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Bloodborne - PS4

Started by Viero_Berlotti, February 10, 2015, 01:23:38 PM

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Viero_Berlotti

So the anticipation for this game is starting to build up now the release date of the end of March is getting closer.

The 'spiritual successor' to the Souls series on the last generation of consoles and PC, for me it will probably be the game that defines the early era of the PS4. Everything else I have played so far has kind of felt like playing a PS3.5 game, but I'm hoping Bloodborne will represent the moment we can say the PS4 has arrived.

All the information we have so far points towards this being obviously highly influenced by the Soul series. The main difference (besides the Victorian Gothic setting) seems to be that the central combat mechanics have been changed to reward aggressive tactics rather than a cautious defensive style. Magic and projectiles also seem to have been replaced by rudimentary guns and rifles. A few Souls fans have expressed understandable concerns that these changes will in effect streamline the multiple play styles you could develop in the Souls series, forcing you to adopt a singular style of play. However I don't think we have seen everything this game has to offer so far. This game is a big deal for Sony, it's a proper exclusive, and it is likely that we will never see it on PC or Xbone. So I don't think they will fuck this up.

Anyway, as wankers on other game forums might say I'm 'super stoked' for this game!

mobias

So looking forward to this. The PS4's first must have AAA game by the looks of things. I know someone who got to play through it in the closed beta test and he said it was absolutely amazing. Even better than it looks so my hopes are set to the highest level.

Great bosses by the looks of things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT9Uvt_4Ywg

The Souls series has pretty much killed gaming for me. I've not played owt else for a good few months now and I still listen to Souls podcasts on the reg. I'll be buying a PS4 for this and Dark Souls 2. After being disappointed by what I saw as limiting early game footage, I'm psyched. Take my money, Miyazaki.

Thursday

Apparently there sort of will be shields now, but it doesn't sound like you'll be able to play defensively http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-06-bloodborne-will-have-shields-after-all

Viero_Berlotti

Quote from: The Boston Crab on February 10, 2015, 06:38:24 PM
The Souls series has pretty much killed gaming for me.

Yeah, I remember struggling to get into Skyrim after months and 100 hours plus of Dark Souls. It felt like skating on ice whilst fighting with balsa wood swords.

Quote from: Thursday on February 10, 2015, 06:41:29 PM
Apparently there sort of will be shields now, but it doesn't sound like you'll be able to play defensively http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-02-06-bloodborne-will-have-shields-after-all

Yes, and procedurally generated dungeons announced recently too. http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/6/7346609/bloodborne-chalice-dungeon-character-customziation-playstation-experience

Procedurally generated environments seem to be a bit of a fad in gaming at the moment, but at least this seems like it will be an interesting appendage rather than something that will define the whole game.

Viero_Berlotti

Some new footage of the game environments here:

http://www.ign.com/videos/2015/02/11/bloodbornes-gorgeous-gothic-environments-ign-first

I'm getting a Universal Studios, golden-age of Gothic Horror feel to these environments. They could almost be sets from those classic 1930's/40's movies. However it's the music that really gets me, that huge bombastic full orchestral score. When the main melody kicks in, it's hairs up on the back of the neck every time.

mobias


I'm going to trim back on preview stuff now. I watched the first 18 mins commentary vid and I think that's me til it comes out. So much of the Souls games is the tentative steps, at least before the NG+ metagame stuff. I don't want to know anything from now on. I actually gave away DaS2 to my sister's fella today, as well, in anticipation of next-gen SOFS. I don't want to
know nuthin about new enemy placements and the like.

Quote from: Thursday on March 12, 2015, 01:09:10 AM
(Edge article) can be read here, it's sort of in-between a review and preview.

http://imgur.com/a/uOT3b

Plus an interview with Miyazaki.

Decided to bring this chat to relevant thread. My early concerns included:

- Lack of shield, armour and magic reduce build opps.
- Gothic city vibe means limited environmental diversity.
- New mechanics reminiscent of DMC or similar.
- Trick weapons not varied enough.
- Enforced hack 'n' slash playstyle.

After the Edge article and the IGN first stuff, plus watching a couple of vids:

- The combat looks deep; switching mid-combo is everything I imagined and felt would be super cool. Someone on reddit made the point that having fewer more varied weapons is better than having nine ultra greatswords or numerous identical katanas. I can't wait to get stuck into some combos.

- There seems to be so much love for the new mechanics; there's enormous player control. Jumps, rolls, sidesteps and directional attacks give you superb control and precision. Yes, it's a faster game but instead of spending 70% of the game creeping with a 100% dmg reduction shield, you're going to need to be ready to bang hard at all times. More threat, more tension, less cheesing.

- I'm psyched that it's supposed to be a combination of Dark Souls and Demon's in world design with multiple shortcuts and interconnectivity. That's one of the greatest things about those games and a development of that is pretty exciting.

Major downer: I'm on a fucking school trip from 6am on the day it's out. Not back for a week. If I buy it on the US store, can I play on EU servers with my bros or instant US?

Thursday

#9
I was trying to avoid some of the previews with this stuff, but I've been unable to resist and I'm now FULLY ERECT for this game.

Think I agree about the weapons. I'd still hope there's slightly more than Edge says there is, I'm sure there's plenty of secrets to be discovered that the average reviewer won't find on their first time through. It's true though that there's so many weapon types in Dark Souls that you never really get to use them. And it'll make specializing easier.

This video by lore expert VaatiVidya has me hyped as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d-upp0BrB4

I've gone through Dark Souls 2 with a dual-wielding build as "training" for this, but it doesn't look like it'll compare, because even that becomes more about dodging. Whereas this seems to about being quick and aggressive but still being careful about your timings. Can't wait to get a feel for it.

mobias

Yeah mega looking forward to this. I think its going to be my first proper new gen game. Every other game I've got is a last game thats been ported to the PS4. It certainly looks like the first must have AAA game the PS4's got anyway.

Mobius

I feel a bit sad, because I find Demons/Dark Souls just too difficult and frustrating so I probably won't get any joy from this despite it looking amazing and everyone being really excited for it.

I'll still buy it though. Maybe I won't be shit at this one

Thursday

It's interesting because it's really being pushed, but it is quite niche and esoteric. I imagine there will be a lot of people trading it in.

Quote from: Mobius on March 12, 2015, 07:15:25 PM
I feel a bit sad, because I find Demons/Dark Souls just too difficult and frustrating so I probably won't get any joy from this despite it looking amazing and everyone being really excited for it.

I'll still buy it though. Maybe I won't be shit at this one

Don't give up, is all I'd say. Both games get considerably more manageable and much more fun once you've got about a quarter of the way in, have levelled up and upgraded some half decent gear. They're both well well worth another go. I nearly gave up on them myself but I'm so glad I didn't; it's the best series of games I've ever experienced.

I played both over two different eras. I started Demon's via PS+, I think, found it kinda enthralling but absurd. I must have died several hundred times on 1-1. No joke. I finally beat the first boss and then started to die more and more and more. I eventually just put it to one side when The Last Of Us came out, I think. That became my obsession for a while and I saw Demon's as atmospheric but very gamey. An impressive relic.

Then Dark Souls 2 got announced and I went back to Demon's to see how I'd take to it. I restarted it with a different character, looked up build info and weapon requirements and realised I'd wasted hours and hours levelling up Luck and Faith and Resistance, all kinds of shite which did me no good for my character. I focused on Strength, Dex and Endurance, got the Fire Longsword and started banging some fucking heads. I scraped through Tower Knight and felt like something clicked. I could take this game. Turns out I couldn't and got twatted again and again in every area but I tasted enough success and enough affirmation of my improved skill and careful levelling that I stuck with it.

Dark Souls was similar. I started it after I'd finished Dark Souls 2, I think. Died again and again. I can say my timing was skewed by the sequel and Demon's but the reality is that I just got rekt. I must have died at least a hundred times in Undead Burg. Christ knows how many times I reached Taurus and got launched off the bridge. More often than not, it was just some hollow with a firebomb. I ditched it for DaS2 NG+. I think the first DLC had come out by the time I went back to Dark. I'm not too proud to say I looked up some tips in a walk through and found out how to get started. I got the Drake sword. I got some gear, upgraded a bit and then I started cooking. I devoured podcast after podcast and watched every lore video going. It's probably the best game I've ever played, I don't see how anything can really top it. It's pure game and succeeds on those terms like nothing else. The whole thing is mechanics, skill and persistence. The concept justifies the medium and its tropes so perfectly, nothing can ever follow it. DaS2 went sledgehammer existential but lacked the lightness of touch, the wabi sabi tone which permeates the game world and your real life, when you stop to contemplate. I know this sounds full on wank but it is the one. It's unmissable. And funnily enough, it's actually pretty unfinished, much of the game between Anor Londo and the pitch-perfect final battle is clunky, ugly and imbalanced. It honestly doesn't matter.

Give it another go, one day. It's worth a week of anyone's lifetime.

TrenterPercenter

Super stoked (is that what the cool kids say?) for this!

best games ever and all that, definitely stay away from the previews as it is all about discovering and dying.

Quote from: Thursday on March 12, 2015, 07:23:17 PM
It's interesting because it's really being pushed, but it is quite niche and esoteric. I imagine there will be a lot of people trading it in.

Miyazaki says matchmaking will be in line with Demon's and Dark, which suggests fuck off Soul Memory. The recent Agape Ring update in Scholar was fucking stupid. I wonder if they'll rejig it for the upcoming version. SM is clearly bad.

I'm really looking forward to twinking so hard CeX will need to buy new shelves. And then I just remembered I'm not going to be playing the first week so I'm probably going to get taught a lesson instead by some 1bro fucks. I hope our plane crashes. I really do.

From Vaati's recent vid, it seems like whenever you ring your summon bell, that hag also makes sure you get invaded, and yet you can also kill her, and so I wonder what the consequences will be! CHOO CHOO

Junglist

Quote from: The Boston Crab on March 12, 2015, 03:51:06 PM
If I buy it on the US store, can I play on EU servers with my bros or instant US?

Yes, yes you can. I've got it bought from the US store (ten quid cheaper and releases four days earlier), you'll be sound I'm sure.

Junglist

Also add me on PSN Crab (if you aren't on my list already) so I can invade you over and over and over.

Thursday

I think I have most of you already added, but I'm hooverben on PSN so you can invade me (or call on each other for help when we inevitably get rekt)

Viero_Berlotti

I wonder what the game mechanic is that From had forbidden them to talk about in the Edge article? My guess is some kind of lycanthorpy that effects the player. In the interview Miyazaki hints at it when pondering "'What is deep inside of a beast?' or 'What is it like to become one?'" also the working title of Bloodborne was Project Beast which further suggests that those concepts might be central to the game.

The beast mode theory is all over reddit. I heard that the limited info marketing is typical for souls games, makes sense since so much of the first playthrough is the anticipation. I'm expecting more weapons and stuff. Not sure about beast mode, sounds a bit gimmicky but I can see how it could replace hollowing, like you turn more beast as you die repeatedly, and sharing blood and shit. Probably an aids satire.

Mobius

Quote from: The Boston Crab on March 12, 2015, 08:30:03 PM
souls

You're right, I did give up too easily. There was brief moments (when I finally killed an enemy) where I fucking loved it and totally 'got' why people were so in love with the game. It looked lovely and had a beautiful sort of mood/ambience. But yeah, I just hadn't the patience for wiping again and again.

I'm going to go into this with a positive attitude though, despite just watching a trailer and realising it's practically a horror game. I'm a right pussy when it comes to scary games, so I really think I'm going to struggle here

There's a guy streaming this on PS Live right now. I'm going to stop watching, if I can.

Spoilers all over reddit regarding classes and weapons and duration, etc. Beast Mode not confirmed but one review copy guy who deleted all his posts said he's definitely not allowed to mention or discuss that mechanic due to NDA. That suggests it/something does exist, if I may be so vague. A number of people suggesting it's therefore an online mechanic, or maybe activated with Day One patch. I'm sure I read something aaaages ago which suggested invading others' games as a beast. I'm sure it was an IGN preview or similar.

Edit: Broadcast has just stopped, forty minutes in. I saw about five minutes.

TheFalconMalteser

Will they have the coconut in this one, do you think?  I really liked that bit of DS.

Viero_Berlotti

Quote from: TheFalconMalteser on March 18, 2015, 12:00:36 PM
Will they have the coconut in this one, do you think?  I really liked that bit of DS.

I heard Miyazaki thought that the coconut became too much of a crutch for some players in DS. So it will be replaced in Bloodborne by a new 'reverse hopscotch' mechanic to encourage forward thinking strategies from an early point in the game.

Quote from: TheFalconMalteser on March 18, 2015, 12:00:36 PM
Will they have the coconut in this one, do you think?  I really liked that bit of DS.

I don't understand this joke.


mobias

I didn't realise there's a staggered release date for this game with the UK last to get it. Pants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday

I've got it pre-ordered, but I have been wondering about shops in London that tend to break street dates. Anyone know any?