From Software may have many changes to the Dark Souls formula with Bloodborne, but at its core it is still aDark Souls game.
For one, the controls and combat are identical. Controls in particular are tight. You will be able to transform your weapons in the heart of battle without interruption and intuitively.
Combat flows very well, and the lack of a shield forces players to adopt an aggressive playstyle. To augment this, From added new counter and evasive options, as well as a new Regain system. To use the Regain system, you need to strike back after an opponent attacks you, in a very specific window of time. If you can pull it off, you regain some health. All of these changes, most especially the Regain system, will force a change in how fans play.
Regarding difficulty, the Bloodborne demo fans got to play a few months ago was deliberately made easier, to fit the demands of an exposition demo. However, even then, fans got a taste of the extreme difficulty From’s games are known for. One player saw the demo end abruptly with one wrong turn. Another fan pulled off a successful counter, but then failed to follow through with a strike immediately. He was punished by immediately losing ¾ of his life.
The graphics look great, except for one thing. The settings and backgrounds are very detailed. The character models and monster designs are also impressive. However, the framerate appears to be just passable at 30 FPS. From Software is notorious for making games with poor framerate, so it is a good thing that they meet the minimum of what is expected in a console like the PlayStation 4. For many fans, this will not be enough. From would be well advised to take the remaining development time and use it to raise this spec.
Overall, Bloodborne is a faster take on the Dark Souls formula. It is not a dramatic change, that makes it more akin to DmC, for example. It has enough changes that will take some getting used to, but is ultimately a worthy stepbrother in theDark Souls/Demon’s Souls series.
Bloodborne is coming to Japan for PlayStation 4 on February 5, 2015. Stay tuned to GameRanx for more information on Bloodborne’s western release.
