Few games nowadays can make the wider gaming audience roll their eyes or jump out of their chairs excitedly. Yes, there are plenty of games that people are excited about their inevitable release, like Grand Theft Auto 6. Still, a darker, almost esoteric magic happens when the inevitable rumor mill starts to swill about games like Silksong and Bloodborne, the latter of which happens to be the Beyond! Game Club Game for April.
Bloodborne is one of those experiences that can be transformative for some. At the same time, many will often play it, slaughtering their prey up until they see the credits or get fed up with it before eventually throwing in the towel. Those who overcome what lies in wait often become addicted to the challenging and precise combat of many souls’ games, while segments of that group become radicalized by the world and its lore that enthralls them as they traverse the extensive map draped in gothic and Lovecraftian themes. It’s no surprise that many of the hosts of podcast Beyond! are big fans of Bloodborne, and we look forward to our return to Yharnam once again, with it celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
Mid-Month Update:
Jada:
Returning to Bloodborne has been an eye-opening experience for me. My return has confirmed many of my initial feelings about the game from when I first visited it 10 years ago. However, like the sparse glimpses of the sun, the elements that have evangelized many of its fans have started to reveal themselves to me. Exploring in Bloodborne has been more enjoyable this time around as I find paths I previously overlooked in my haste to move through them last time. It also reminded me of the fun I have when uncovering neat little treasures or how much it gets my blood pumping when I unlock a shortcut after a series of death-defying battles.
The boss and enemy design alone has helped me appreciate the adoration Bloodborne gets from my co-hosts and the rest of its fan base. The variety I've seen so far in the first dozen hours while exploring the main areas and chalice dungeons is unlike most of the bosses I've seen in other Souls games. And while none have pushed me other than the fire-based bosses that are resistant to my fire-based arcane build, the difficulty is what I remembered from my first trip through Yharnam. Though I still haven't grown fond of the gun parry mechanics in place of my tried and true shield parries in other Souls games, it's moved up from being a system I hated to a system that I use when the circumstances necessitate it. I fully expect the 'git gud' elements of the parry system will eventually kick in so I can go from hoping I land this parry to landing them more consistently to devastate the other hellions that lie ahead, but until then, I will just run enemies through on my flaming saw-spear.
How's your progress going in our return to Yharnam? How many blood echoes have you forfeited due to an untimely death? What kind of build are you pursuing? We hope you're enjoying this Bloodborne homecoming as much as we are and that your endeavors to slaughter the numerous beasts, ghouls, and other ghastly creatures have been entertaining enough to see it through to the end with us. But let us know in the comments below how your experience has been! And be sure to check back in throughout the month as we update you with our latest thoughts, triumphs, and, of course, the many failures that await us in Bloodborne.
