• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Starting Bloodborne, want some advice

I've platinumed the game and I have no idea what the bolded means. Like, at all.

...what?

You press up on the d-pad and get 5 blood bullets in exchange for some of your health. I can't accept that you platinumed the game without knowing this mechanic lol.
 
Strategies are situational. Some are best to rush and be aggressive, others require a more bait then attack methodology. If you do get hit, sneak in as many attacks as you can, as fast as you can, get that health back. Take out ranged attackers as fast as you can, they will destroy you very quickly.

I've been very slowly plodding my way through this game since launch. Just beat
Micolash, Host of the Nightmare
Gave me some trouble until I really thought about the encounter. On to the
Wet Nurse!
 
Be aggressive but don't get greedy. You regain HP back with Rally but you need to be alert for the enemy's counterattack too. Don't be afraid to run past enemies at points. Upgrade your HP in the early levels.

The easiest starter weapon is the axe, I guess. It has a high stunlock potential and spin-to-win charge attack.
 
As someone new to the genre (LotF doesn't really count, to be honest), it's very easy to get frustrated immediately. Unlike other games, Soulsborne games don't ramp up difficulty...it's hard right off the bat.

Leveling up is important (you can do this after you reach - not beat - the first boss), but learning the mechanics, timing, etc. is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more critical to success. I probably spent 4-6 hours to beat the first boss the first time (including the runs up to him). Now? I could probably pick up a NG and run there / beat him in 20 minutes.
 
Be patient. Bloodborne's opening area features some of the worst game design of the entire series. They don't let you level out of the gate, which combined with severe difficulty is extremely offputting. Look up a video of how to run to the first boss or get your first insight item ASAP so you can at least start leveling to make the opening area less brutal. Past Central Yarnham the game actually gets easier and the design improves drastically. They kick you in the nuts expecting a mastery of systems they haven't taught yet out of the gate though.

Go STR and use Ludwig's Holy Blade.

Use a quest guide, the quests in Bloodborne are neat, but pretty much all involve knowing how things change after killing a boss and you can miss secret endings, entire quest chains and lore incredibly easily.
 
Some general info and advice:
- if you feel you need some help: don't be afraid to use the wiki (especially in the beginning)
- use parry and visceral attacks (takes practice)
- don't get discouraged at the 2nd boss (
Father Gascoigne
)
- take your time and don't give up
 
Treat it like a horror game, that's what I did on my first playthrough. Observe your surroundings and keep an ear on audio cues.
That means don't run into the plaza at the beginning and think you're hot shit whose gonna take out 10 enemies at once with swag combos.

Try not to spoil your first walkthrough or looking up directions. There's a lot of secrets in the game and you won't find them all on your first playthrough.
 
Be open minded about the genre and don't get discouraged.

After you give it an honest shot and feel like you're not having fun. Just drop it.

It took me a few hours and 2-3 unsuccessful attempts (wasn't even close) on the 1st boss to realize this genre probably isn't for me.
 
As others already said, be patient, and it'll click soon enough.

BB was my first Souls game and I remember saying out loud, after dying another horrible death at the beginning of the game, "Yeah...I probably won't ever finish this game..".
But I stuck with it, and now it's one of my favourite games of all time.
 
I have the same pedigree as you OT, only played Lords of the Fallen before this. I'm currently on my first playthrough as well. I have made good experiences with the Hunter's Axe so far (and I'm nearly at the end of the main game).

Like others have said, do not give up! The initial hump is the hardest to overcome. After the first mandatory boss everything becomes more managable as you develop an understanding for the game. Also do not shy away from summoning other players if you get stuck on a boss.
 
Being good at gun parry will go a long way. Always have a mindset to get counter hits in due to the health regain mechanic. eould suggest to attempt the dlc if you do near endgame. You will probably have an idea when the game is ending to make the choice.
 
Parrying makes PvE a heck of a lot easier once you get the system down. Just shoot when you think the bullet will hit the enemy in the face, basically.

The Hunter's Axe R2 charge attack spin move is godly.

At the beginning, I would put more points into Vitality and Strength or Dexterity (depending on what types of weapons you want to use) instead of Endurance. If you are any bit conservative, you should not expect to get off 4 or 5-hit combos on every enemy. This will likely deplete most all of your stamina anyway. Just something to keep in mind.
 
Learn to dodge.
Learn to parry.
Never get greedy: unless you have a dex/end build with the according weapon, you can't chain more than 3-4 hits.

And above all: git gud.
 
...what?

You press up on the d-pad and get 5 blood bullets in exchange for some of your health. I can't accept that you platinumed the game without knowing this mechanic lol.

I'm sure he knew about the mechanic, but didn't understand the wording. Honestly, it's a great idea, and even though I've finished the game and the DLC I had never thought of it. Since part of the vial is being wasted if you're only down a little HP, why convert some more to bullets so it's not wasted AND you have bullets.

Seems so obvious but never considered it.
 
Play and enjoy. Some of the greatest moments ever for me I had in this game in my pretty long gamer life.

And watch some non spoilery video about the basics. I think the game does a veeeery poor job introducing people into the game.
 
Pick the Saw Cleaver
Put points into VIT, forget everything else at the moment.
Upgrade yoru weapon, this is important even more so that leveling your char.
Learn Patterns and parry windows, will make your life easier.

= Profit.
 
One more thing.

Don't waste special items or NPC/ other players for bosses in the first tries. Learn the boss before you do so.
 
...what?

You press up on the d-pad and get 5 blood bullets in exchange for some of your health. I can't accept that you platinumed the game without knowing this mechanic lol.

I genuinely had no idea at all. Went the entire game barely using bullets at all, only when strictly necessary to parry or very, very obvious that a parry was 'open'. I put no points into bloodtinge, and played like an aggressive maniac. Worked pretty well.
 
Probably the toughest intro in the Series but it tapers off quickly after the first couple bosses. Just jump in OP.

Some things new players dont know/do:

Read ALL the messages in the Hunter's Dream and the Clinic you wake up in. They touch on mechanics that will help you throughout the game.

When you find a Madman's Knowledge use it! It will allow you to level up.

Always be on the lookout for alternative paths and shortcuts leading back to the checkpoint. Basically explore, explore, explore. Dont be afraid to get lost or go further, sometimes it just what you need.

Dont get greedy with attacks. The game is faster than other Souls games and allows you to chain more attacks together but if you over-extend you will be punished.

May the good Blood guide your way!
 
Buy a small resonant bell asap, it's the co-op thing that lets you be summoned by other people. Use it at least before every boss, it's where most people will summon help for.

Co-op is fun, the small bell is free to use (it costs something to summon, not to be summoned) and the rewards for a kill are nice, especially as you level.
 
I genuinely had no idea at all. Went the entire game barely using bullets at all, only when strictly necessary to parry or very, very obvious that a parry was 'open'. I put no points into bloodtinge, and played like an aggressive maniac. Worked pretty well.
Yep, same here. Never used it unless I pressed it on accident. LOL
 
I went in blind about a 2 weeks ago and beat it today, its a candidate for game of the generation for me. Don't take any advice, just play it and love it. You learn as you play, anything anyone teaches you will only take away from the experience.
 
I just started this game... it can be such bullshit, but it's usually not cheap. It's almost always your fault that you died, so it'll make you hate yourself even more when you look in the mirror and see a pathetic soul who did not dodge.

In all seriousness... the beginning area is really tough. I found the cane / whip to be a good choice because even though it's a little weaker, it can handle several enemies at once, but the best advice I can give you from the get-go is to get the item that allows you to buy the other starter weapons (I think it's in the sewer). Being able to switch from the whip, which is fast and light and great for certain situations, to the axe, which can level some bigger enemies, was extremely helpful to me. The axe will help take care of non-staggering enemies, and the whip will help control crowds, if you get yourself into that situation.

After that, I'd suggest finding a better armor set. In this game, you can find them on ground sometimes. If you look around, the first one you get helps immensely.
 
Learn to interrupt and pull off a vicious attack. Other than that, just know the limits and reach of your weapon and be patient and you're good to go. Be careful of dodging too soon though as enemies track like mofos. Also, the first area is fucking tough as balls for a beginner, but once you get the mechanics down, it's much easier to navigate the rest of the game.
 
Ludwig's holy blade was legit and carried me through my first playthrough relatively easily. (And entirely offline because I didn't have PS+!)
 
I like how people have labeled so many different weapons as overpowered and making the game too easy.

It shows how good most of the weapons are once you learn to use them.
 
Look for shortcuts leading back to previous checkpoints - if you find yourself needing to run a long distance to get from the last checkpoint to a boss, for instance, you likely missed a door or elevator that can make your trip much shorter.

- Edit -

Actually my real advice would be to play Dark Souls 1 instead....you'll find the gameplay to be similar (but superior) to Lords of the Fallen, and IMO it's a deeper game with more variety both in environments and in combat options than Bloodborne. I felt like most of the areas in Bloodborne felt way too similar, and there are surprisingly few weapon choices in comparison to the Dark Souls games.
 
I like how people have labeled so many different weapons as overpowered and making the game too easy.

It shows how good most of the weapons are once you learn to use them.

True, any of the 3 starting weapons are good enough to carry you to the end of the game.
 
Explore as much as you can and pay attention to everything that happens.

Also, don't worry about what you can't do or get early on. The game was designed to give you things as you progress.
 
Buy Blood Vials with extra blood echoes you have after leveling up. Also, if you're low on Blood Vials, don't grind for them from enemy drops; get blood echoes to buy them.

So many people run out of Blood Vials because they think they have to get them from drops, which is only really true at the very beginning of the game.
 
Top Bottom