Part of it was down to expectation. Despite being initially resistant to the pull of Dark Souls, when the game was done it instantly made its way into my top ten games of all time. Anything short of the same will leave me feeling disappointed.
Most of my nerves, however, were down to the daunting task I was facing. I was naive at the start of Dark Souls. I had no idea what the game was going to ask of me. The difficulty is one thing but the lack of knowledge about what was behind every corner almost broke me emotionally.
These days I’m more aware of what Hidetaka Miyazaki is capable of. Among his many talents, he seems to understand how far he can push his audience and when they seem to have the better of him. With the insane challenge runs being conjured up by the hardcore of his previous games, he is now aware that he can push them even further.
My first steps into Yharnam - the game's beautifully grotty city - created slow, strong thuds on the cobbled paving. Each considered and filled with tension. My heart was pounding before the light from the lantern had stopped bouncing off of my back and I had my first “Oh shit” moment within minutes as I stared down onto a mob of enemies gathered around a huge fire.
As I wandered around trying to find where to go I couldn’t help but notice the incredible level design on show. It’s the best I’ve ever seen in a game, with a city full of shortcuts, intertwined routes and vistas over past or future areas.
It reminded me of the start of Resident Evil 4. I felt like an unwelcome outsider. That all eyes were on me and the townsfolk were only quiet because I was in earshot. As I ventured though the opening area my paranoia was validated as enemies barked at me as they attacked. They feared me but tried to take their threat down.
I’ve finished Dark Souls and I’ve played a big chunk of the game through a second time. I’m in no way an expert but with this prior-knowledge I should have been able to run through the start of Bloodborne with ease, but that’s not what they want.
Bloodborne asks the Souls-experienced player to drop what they know of the series. There’s no shield to hide behind and health is now at a premium. Waiting for an enemy to attack first can be fatal and fat-rolling is a thing of the past.
Bloodborne is about aggression. It removes the option to wait back and size up an opponent before he reaches you. If you do that here, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a mob and with no hope of survival.
Whether it’s a new enemy type that hits harder or a wrong turn into an area that you’ve got no hope of surviving, Bloodborne is constantly keeping you on your toes and asking you to break through walls.
Continuing the pace, this game hit me with my first sticking point very early on. The first boss seemed impossible to me far too quickly. Known as the Cleric Beast, he’s a big hairy dickhead with a huge arm that happily swings towards your skull the moment you look at it. Powerful, aggressive and intimidating. I thought I’d never be able to progress.
But once he was down I looked at my hands and they were shaking. The adrenaline was pumping though my veins and I should have hopped into the shower straight after to wash the dried sweat from my forehead.
This is why I love From Software’s games. They push you to the edge, keep you interested and then give you a reward not with in-game items but with personal achievement.
I’m still early on and feeling the pressure of the task I have
It feels magical at times. Full of emotions that only Souls games can achieve, and if it keeps this up I’ll ether have a new entry to my list of favourite games of all time or be in the fetal position in the corner of my house muttering ‘this town's finished’ to myself over and over again.