so obvious I doubt anyone would have any trouble with it.
You're right near the beginning. Unless I'm forgetting something, you're past the first mandatory boss, and you may have fought two optional ones. So it'd be up to you. The next mandatory boss can be a pain though.
Fucking goddamnit. Why is the playable character so fucking slow to use items? Fighting Paarl and when that thing starts swiping like crazy and doing AOE attacks that often one-shot kill me. Sometime I try to heal but since you can't input cancel animations, I have to wait until a dodge anim plays out but it's too late to heal and I get swiped to death. Fuck.
