Bloodborne Video Essay: Is it Really That Good?

[@eldritchtoast]

Gary's story line explanation was an absolute gem.

[@_NightFury_]

Great review! 🩵 1:02:28 bloodborne is my favorite game … that said u are 100% correct needs more tutorial for 1st playthrough. It’s rough … please do more of these also try the dlc & do another review

[@Anniedoo]

Really great video, it allowed me to learn more about one of my favorite games that I’ve never played! I also appreciate the video being divided into chapters, as it gave me an easier time to come back to the video after a little break! It doesn’t feel like an hour long video though as it’s so informative and well done throughout!

[@TheHotCross]

Thank you!! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! I also just added timestamps after your comment to help more!

[@IzumiKazuko36]

This video is very fascinating! It's so well-made and informative.

[@maverickay5807]

A HotCross video on my birthday! Epic surprise! 😄

[@TheHotCross]

Happy Birthday!!!

[@maverickay5807]

Thank you! :)

[@vbbrothers]

Perfect! A long video that I can watch to pass the time while waiting for the game awards to start at 1:15 in the night :D

[@TheHotCross]

Glad to have helped in some way!

[@katspawprint]

Great analysis! It's very fun to see you break down the game design elements, especially those that the player won't really notice (for example, the sight lines in the environment, the ways the game keeps encouraging the player to look up at huge buildings, enemies, or environmental elements, and the way enemies take large chunks of the health bar to create a dangerous feeling). I agree about the weapon repairs feeling unnecessary - I'm glad you showed the weapon at risk warning actually, because I never saw that in my game and didn't realize something like that would happen (I assumed it would just do very low damage). In general, I think Bloodborne's environmental storytelling is a masterpiece. You discussed the storytelling from NPCs, visual elements of the world, notes, and item descriptions in the video, but I also think the Insight mechanic is one of the coolest storytelling devices I've ever seen in a game. The fact that increasing this stat actually changes how you see the world around you and how you can interact with it (ex. seeing the amygdalas on the buildings after a certain insight level, or the doll appearing inanimate and not being able to interact with her when you have 0 insight) really encourages exploration. This mechanic also reinforces key elements of the plot; the university scholars ran into trouble and became monsters because they wanted to understand the Great Ones, horrors beyond human comprehension. In learning more, they understood the true nature of the world more deeply, but they also couldn't handle that knowledge and suffered as a result. Similarly, when a player gains Insight, they can see things in the game environment that were previously hidden, but they also become vulnerable to attacks from enemies related to the Great Ones (the frenzy mechanic). Bloodborne is probably the best example I can think of for Lovecraftian/cosmic horror successfully executed in a video game, and things like this mechanic are a major reason the cosmic horror elements work so well imo. The world changing after certain boss fights is also really cool (for example, the sun sets after you defeat vicar amelia), and I think it's meant to be an indicator that you should go back and check things (talk to NPCs you've already met, etc). I'm not sure how clear that really comes across, but I love the concept of the world changing as a result of your actions. I definitely agree with you though that as cool as the subtle storytelling is, the main plot is hard to follow. Micolash is really the only big boss fight I can think of that directly addresses what's happening, other than Gehrmund, and he's not the clearest narrator either lol. A few more cutscenes (even if they wanted to keep them as cryptic as 'fear the old blood') would have gone a long way towards making sure most players were following the big plot beats, or even having an NPC like the doll give a little more exposition. She has a line or two after you defeat each boss, but it's not much to go off of. I feel that the DLC actually clarifies a lot of the plot of the main story, but you shouldn't have to buy extra game content just to understand the story of the game you already completed. This game really reminds me of what playing video games felt like before the internet was widely used, where you would learn about how to unlock secrets or use special abilities in a game by buying a game guide or hearing about it from your friend's cousin's older brother who beat it already and knew how to do all the cool stuff. I wonder if that's part of why the fanbase loves it so much? The lack of explicit instructions and storytelling kind of lends itself to fans sharing tips or explaining the plot to each other, and so you almost have to rely on other people to learn about everything the game has to offer. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but I guess from a strict design perspective, it's not great, since the player should be able to get everything they need to know just from the game itself. But as far community building/creating a hyper-dedicated fanbase... well done Fromsoft, I guess! Tl;dr really enjoyed this! Loved the analysis, and your plot summary (and that last shot lol) was hilarious.

[@TheHotCross]

Thank you so much! And yeah I could have probably gone on for another hour in the video but I thought I'd never finish it! I never connected the doll only being interactable once you got some insight actually, that's another really nice detail! The game really does have so many layers to appreciate!!

[@Guz-Guz]

I'm in the middle of watching but already have to voice my amazement! Overall everything is very interesting and explained in a way that makes it fun and easy to follow. And I'm already learning so much! It never really occurred to me how big Game Design is, having the player constantly look up is such a "of course!" - makes sense moment :D Your videos remind me why I loved going to university, really hits that spot that loves learning

[@TheHotCross]

Thank you! I'm really glad to hear that! I'm glad you're enjoying the video! It means a lot!!

[@shi8651]

Interesting video, never thought about many of these aspects. Repair makes sense and I agree about the narrative. A lot of it is 'hidden' in the item descriptions, but it could definitely be brought more to the forefront.

[@Leslie12.66]

Wow, you put so much effort into your videos. Thank you!

[@TheHotCross]

Thank you, I really do appreciate that!

[@sakurasensations4786]

If you want a good in depth analysis of the Bloodborne story and the themes of the game, TB Skyen has a fantastic series about it called “The Boss Designs of Bloodborne”! It’s all his gameplay and then at the end of each episode, he gives his interpretations, including DLC bosses! I adore the series because it’s so insightful and well-put. I’d recommend it to anyone with an interest in Bloodborne :) Keep in mind though, almost every episode is about an hour long so it’s a pretty lengthy series, but it’s very rewarding to watch. If you’re not interested in the gameplay and just want the analysis, you can cut out a majority of the videos and just watch the last 10 or 15ish minutes. My favorite episode is the one about Lady Maria and the Living Failures, but some other great episodes are the ones about Martyr Logarius, The Celestial Emissary, and Micolash

[@cfwalker]

Your take on the storyline was hilarious! I hadn't followed the plot closely at all, so it actually helped a bit! Your issues with the game's flow (having to run through big swaths of environment trying to get back to an enemy fight ground) is why I have trouble with souls-like games too. I'm still upset that I haven't finished Hollow Knight because of that. Which is a shame because they are pretty fun otherwise.

[@ultra824]

You seem to be subject to a common misunderstanding regarding the definition of the term "negative reinforcement". rather than being a punishment, negative reinforcement is a reward that comes in the form of removing something undesirable from the subject's experience. In bloodborne terms, the four modes of operant conditioning look like this. Positive Reinforcement: blood echoes and item drops from defeating foes Negative reinforcement: non-respawning foes no longer attacking the next time you traverse an area. Positive punishment: Stepping on a trap that summons enemies in the chalice dungeons. Negative punishment: losing blood echoes on death

[@TheHotCross]

That's fair, I may have over simplified my explanation to get my point across a bit 😅, thanks for the feedback!

[@BeatingUr]

Great video all around, especially the micro and meso elements are a great piece of analysis that really makes me appreciate all the little details even more. 1 point that I need to mention that's just incorrect from what my understanding of the story is, you're not a hunter prior to signing the contract and as result receiving the hunter's mark. A small detail that does make a huge difference for how everything interlocks imo.

[@TheHotCross]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Also, if that's the main thing I got wrong in my plot overview then I take it that the rest wasn't far off? 😅

[@BeatingUr]

@TheHotCross haha, well it does inform a lot of the game. Who is the player? "A hunter must hunt" we are a hunter bound to the dream by the moon presence, it's words manifesting our shackles to the hunt in our mind, symbolized by the hunters mark in our inventory. One selectable class describes the player as hailing from a hamlet. Is it the one we visit in the dlc? Why does Brador recognize us? The japanese translation of the note reading "seek plaeblood to transcend the hunt." Is supposedly written by the player, why is that? Did the PC come to Yahrnam for their blood treatment, like everyone else? I've been lore hunting on and off ever since the release of the game, and it's hard to quickly summarize the story in a sensible manner. A lot of details are also up to interpretation and are, by design, unknowable. Cosmic horror and all. You've had some clips from the dlc but didn't touch on it lore wise, for keeping the video concise, I'm sure. You touched on the main elements and recounted them as you saw them, so nothing to be really wrong about : ) That being said, I've been rambling about this too much, but it's always great to have new people try the game and have their interpretation of it. Hope you'll have success with your channel and lore hunting 😊 But don't you go frenzy.

[@Sullstice]

Great video! Love what you have to say and very well made. Bloodshines and beastVitos in chat!

[@MissChambersxo]

My favourite game!! I’ve never thought about the intentionality and design behind it before though honestly, despite having played it a lot. It’s weird because I acknowledge Bloodborne isnt entirely perfect and I even think Fromsoft have made better games since like Sekiro or Elden Ring. Sekiro I would consider a perfect game and I love it, same with Elden Ring, but although I love those games and also have played those many times, there’s something really special and magical about Bloodborne to me that I can’t put my finger on. It all to me just comes together so well, and considering how great it is, I have absolutely no clue why they don’t make a remaster for all platforms where they keep the game nearly the same but change Blood Vials to be more like the Estus system in DS/ER, remove some of the boss runbacks like they did from the BB DLC onwards, and make it run at 60 FPS. It would basically be free money. Also yeah. Central Yharnam is a goated level, but there should have been a little tutorial in the Hunter’s Dream like how in Elden Ring you can go to the Cave of Knowledge if you want before you dive straight into Limgrave. Father Gascoigne is a phenomenal boss and also makes sure you and the devs are on the same page, but I do think the early game guiders should be a little more clear. It took me a while for example to figure out that a charged R2 from behind will stun enemies. I think I didn’t figure out until Shadows of Yharnham or something silly.

[@TheHotCross]

That's really interesting, I definitely need to find time to check out Elden Ring at some point! I wonder if it's something to do with Sony's exclusivity? May be some weird relationship issue but who knows? Also you saying that charged attacked on enemies from behind stun them, it only just clicked in my head too! I'm glad to hear Elden Ring may have improved it's tutorial!

[@MissChambersxo]

Yeah there must be something going on, it just strikes me as very weird since other Sony exclusives like TLOU or GoW have been ported now. Elden Ring is probably the best Souls game all the things considered. It’s a bit of a rote point because EVERYONE says this, to the point it’s become cool to hate on it in the souls community. But it is one of the best games of all time, easily. I’m not a game designer so I can’t say why but it’s just really good, idk haha.

[@loveoflyrics7589]

Nice video

[@bambiwatsonart]

So excited for this one ^^

[@bambiwatsonart]

Just finished watching, what a great video !!

[@Daze_id]

Really well made analysis of Bloodborne, the amount of work you put into it is clearly showing! It was an interesting watch to examine the game from a professional game developer's viewpoint, but it was well worth my time! Bloodborne's storytelling is probably the game's most divisive aspect, but it was a deliberate artistic choice made by Miyazaki, as he stated in an interview:"(...) Miyazaki reveals that he grew up “tremendously poor” in the city of Shizuoka, 100 miles south-west of Tokyo. His office-worker parents couldn’t afford books or manga, so he had to borrow whatever he could find in the library. That’s why he ended up with works beyond his reading capabilities. “I found so much joy in those stories,” he says (...). “It was a rich reading experience, even if I wasn’t always reading.”" In his way, he wanted to share his childhood experience of reading with the player, which makes Bloodborne more personal in my opinion. Not to mention it blends perfectly with the lovecraftian aspect of the game, but that's a whole another monstrous topic to touch. There are countless videos about Bloodborne's story and lore, but if you want to deepdive into it, I can highly recommend Redgrave's essay called "The Paleblood Hunt". It's a long read of in-game facts and the author's personal representation of the missing links, but it covers everything and beyond.

[@TheHotCross]

I'll definitely check that essay out! And yeah the plot is great generally!

[@defiant_one77]

❤

[@TallyHoBr0]

First