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[Deified Data]

The more impressions I read stating "keeping your shield up and circle-strafing won't help you anymore" I'm honestly shocked that seemingly 90% of the people who played the Souls games seem to have an identical playstyle. There are so many ways to play and most people seem to stick with the first combo that works.

I think Bloodborne is going to be loads easier to manage without a shield than Souls was. People who are used to no shield playthroughs of Souls will probably be surprised.

 

[ANDS]

To be honest I'm not thrilled by these previews (do not like horror games and loved the slow, deliberate pace of the prior Soul's games). Still will be there day 1 and may end up loving the new mechanics, but as of now I'm not sold on the changes.

What "changes"? It's a brand new IP clearly inspired by the previous games.

 

[Shengar]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

Maybe calling Dark Souls a horror game is a bit of a stretch, but its true for Demon's Souls. Even when not all part of the game give the sense of horror, the Tower of Latria alone is enough to make up for it.

 

[Afrodium]

Bloodborne will sell worse than games like The Order, witch didn't make specially well on NPD.

If Bloodborne gets 9s and 10s across the board then I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by how this 'niche' game sells. Being the first must-have game for a console that's sold over 20 million units is definitely going to move some copies.

It's sad that you feel pressured to apologize when you didn't say anything wrong.

I agree with you: the game's RPG elements have not been emphasized by the advertisements. This isn't a criticism of Sony or From. If the TV ads were the extend of my Bloodborne knowledge, I would think the game was a straight-up action game like GoW.

I agree. I see a lot of people asking questions about the Souls games and assuming it's difficult in the way that Ninja Gaiden is. Granted, the Souls series is somewhat unique in its style of difficulty, but still, a lot of people are under the impression that this is an action game. I have to wonder what the general consensus among new players will be if it does sell as well as I'm predicting.

 

[Timeaisis]

More offensive-focused, eh? Neat.

 

[Sun]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

We could semantically wiggle our way around your objection by calling these games "survival-horror".

 

[ANDS]

Maybe calling Dark Souls a horror game is a bit of a stretch, but its true for Demon's Souls. Even when not all part of the game give the sense of horror, the Tower of Latria alone is enough to make up for it.

Demon's Souls was dark fantasy. The intent of a lot of these zones was to fill you with dread first; were some of the bumps and enemy attacks "frightening" - sure. However the point wasn't to be scary.

The aesthetic in BB reminds me of Darkest Dungeon. Neither game looks to be going for scares. The "horror" is in the environment, not the intent to make you shriek (at least in terror).

 

[BennyBlanco]

Maybe calling Dark Souls a horror game is a bit of a stretch, but its true for Demon's Souls. Even when not all part of the game give the sense of horror, the Tower of Latria alone is enough to make up for it.

We're splitting hairs now but I don't really consider any of them horror games. I think we can all agree BB has more horror elements than anything we've seen in the Souls series anyway.

 

[Flying Toaster]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

Different degrees of horror. There is Lovecraft and Poe and then there is SAW franchise and Hellraiser.

 

[QuantumZebra]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

You clearly have not played Demon's Souls.

Tower of Latria = nightmare fuel.

 

[Navy Bean]

Well, you don't want this to be an exact copy of the others. It's good that it's doing its own new thing while still having familiar settings and game play mechanics. Otherwise you run into a problem of it being too similar. I guess that's not really a bad thing for you veteran soul's players though.

These are all good points...

 

[marrec]

The absolute WORST parts of the Souls series has always been the combat so I'm freaking pumped that Miyazaki has changed up the formula to encourage a more active and, hopefully, less boring form of combat.

That + the remote play impressions (use more of the front screen devs!) has put this into the Pre-Order category for me.

 

[ANDS]

Bloodborne will sell worse than games like The Order, witch didn't make specially well on NPD.

There is no way this game sells worse than The Order (which looks to sell about 1MIL or close to it). No PS4 exclusive major release has sold less than 1MIL (even LBP3).

SONY isn't worried about this games performance (probably a reason this was moved AFTER The Order in it's release).

 

[BennyBlanco]

You clearly have not played Demon's Souls.

Tower of Latria = nightmare fuel.

I've played all 3 games. Tower of Latria was cool and supposed to be scary. Just like Tomb of Giants and Nito were supposed to be scary. I also remember fighting a bunch of flying Stingrays and laughing my head off in Demon's Souls.

 

[Allnamestakenlol]

I've only ever played souls games with a 2h weapon or fists, so having a less defensive focus to the encounters is A-OK with me.

 

[Mr Git]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

I would argue that the Tower of Latria does horror better than either of those games. It doesn't rely on jump scares or loud, shrill noises, but instead instills a deep sense of dread that just keeps building. Wonderful level.

 

[Despera]

The absolute WORST parts of the Souls series has always been the combat so I'm freaking pumped that Miyazaki has changed up the formula to encourage a more active and, hopefully, less boring form of combat.

That + the remote play impressions (use more of the front screen devs!) has put this into the Pre-Order category for me.

I'm not sure if the combat changes are drastic enough to go from absolute worst to great though.

 

[Jimmyfenix]

I've only ever played souls games with a 2h weapon or fists, so having a less defensive focus to the encounters is A-OK with me.

hey fists are good weapon in some parts in the souls games!

 

[Vitten]

Hmm. Bloodborne doesn't use fog gates that much anymore right? (besides after going into boss and dying of course).

I wonder how it will present the "you can't leave as there is an invader here" system. Wonder if it will use fog gates to prevent you from leaving or perhaps some kind of other solution. Like city gates would physically block you by going down, boulders falling, fire? Interesting to find out. Would love to not see fog gates so that you won't know there is an invader coming so you can't run back and prepare.

The foggates were cool but they didn't make much sense beyond Demon's Souls story.

 

[IAmRandom31]

Hmm, I see horror as " terror " or something that legit frightens you. Tower of Latria was just oppressive and disturbing.

The moans of the inmates, the haunting and beautiful song of the singing woman, the bells that ranged through the hallways from the guards, the angry man growling. All those sounds just kept really getting to you .. like someone constantly sliding their nails down a blackboard. You could actually sense the madness that the place would create for someone stuck in there for years and years and an eternity.

It wasn't scary. It was just ... " i don't like this place .... at all " lol.

There was one slightly " scary " part though like when you opened the spiked capsule device and the person would jump out at you. That put you back on your toes a little.

 

[MMaRsu]

A horror game is something like Amnesia or Outlast. Dark Souls has horror elements but to call it a flat out horror game is just wrong.

Eh, Id call Dark Souls a horror inspired game for sure.

Not sure where you'd see some of the imagery elsewhere.

 

[Give War A Chance]

Are the reviews dropping next Monday (3/23)? I'm on media blackout, and the only thing I'll read before it drops are the numbers that are unjustly being persecuted by the gaming journalism industry!

 

[mkvl]

This weekend I did not resist the hype and bought myself a PS4 just for this game! Can't wait for next week.

P.S.: Really surprised with the PS4 "experience", only grip are the sticks on my DS4 but I think I'm set with the combo WiiU+PS4 for a good while.

 

[ethomaz]

Amazing good previews.

 

[The Artisan]

Wait so... when are the reviews coming?

I'd like to know this too

 

[Mendax]

Demon's Souls was dark fantasy. The intent of a lot of these zones was to fill you with dread first; were some of the bumps and enemy attacks "frightening" - sure. However the point wasn't to be scary.

The aesthetic in BB reminds me of Darkest Dungeon. Neither game looks to be going for scares. The "horror" is in the environment, not the intent to make you shriek (at least in terror).

I'm quite sure that "dark fantasy" refers to a kind of fantasy that has stuff like crime, discrimination, sex, violence, racism etc. such as the witcher and dragon age, as opposed to high fantasy (lotr).

and if something has the intent to fill you dread then how is not horror? Horror doesn't have to be scary, its more about fear and dread.

 

[bananafactory]

This weekend I did not resist the hype and bought myself a PS4 just for this game! Can't wait for next week.

P.S.: Really surprised with the PS4 "experience", only grip are the sticks on my DS4 but I think I'm set with the combo WiiU+PS4 for a good while.

Welcome to current gen there is no going back now

 

[Giriath_89]

Just gotta update those icons to maybe the Vintage or Lumos packs and you're good to go!

Done.

http://i.imgur.com/gldVAGT.jpg

 

[marrec]

I'm not sure if the combat changes are drastic enough to go from absolute worst to great though.

I'm pretty much in love with everything else in the Souls series though, I just never had the patience to slog through it's boring combat. Even if I can move it from "worst" to "mediocre" I'll probably have a great time.

 

[Steroyd]

I would argue that the Tower of Latria does horror better than either of those games. It doesn't rely on jump scares or loud, shrill noises, but instead instills a deep sense of dread that just keeps building. Wonderful level.

I think the whole series is a horror, nothing more frightening than losing all my souls and dying before getting my progression back.

 

[10k]

Will you stop with the BS.

I fail to see your point. It's a pattern that anybody following the gaming industry would see. Just because you don't agree with the premise that doesn't make it bullshit.

Sony is being very cautious with this title, that doesn't mean they think it will flop commercially or critically.

 

[ANDS]

I'm quite sure that "dark fantasy" refers to a kind of fantasy that has stuff like crime, discrimination, sex, violence, racism etc. such as the witcher and dragon age, as opposed to high fantasy (lotr).

and if something has the intent to fill you dread then how is not horror? Horror doesn't have to be scary, its more about fear and dread.

The Witcher series would be a form of high & medieval fantasy with mature themes. There's not much "dark" about it in the sense that people are arguing about here. Dragon Age I would put in that as well. Obviously "dark fantasy" as a compound word leaves a lot to interpretation; their isn't much in terms of "horror" though which - from a literary sense - has a VERY specific purpose.

 

[KennyLinder]

I preordered the game on PS4 digitally, to those that have also done this, can you check something for me?

Go into the Library and select Bloodborne. From, there select the games countdown timer to bring up the full-screen timer. Select the Auto Download Settings option at the bottom.

Is Bloodborne selected for you? It wasn't for me, which seems odd as that would mean the game wouldn't auto-download (unless it got auto-ticked closer to pre-load time). One of the DLC bonus items was ticked though.


Thanks.

 

[KorrZ]

Playing Demons Souls I never once had the feeling of " horror " .........

dark fantasy maybe .. kind of ... but never horror.

Scariest thing to me was screwing up and rolling your body into lava in world 2 and losing tens of thousands of souls to the flames. Thats true horror

Tower of Latria really never gave you the horror vibes? The little jingles of the bell and then squid face sprinting at you to instant 1 shot kill?

Fuck that place!

 

[Newtype-001]

I fail to see your point. It's a pattern that anybody following the gaming industry would see. Just because you don't agree with the premise that doesn't make it bullshit.

Sony is being very cautious with this title, that doesn't mean they think it will flop commercially or critically.

I honestly dont see how.


Youtube & TV ads 2 weeks before release
gone gold event in japan
IGN first videos
Alpha and lots of gameplay demoes at conventions

If anything id say they are pushing it.

What do you think shows sony are being "cautious"?

 

[graffix13]

I would argue that the Tower of Latria does horror better than either of those games. It doesn't rely on jump scares or loud, shrill noises, but instead instills a deep sense of dread that just keeps building. Wonderful level.

Agree.

World 5-2 in Demon's Souls is no picnic either.

 

[MilkBeard]

Turtles gotta get gud

Spoiler

I was a turtle

 

[IAmRandom31]

Tower of Latria really never gave you the horror vibes? The little jingles of the bell and then squid face sprinting at you to instant 1 shot kill?

Fuck that place!

Tower of Latria was brilliantly designed. Maybe the best designed series of levels ever in gaming. Very high atop that mountain anyway.

But pure horror, no.

Disturbing. You got the sense of dread and despair of the inmates the longer you stayed there. But never pure horror. Never afraid to go down a staircase or go into a cell worried about being scared half to death. None of that you would think of with " horror ".

Like in P.T it sometimes got so bad you simply did not want to move anymore. Just stood there hoping everything would calm down a little lol. But it never did.

 

[Alchemist]

I preordered the game on PS4 digitally, to those that have also done this, can you check something for me?

Go into the Library and select Bloodborne. From, there select the games countdown timer to bring up the full-screen timer. Select the Auto Download Settings option at the bottom.

Is Bloodborne selected for you? It wasn't for me, which seems odd as that would mean the game wouldn't auto-download (unless it got auto-ticked closer to pre-load time). One of the DLC bonus items was ticked though.


Thanks.

All 3 items were selected for me.

 

[LowEndTorque]

I know the EDGE preview already had its own thread, but shouldn't it be in the OP?

no more turtling

Dodging > Turtling

 

[Veritigo_X]

Ugh, the remote play controls don't look good at all. I hate when they split up the rear touchpad into quadrants instead of using the touchscreen. It always forces me to hold the Vita with my fingertips instead of actually holding it. I'll mostly be playing on the TV for sure, but I was looking forward to remote play as well. Maybe one day we can remap remote play controls.

Edit: Never mind, totally misread that.

 

[marrec]

Ugh, the remote play controls don't look good at all. I hate when they split up the rear touchpad into quadrants instead of using the touchscreen. It always forces me to hold the Vita with my fingertips instead of actually holding it. I'll mostly be playing on the TV for sure, but I was looking forward to remote play as well. Maybe one day we can remap remote play controls.

It actually looks like it's halves and not quadrants which is much easier to navigate as long as they're not putting essential functions on the rear touchpad.

 

[Veritigo_X]

It actually looks like it's halves and not quadrants which is much easier to navigate as long as they're not putting essential functions on the rear touchpad.

Yep, I misread it at first. Seems like it will be really comfortable to play on the Vita.

 

[Harmen]

Good thing my play style in Dark Souls is not based on a lot of turtling (even though I nearly always carried a shield). Basically only for groups of those annoying quick small and/or poisonous enemy types. I think I will be "fine" for the most part. Sounds good to me.

 

[Sola Scriptura]

*deleted*

 

[DanteGhost]

Guys, weren't reviews suppose to hit today?

 

[bananafactory]

Guys, weren't reviews suppose to hit today?

No. We don't have a review embargo date. Most of us believe it will be next Monday.

 

[Bunta]

Guys, weren't reviews suppose to hit today?

Nope. Just a preview embargo today. The review embargo supposedly lifts next Monday.

 

[Nabbis]

I really don't like these review embargo's. It's current primary function is to maximize hype sails. I don't agree with this as a consumer, no matter how good the game may be.

 

[Vlade]

Tower of Latria was brilliantly designed. Maybe the best designed series of levels ever in gaming. Very high atop that mountain anyway.

But pure horror, no.

Disturbing. You got the sense of dread and despair of the inmates the longer you stayed there. But never pure horror. Never afraid to go down a staircase or go into a cell worried about being scared half to death. None of that you would think of with " horror ".

Like in P.T it sometimes got so bad you simply did not want to move anymore. Just stood there hoping everything would calm down a little lol. But it never did.

I like the type of horror Demon's Souls was. understated and disturbing, like trying to figure out what happened here and the legions or plague babies or something reminds you.

PT didn't do it for me at all. It was too abstract and shock, and after a short while it just got to where I don't even feel jumpy anymore and then it just, I dunno. two minutes of scare followed by community driven puzzlers just wasn't my thing I guess.