How Bloodborne's Small Changes Make a Big Difference

[@Cnecomicz]

You're going to get a million comments about this, but Mergo's Wet Nurse isn't glitched. The Wet Nurse isn't the nightmare slain.

[@MrThemelloman]

Oh it wasnt too far down. Nice. Didnt have to do it also

[@somesaykosm8081]

Was it Mergo? Is she formless like Oedon?

[@cptfreeman8966]

@@somesaykosm8081 She is. She's a formless infant. Once you kill the wet nurse you silence the cries of the infant and only once Mergo permanently falls asleep is the nightmare slain

[@altus2447]

The biggest horror element of Bloodborne is the NPC Hunter's health bars.

[@yuyevon1698]

these guys are tankier than some bosses

[@yeah2155]

spent a few hours on them, probably worst experience in the game for me. More frustrating than any boss.

[@noahkirkland5844]

I remember fighting one for like 10 minutes straight cause he killed me in 2 hits and had like 80 times more health than me lol

[@crippledjoestar3633]

K A nigga got 99 bloodtinge

[@Zirabath]

The first time i got into Iosefka's Clinic...

[@TrueJunebug]

You know, for once I disagree. Bloodborne is fun, most of the time. Bloodborne isn't just a game trying to beat you into the ground, it's trying to beat a message into you. The bosses are meant to be celebrated when you beat them and they deserve more than just a sigh of relief when you defeat them. I wasn't relieved when I beat a tough boss, I was ecstatic, I was craving more. By the end of the game I was, for all intents and purposes, a blood drunk hunter, which is perhaps my favourite thing that the game does. At its core, Bloodborne is about humanity. It's about morals and ethics. It's meant to make you face your own humanity and show that it's a very fine line between man and beast. When I beat the game, I was craving more combat and more prey to slaughter that I immediately started slashing my way through the game again. Then I got to Old Yharnam. I used this area to grind in my first playthrough, I didn't take Djura seriously and I just cut my way through the entire area time and time again. My second time through, however, was like a punch to the face. I listened to Djura and I finally understood what he was saying. I had to turn off the game, go to bed, and try not to retch at the realization of what I was doing, and it was at this moment that I realized that it was my favourite game of all time. Bloodborne isn't a game that you should be scared of. It is survival horror, Lovecraftian horror, psychological horror. It is all of these things but with one little twist. You aren't the victim. You are the monster.

[@Late0NightPC]

That is the point. In Dark Souls, Victory Achieved appears when you overcome a challenge. In BB, Prey Slaughtered appears instead. Why? Not why does a different message come up, why did you think you needed the Dark Souls message. You arn't a waste of skin prooving himself, You are a hunter. A Hunter. You shouldn't be afraid of the things you are fighting, they should be afraid of YOU. After killing a boss, you didn't overcome anything, you were just ticking another mark off your long long list of prey to come.

[@Kenspiracy664]

Agreed. Bloodborne felt like Dark Souls on cocaine.

[@WritingOnGames]

That's cool you view it that way! This is just my interpretation of the game and for me, I felt very much like the victim at every turn. I played it during a real bad period of anxiety which probably didn't help, but after every boss fight I was having legitimate palpitations.

[@TrueJunebug]

Writing on Games And your interpretation is total valid, apologies if I sounded a bit critical there. I'm sorry you've been going through a tough time lately.

[@WritingOnGames]

Don't worry, didn't come across that way at all! It's actually really interesting that, judging by this comments section, consensus seems absolutely split down the middle of the victim/beast dynamic. It's really cool that the same thing can be viewed in such drastically different contexts.

[@Aknaught92]

"Revels in beating the player to a pulp" that's Orphan of Kos in a nutshell.

[@DarkSaber22]

that fucker with his combos lol

[@Jojje94]

I managed to beat him on my 2nd try this playthrough which surprised the hell outta me. Last playthrough (which was my first) I never beat him at all...

[@PlaylistGeneral]

30 fucking hours to beat him. Insanely hard!

[@BeingBadAtMaths]

Or some say Kosm.

[@arizun8160]

i had an easy time with him still have yet to die to him. ludwig however.....):

[@bokkimi2528]

What about the fact that the message that pops up after killing a boss says "" PREY SLAUGHTERED" instead of "Victory Achieverd" or something more cheery

[@Late0NightPC]

Because unlike Dark souls, where you are nothing, a waste of skin, prooving their worth in this world, in Bloodborn, YOU are the hunter. YOU are the one the beasts should fear. You didn't "achieve victory" or anything, you never needed to. It was yours from the start. Why should you feel victorious about purging filth from the world? It fits in with the lore of the game. Many of the beasts are people who got drunk off power and blood, and gave into the hunt. You are another person, becoming addicted to blood and the hunt, it is just a matter if you can hold onto yourself long enough to transcend it before the addiction consumes you

[@bokkimi2528]

I guess this is also reinforced by you needing to hunt for blood vials, instead of always having a certain amount of estus flasks

[@Bunters196]

I want a good ole' YOU DEFEATED

[@trequor]

"You defeated WHAT? What does it mean?" -Michael Jones

[@jessehazard6241]

+Bunters196 nearly spat my coffee and choked seeing that again! I forgot about it! Thanks for making my day lmfao!!

[@Danmarinja]

Christ, I platinumed this game, and even got one of the Runes (Beast) tattooed on my left shoulder, and yet I've never once mastered the gun-parry mechanic.

[@iananderson4600]

DiscoClam I have the radiance rune tattooed on the inside of my arm near my armpit 👌

[@DamianSabre]

DiscoClam Think of the bullet as your shield from Dark Souls, in the form of a projectile. That may sound oversimplified, but that's really what it's all about.

[@datduuu5480]

I think no one will Truly master it but you can get good at it

[@sircartier4422]

Casual

[@MrDonkeyburger]

Bloodborne made the other DarkSouls games even better because of this, most of Darksouls was spent behind a shield turtling through the game, Bloodborne comes along and says, right no more shields you have to learn to duck and dive, dodge and weave and time your parries. Go back into Darksouls with this mentality and the games are so much better, forget your shield, get a 2 hander or dual wield, dodging and diving like a beast...

[@ittaiak1246]

The wet nurse thing is not a glitch. If you listen closely at that time you can here margo (the baby great one) crying... And if you use the music box that stuns Gasgoin, you will make the baby laugh. Everything in this game has a purpose. Love your videos, keep it up!

[@LukeTheDewk]

I think a big theme in Bloodborne is the requirement of those who hunt monsters to dehumanize themselves in order to succeed. I took the opposite message away from Bloodborne (tied with Demon's Souls for my favorite Souls game) in that it wasn't about grinding you down and abusing you, but in forcing you to give up your humanity to triumph. The "prey slaughtered" message is a pretty blatant signpost that YOU are to be feared, not the beasts, because you are more vicious and more capable of violence than they are. That message is pretty bleak and I think ultimately a real downer, but still ultimately one that encourages you to succeed and revels in your victory. It merely comes at the cost of what differentiates you from the monsters you're butchering. Love your videos, by the way!

[@thecritigamer4321]

I hate the whole “but that would make me no better than you” bullshit. There’s a thing called nuance, there is plenty of nuance that separates the hunters from the beasts.

[@youssefa.2251]

Yeah I had this little moment only with Amelia the Vicar where she's litterally screaming "NO"

[@patchwurk6652]

@@thecritigamer4321 At first, sure. But as the game goes on, your confidence rises. Your enthusiasm gains. Now you're not just killing the beasts because the game is telling you to (the player) or because you're doing the world a service( the Hunter). You're killing because you Want to. Because it excites you, because it's Fun. You're taking pleasure in the wanton slaughter, a true blood-drunk Hunter killing for thrills. And on top of that, the blood is what corrupted everyone else and turned them into beasts, and you have literally chugged down the entire town's worth of blood over and over and Over again and kept coming back for more. Your Hunter came into this with noble intentions, if you're an immersion sort of player then you probably did too. But by the end Eileen the Crow is always right: There's nothing left but beasts.

[@romdogg1994]

The pig with the many eyes definetly changed me. I started eating more pork.

[@wanada6938]

TAKE THAT YOU UNHOLY ABOMINATION OF LOVECRAFTIAN NATURE!

[@Synkotic90]

Thank you. Many of my friends used to say "Bloodborne isn't really scary, it's just a little uncomfortable". But the game perfectly crafted this sense of dread, and the fear associated with exploring the deranged world of Yharnam. Seeing a large new foe walking around really brought the feeling home, and I couldn't help myself but keep powering through. It was true horror, a sight that you cannot run from or deny, but are simply too fascinated to avoid exploring.

[@trequor]

The birthing scenes should definitely fall under "horrifying"

[@NickWolfOakland]

Hamish, I'm so glad my PS4 is in appreciated hands. Great video as always.

[@roddyu2812]

Thanks for donating to him so he can make more amazing videos

[@WritingOnGames]

Nick Wolf you're the best, my dude.

[@Dean444ful]

Nick Wolf dude, you're awesome 👏🏼

[@HxH2011DRA]

Nick Wolf Good man

[@EthioJOB]

This. What a great way to share your passion for gaming with a fellow gamer.

[@WritingOnGames]

I'm really glad my beautiful big-nosed baby hasn't gone unnoticed by some of you. He's called Gumbo.

[@oscarofastora7422]

My character has a gigantic nose but any mask gets rid of it

[@MediocreLPC]

He's a beautiful little lad. You should be very proud.

[@Kenspiracy664]

I actually laughed out loud when he stuck his nose over the moon during the cutscene after Rom hahaha

[@MondayIsBongoDay]

what a wonderful pointy boy!

[@shutai-shinnoken4892]

In such a hostile world, Gumbo can smell danger from a mile away.

[@Bobio]

Awesome point about the "dead ends" after a lot of bosses. You're sort of forced to marinate in your own grim satisfaction within the Hunter's Dream.

[@bylligoat]

FINALLY. Bloodborne is easily my favorite game of all time, and I loved hearing your thoughts on it. Great video. I even got the Hunter's Mark tattooed on my arm, and your video on Dark Souls being a celebration of life convinced me to add the Dark Sign around it as well. Keep up the good work.

[@ImrazorZodd]

"Dark Souls is a celebration of life." I really need to hear the explanation for this bizarre statement.

[@earth2jio]

For me, Bloodborne never made me feel tired nor exhausted. From the very first wolf beast I encountered, I killed it with a charge attack in the back that led to a glorious visceral attack that ended the short skirmish. It was calculated, cold and even compulsively executed. I could've run past it, but I chose to kill it. It was my very first kill, bare handed. I think that laid out the foundation for the rest of the game for me. It made me want more. After every kill, I was not drained, no. I was energized, enthralled and empowered, and I wanted more each time, more and more. It became less about exploring and discovery and more about finding stronger, more adrenaline inducing prey to slaughter. Is it stronger than me? Can it die? If so, I'll kill it. Why? I don't even know; I felt compelled to, and I enjoyed it. I reveled in it so much I attack dead bodies to restore missing health. I think toward the end of the game I realized that the world around me was not the only horror, and that I was a part of that horror, but scarier still was realizing that I was my own horror, an unrelentless, death craving entity that merely looked human but killer Beasts, Kin and Godlike otherworldly beings for the sheer sport of it. I was at home in the Nightmares. There's something quite dark about an immortal being who sustains and empowers himself on the echoes within the blood of his enemies while also using blood as a weapon. It's why it's my favorite, possibly even my favorite game. The horror genre has always been my favorite and more so Lovecraftian because of the idea of something simply otherworldly and beyond your comprehension and Bloodborne makes you not only a part of that horror, but you even become that horror yourself.

[@freshboy3968]

I disagree.

[@WritingOnGames]

Thanks for watching everyone! As many of you are pointing out, I made a mistake - turns out the Wet Nurse thing ISN'T a glitch. Think that actually further validates the point I was making, but I just thought I'd point out that, yeah, that was a goof on my part. Thanks everyone!

[@kariemelhanan8878]

DANG that was really good, brought up somethings I had never really thought of lol. Glad I subscribed after your blighttown video, your stuff is really sweet

[@ohamatchhams]

That's alright, the wet nurse tense in the end is similar to what happening after you defeat Kos in the DLCs, that can create sense of unease to some players

[@MisterHeroman]

Writing on Games Disagree on the health regain. It's too little, and enemies dealing Souls level damage means defensiveness, evasive maneuvers, and safe play are rewarded. Though it's terror was great, it was never actually scary, just unnerving. And this coming from someone who scares easily and can't play horror games. And Wet Nurse is no glitch. And... I didn't find the game that hard bar some bosses. Good vid regardless!

[@Kenspiracy664]

Yeh theres something implied by the whole "Nightmare Slain" delay and how the crib/pram is upturned after you finish the fight with the Wetnurse. My guess is the Orphan Mergo died during the fight when the Wetnurse stepped on him. Or something.

[@Late0NightPC]

The Wetnurse was never the target. Mergo was the thing you were hunting. Killing the wetnurse is just getting the bodyguard out of the way. The stillborn Mergo, without it's guardian, falls to what I think wasn't the hunter, but the Moon presence. The MP wanteed Mergo dead, so it manipulated Gerhman to manipulate you to kill it, but that it has a chance to, it doesn't want to risk letting Mergo survive again, so it kills Mergo itself. You just can't see it because of how it is beyond your ability to comprehend. At least that is my take on it

[@SuperKlondikeBars]

this is one thing I really loved about bloodborne, the combat was up close and personal, you feel like a legit badass going against gascoigne or one of the other hunter bosses.

[@KingKlonoa]

I think you've just convinced me that Bloodborne is my favorite Souls game. I'd have to play it again to be sure, but my major problem with the game was always the blood vial system. I hated grinding for vials after wiping a boss, and I guess it didn't help this was my first Souls game so wiping to bosses was pretty common for me. I have never thought of it the way you have. That the resource management plays into the game so you have to pay attention to every minute decision you make. In retrospect, I'm not sure why I just thought they abandoned the Estus system for the sake of padding because that's a bit of an insult to the dev team. Now I understand it clearly, and I'm sure if I play it again I'll be able to play it as it was probably intended. I always thought this game was the best horror game, but not the best Souls game, but soon I feel like I'll think Bloodborne is the best of both. Thanks for the video mate, it was fantastic!

[@williancruz9657]

I never had problems with blood vials til Ghernam. Maybe you were just playing too defensively? Cause to me it was always either I died in 2-3 hits within a couple seconds or I got out of the boss arena with 15 or so vials still on me.

[@KingKlonoa]

Again it was my first Souls game, I think it's justifiable that I didn't know what the fuck I was doing. I'm just saying that if I had played DS1 first, I would always have enough estus after wiping.

[@Late0NightPC]

I never ran out because I used the Lecture Hall cheese. In the first floor of the lecture hall, the Slime Scholars there can drop about 8k(first run, no runes) echoes. Just run it once, use those echoes to buy all the Hunter marks you can, then just keep farming them and when you kill them all in about 10 seconds and get the 8K echoes, hunter mark back to respawn them. Then just spend the 50K echoes all on Bullets and vials. Never need to run out after that

[@williancruz9657]

You can use the first 2 moon runes and run the mergo's middle lantern for 100k/ran and it takes about 5 mins each time, load screen and all. The 'running out' part was having to do it twice.

[@williancruz9657]

Sure, but Father Gascoine's whole point was supposed to be forcing you to learn how to play like that. It was also my 1st souls-like game. I had watched a friend play DS1, but never played it myself.

[@thedemonbard322]

Bloodborne is one of my favorite games of all times, and the scariest work of art I've seen since the third Silent Hill game, and yet it goes in the complete opposite direction of what every horror snob says horror games must be: in Bloodborne you are an immortal predator who feeds on the blood of reality-bending abominations. Yet the atmosphere, visuals and sound design all make this game horrifying. I agree with you that the gothic elements can come as downright funny in how in-your-face they are, at the same time the body horror is genuinely disturbing, as you can still tell what that mass of deformed flesh is. This was a great video, and I must ask: did you play through only the base game, or did you also cover The Old Hunters? I didn't see any footage of the DLC here. And if you didn't play it, do you plan to do so, and maybe make a video on it?

[@JustCozItsMe]

Im wondering about this as well.

[@PrillyMcPrillinson]

at 1:20 ... I'm sorry, but can we take a moment to talk about that nose? Or is that a proboscis?

[@WritingOnGames]

No it's my beautiful baby boy Gumbo

[@MrBones-cu1vi]

Prillis! A WEAPON TO SURPASS METAL GEAR

[@nat1110]

Your writing and accent make this video sublime! Well done

[@WritingOnGames]

Thanks so much! I'm glad my Glaswegian accent isn't off-putting, haha.

[@bweebi]

Does this guy voice Father Anderson in Hellsing Ultimate Abridged?

[@Akkadianvolcano]

I still remember finishing Bloodborne for the first time. There was such a sense of relief and I was marveling at my experience. Absolutely my favorite title in the last 5 years

[@spiralistichope9216]

Hmmm I really enjoyed your interpretation regarding the thematic oppression of Bloodborne, I think that's definitely a strong element in the game both structurally and narratively, but I also think you're ignoring some of the meaningful sense of value and progress that you do get from the journey, much like Dark Souls. You point to the Wet Nurse boss fight ending as a symbolic lull regarding the futility of it all, but that intentional pause before the nightmare is slain is there to relay that Mergo (the baby) is dying, being released from his/her torment (this is why Yharnam, the Pthumerian Queen, bows to you in thanks, as Mergo is likely her child). So this example can be turned on its head, you've actually achieved something meaningful, especially within the thematic context of parenthood and menstruation inherent within Bloodborne's overarching tale. Another good example of this is the somewhat positive ending of The Old Hunters, possibly the best part of Bloodborne, which shows the curse of Kos being broken and the Hunters being freed from their cycle of suffering, giving you a strong sense of achievement and allowing for some beautiful closure on par with anything Dark Souls gave us. EDIT: In fact, I'd like to add that the very fact that Bloodborne's convoluted and ambiguous lore ultimately focuses around the notion of childbirth and the value that the Great Ones give to it (since they are so evolutionarily ascendant and above us that they have developed to the point which having children is almost impossible, thus the need for proxy species, a surprisingly simple and ironic goal for beings that are so superior that we literally feel that incomprehensible Lovecraftian cosmic horror and dread in their presence), it actually has a great deal to do with finding meaning and value in life as well, much like Dark Souls (as you talk about in your video regarding Dark Souls affirming life, which I am watching now!). So, in that sense, while I still feel you're definitely onto something here, I also think there's another side to your interpretation, even though it's all quite relative, as is usually the case with Soulsborne lore. So, while I think your view in this video is really compelling and captures the darker thematic side of Bloodborne very well (and I think BB is thematically the richest Soulsborne game, even more than the incredible Dark Souls 1), I do still think it's a bit more nuanced than that, and still evokes a good deal of what made Dark Souls so brilliant in regard to the sense of accomplishment and affirmation of meaning that you got from that game. I'm glad you enjoyed Bloodborne either way, and gave us a great analysis on it too! (Out of curiosity, what are your favorite video games? Along with MGS2, Dark Souls and Bloodborne are both in my vaunted "top three pantheon," so it's great seeing you write on games I adore so much haha).

[@Olphas]

Great episode! Bloodborne really drained me. Honestly, it was too much for me and I never quite finished it. I stopped playing on my way to Mikolash, which is not that far from the end, as I found out later. But I never could muster the strength to get back and finish it. I played through all the Souls games and love them, but this one nearly broke me. But kind of in a good way? I still think it's a fantastic game.

[@MediocreLPC]

Olphas So you didn't have to experience that boss fight? Lucky you

[@WritingOnGames]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, when I say the game is oppressive, I totally mean it in a good way! It's just one I think I'm going to have to be in a very specific mood to return to.

[@jokebyLASSE]

Try new builds, that worked for me. I went from a boring strength axe build, where you basically just spam R2 to spin to win, to a classy gentleman cane user that eventually developed into blades of mercy (I accidentaly killed Eileen the Crow, lol).

[@samb123078]

I'm so glad you did a video on Bloodborne. It is honestly my favorite game of all time. And I'm pretty sure it saved my life too.

[@anamggss]

How does Bloodborne's horror work? *Horror finii~* *Benedicti~* *Socie perdi~* *SAAAANGUIIINEEEE SAAAAAAANCTUUUUM~* (A blood curdling scream can be heard from inside the cathedral)

[@Siranonim]

REEEEEEEEEE

[@MGetman91]

Dear Hamish, Seeing my name on the end scroll of such a wonderful video really makes me feel as my donation is well spent on your channel! You're my favorite channel on this site, and I'm glad to be able to help fund such an amazing show. You've responded to my previous comments, and that always puts the biggest smile on my face. Finding this channel was one of the best things that could have happened to me! I can't wait to see what 2017 holds for myself and this channel, and I guarantee you'll do an endless parade of worthwhile content that opens my mind to different perspectives on gaming! A million thanks from the bottom of my heart, Michael

[@WritingOnGames]

Hey, just being able to put your name on that list is enough to make me incredibly happy! I'm so glad you what I'm doing, and believe in it enough to financially support it. Can't really tell you how much that means to me. Thank you so much!

[@Mireneye]

Missed you Hamish! Thanks for enlightening my evening. Cheers! And as always excellent video.

[@Cactusman129]

when doing character creation in a souls game, you can go one of two ways, actual person or horrifying goblin man. glad to see you chose the latter.

[@jj-nj6ii]

Dude, I've been watching a few of your Dark Souls videos, and your Final Fantasy video, and I just wanna say. You're an amazing KZbinr, and the only way you can go from here is up. Keep it up, you've just earned another subscriber.

[@conradborba4324]

Love bloodborne, love writing on games. I am a simple man, I click

[@conradborba4324]

Also holy shit your ducking nose in the game man XD

[@WritingOnGames]

I'm glad you enjoy my beautiful baby boy

[@garrettpercell4365]

Mr. Gumbo I would like to point out how happy you made me when you kept pointing out that every twitch of the controller can turn the tide of a battle. As someone who just defeated the Orphan of Kos yesterday morning(without parrying once) this made me feel GOOOODD.

[@CaptainPsychopath69]

I've never heard something compared to Blighttown in a positive manner :P great video

[@joemeggs]

I really appreciate these videos you make and the personal touch. I'm about in the same boat, to a lesser degree mentally perhaps, you were describing in your dark souls video. Really helps me know things will get better. Thank You!

[@Lubble-]

Actually the wet nurse isnt a glitch....if you pay attention, soon after you kill it you hear mergos crys stop which is the ending

[@timothyconnor7784]

Although Dark Souls is my favorite Souls game, I think Bloodborne is pretty easily the best of the five. The game has such a coherent vision and feels so streamlined and honed to perfection to me.

[@timothyconnor7784]

Mordalon I completely agree, although I really like that, unlike the weak sections of the other games, they are completely skippable. As a result, playing through the game without even touching them feels incredible - there's not a weak area to be found. Plus, the Old Hunters is a strong contender for the title of greatest DLC ever made in my opinion.

[@mojotheaverage]

Mordalon I do agree about the chalice dungeons but I never really knock the game for them since the main game is as long and rich as any other souls game without them and they basically just act as a little distraction if you want it.

[@mojotheaverage]

Mordalon aye but there are also no reused bosses unlike in DS1 and DS2. And frankly just judging the length of the game by the number of bosses is kind of fallacious

[@mojotheaverage]

Mordalon fair point

[@marcelomendoza1973]

Well being fair, there are like 7 bosses in the last area of DS1, right before bed of chaos.

[@ramistarcraft]

interesting topics as always, the community is so lucky that we have you!

[@jiggumx2036]

Great video! I absolutely love Bloodborne, in my experience no game has ever made me feel as accomplished as Bloodborne did

[@94EyeEagle]

man, I can feel the stress by simply listening to your voice. You earned my sub.

[@JohnDWJ]

Marvelous analysis! Your retrospective and enthusiasm is a joy to experience.

[@travismcginnis7515]

Hey, really enjoying your videos a lot. In all honesty, I've only watched your videos on the souls games so far but I will be checking out the other ones as well! I know you've already done a lot of talking about the souls games but I just wanted to say how much I enjoy listening to you do just that. Any future videos regarding Dark Souls or Bloodborne will be a guaranteed watch for me. Thanks!

[@erroldtumaque3430]

2:08 I never noticed but the way the blood splatters and covers the floors and steps look so real and not just splotched on patterns

[@l.pietrobon3925]

The "glitch" at the end of Mergo's Wet Nurse is intentional. You only kiled her so you could kill Mergo, and the fight ends when he dies.

[@Barselaar123]

Great video as always, and good to see you acknowledged/addressed the Wetnurse thing. Always a pleasure to see you pop up in my sub box!

[@jordangoodeye8826]

Thanks for defining exactly what I love about this game and why it's my favorite.

[@InfiniteChannel]

Been waiting for this one for awhile! I loved your allusion to the French extremity movement. Being a fan of extreme cinema, it's good to see others are as well able to take information from these films and appreciate them to other pieces of art. I think most "smart" horror adheres to at least this one motif: a greater understanding of oneself despite (or perhaps even through) the life threatening events around them. We see this in a lot of survival-horror; Silent Hill 2, Amnesia, the Fatal Frame series, and now Bloodborne. (These games also receive such high praise from critics who often laud them on their narrative structure and delivery.)

[@WritingOnGames]

Yeah, that idea of introspection and humanity is extremely important to the New French Extremity anyway, which lends itself well to the idea of Lovecraftian horror pretty well I feel. It's interesting because I feel like the more experimental extremes in terms of violence in visual media like films, is actually somewhat inherent to a lot of more violent, horror-driven video games because of the viscera of interaction. It's kinda fascinating to me and something I definitely want to explore more in future vids for the channel. Thanks for watching!

[@Pagaum]

Perfect comparison between Blood and Martyrs. I felt the same.

[@tomc.8860]

Another fantastic video. You put words to a point that I've felt about Bloodborne for a while.

[@hrnekbezucha]

The switch from souls footage back to bloodborne is like a big stop sign right in the face.

[@Gnomesmusher]

Bloodborne is one of my top favorite games of all time. I actually started playing it again last week a year after I finished it because I missed it. I wish there was more DLC for it.

[@chokonnit7337]

1:22 I love how he turned just to reveal a HUMONGOUS NOSE

[@highlord2841]

The “glitch” is deliberate because the few seconds is when Mergo dies after the death of it’s wet nurse

[@stevenmillett]

Ayy glad you finally got to play this one. It's a truly phenomenal experience. Never played anything like it and a little bummed to think that I probably never will again.

[@toddrenstrom5720]

Great video, mate! Watched a few of your vids, gotta say, top notch, really thoughtful work. You got yourself another sub, and I'll DEFINITELY be sharing this with my Souls-loving friends.

[@clayshinn6953]

Excellent review! I'm a noob to the Souls games, and this game was my introduction! I can honestly say that I haven't had my ass kicked by any game like this in years! I love that the game is vague, and never holds your hand! (no maps is great btw!)You are meant to explore, fight, and die. I love it, and find it very addicting! Bloodborne is something to be experienced! Excellent job dude!

[@turtletorspeedo1136]

Dude your channel has grown so much since I first followed you! Congrats man, please keep it up!

[@Agent_Eli]

Great video. I have a note on the end boss fight though. The time between the defeat of the boss and the "nightmare slain" isn't a glitch at all. The reason for this is that when then when the Wet Nurse is killed, a child can be heard crying. When the cries are silenced, it's only then do we see the "nightmare slain" prompt. This means that our target wasn't this horrific beast, but the child. The child was the source of the nightmare.

[@TheDakattack3000]

As a huge fan of bloodborne and it's power, I really like this analysis of it. If dark souls helped you cope with depression, than bloodborne was and is still my coping. I can argue that bloodborne is something that makes you appreciate life more as you see death arguably more than dark souls ever could. it showed that all the hell and monsters that represent the plights of mankind and how we can become beasts ourselves made me understand the world better. I played for literally a year now (on and off with the dlc included) and it's a game I can run back to when I need to stress relief. it's a masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. I would even boldly go as far and say it beats all souls games because it feels more relatable somehow and deliver fantastic musical scores, bosses and atmospheres that make you think deeper about the game. after beating the dlc, it made me cry. not just because it was beautiful in how (for the most part) made some of the best souls bosses ever, but also because it highlights misery in a artistic way that makes us look at ourselves in the things we kill. for instance, Gascoigne is a father who killed his wife and left his daughters as orphans. he turns into a beast despite being a hunter of beasts. he represents the arrogance and hubris of oneself and how it comes to affect others. so when you see darkbeast Paarl, Amelia, bloodstarved beast and other beasts, they are also corrupted people who embraced power over humanity. it made me weep killing gehrman the most. I felt so much for a character I don't really know much of but the music, the setting and the combat flow is absolutely beautiful. I never gave a damn about this guy and yet somehow I felt terrible killing him. he was this master hunter and the first to rise against the monsters and hells. and you kill him because you realize he is also a keeper of truths and secrets. master vs the apprentice. great video once again. really. spot on.

[@jackdomanski4604]

I'm happy that you finally were able to play it! I know you were itching to be able to play it since release.

[@crumplepoint2712]

This was a really interesting vid, gave me loads to think about. I love the idea of a Dark Souls with harsher consequences!

[@mrexodia]

Great video! I like your view on the healing system, but I think it completely falls apart with the frenzy mechanic where you need to use at least two vials to get back to full health to survive getting frenzied a second time... The regain system also has issues with enemies grabbing you, where you are also forced to heal because (usually) you simply don't have time to regain.

[@Eoinster]

Nick is the real MVP- an actual PS4 and the game just to hear your thoughts on the game? You rock, Nick.

[@soulsingxkill]

Great video, really appreciate you making it!

[@WritingOnGames]

Thanks so much! Glad you liked it.

[@SeamasOS]

I loved how the horror comes from different aspects of the game for new and old players, for new players it's more traditionally horrifying with the difficulty. But they know that veteran players will try to decipher the lore for themselves, which due to it's Lovecraftian nature become increasingly confusing and horrifying the more you find out. It's incredible how it works just as well on both levels, which I think is why it's more universally enjoyed than DS as people can still get a similar experience regardless how deep they chose to go, without sacrificing any of the depth.

[@loopygamer]

the wet nurse part is deliberate it ends once mergos crying stops

[@FredFuchs77]

Just tried your podcast and it's wonderful. I'm pissing myself laughing. Please keep going. :)

[@castus5500]

Sorry but "this is a game about death" at 1:20 cannot be taken seriously with that nose, I had to pause the video to laugh, you sir have good comedic timing.

[@SirVyre]

I kept my senses when I played Bloodborne, mostly due to Eileen the Crow and the sad story with Gascoigne's Daughters. My first playthrough also found me with my hands on all of the Umbilical Cords as well. I got it right at release too. Very chilling and fun and brutal game. To this day though, I can't seem to fight and kill Djura without knocking him off of the tower. Of course, on my 2nd playthrough I went in the back way, and got his extra dialogue. "I no longer dream, but I was once a Hunter too." It was then that I realized that all of the Hunters are chosen, and also then that I became a seeker of truth. If they dream they are prospective candidates to become the next Great One(or well, the Moon Presence's adopted replacement child). The ones that stop dreaming are the ones that either retained their sanity and realized what they were, or on the other hand, lost it completely and became nothing more than rabid beasts. Everyone in Yharnam remarks upon your scent, and the fake Iosefka I believe remarks, "Ahh, Moonlit Scents." She was a high member of The Choir, so she knows what a Hunter is. This is why there's 3 endings. The victim ending, Gehrman ends your misery. The Hunter ending... you replace Gehrman. And then the ascendant ending... you retained your senses and found out the truth of your situation. You gained eyes on the inside, cast down the Moon Presence, and become a Great One. Of course, you have no way of knowing what that entails, since no one else has done it. The dream persists, because it's all that you know. And man whooooo, the DLC was fantastic. It fleshed out the specifics of the narrative, without changing it. And those bosses gave me the greatest challenge out of any bosses in any souls game. Particularly Orphan of Kos.

[@SketchBookShortFilms]

You have no idea how much I love this game, dude. I've at least put 200 hours into it, and I've reached the point with the game where I've actually started doing challenge runs just so I wouldn't tire of it (right now I'm playing the game without the UI, and it's actually really fun.) Though I haven't felt much of that horror experience for myself, I have certainly felt the tension in spades. This game really makes you balance on the knife's edge between aggression and patience, and the way the weapon's are designed and exectuted still thrills me every time I pick up one I haven't used. It continues to amaze me how much my opinion on this series has changed since I first played Demon's Souls. The mental state from mid-2014 when I first touched Demon's Souls is so radically different from mine now, and I'm glad that I've been able to fully appreciate the subtleties of the soulsborne series. I'm still going, too, as I finally managed to play DS2 for the first time and I have been really enjoying it warts and all. It's certainly far from perfect, but I did find some really special moments in there. I think it comes from the fact that DS2 is the last game in the series that I hadn't played. I knew a large portion of what was going to give me a hard time, and since my expectations were lowered I wasn't as disappointed. The opening is still stupid, though. While the general idea is inherently terrible, the part with the old ladies should have been scrapped, as well as the death counter in Majula. Both are just so tacky and really shoot the game in the foot. Thankfully, levels like The Shaded Woods, The Gutter (but not Blood Gulch because fuck that short run to a boss room), and especially No-Man's Wharf managed to act as the game's high points so far, and I've heard the DLC for the game is the best in the series so there's that to look forward to.

[@MonsterDeplorable]

Just found your video and enjoyed the hell out of it. VERY WELL done! Subbed

[@TheMartinSan]

Awesome video :) I just got into this game since I've not felt a need to buy a ps4 solely for this game. Only lately have I felt that are titles enough to actually buy it. And now, with the ps4 pro, I finally got it :) I'm glad there are still popping up vids of this (fairly) aging game. I think it has one of the most beautiful aesthetics of any game I've played. Being a fan of all things gothic in lit. and games. I am inching forward in the game, but like you're saying, it's heavy and every new corner is scary. I don't much feel like a hero, more like a hunted wolf that inches forward in an incessant "my life or yours" self-defence tour of Yarham. I just cleared Hemwick Charnel Lane and needed some youtube to relax :)

[@ngu0061]

can't get enough of these bloodborne videos. glad it's still being played.

[@CycloneFox]

The point you're making at the beginning with the healing system is a really good one. Most people will still say it's BS and that the estus flask is better, but at least there is a justification for the change. Good point with the dead-ends, compared to Dark Souls, where each boss usually implies progression. It perfectly fits the themes of Lovecraft stories, but on a mechanical level.

[@andrewrobertson3894]

Something about Bloodborne that always stuck with me is the manner in which certain enemies react when they see you. Some of them actually cry out in fear and horror as you materialize out of the gloom to butcher them. It lead me to consider that I'm actually the antagonist. The villain and cruel abomination they dread. Ofc, fatally fisting giant, mutant pig ass made an impression too :) Martyrs, High Tension and Inside are some of my favorite horror flicks too btw. That whole new wave genre was gold in my book.

[@SpiralKingScorch]

I'd be interested to hear your opinions of TitanFall 2. Not sure if that's your kind of game, but I feel did a great job creating a sequel to a game without a single player campaign.

[@WritingOnGames]

Titanfall 2 JUST missed out on a place on my GotY list (in fact, it got an honourable mention in my GotY vid!). Absolutely adored that campaign. Definitely the best shooter I played last year.

[@SingerSaraneth]

I'm so happy you got to play Bloodborne, Hamish, I also really appreciate your take on the game. not many people get it like you do

[@XxCriealisxX]

I was going to write about the Wet Nurse glitch you talked about until I decided to check the comments lol

[@itsallfunky4591]

The nightmare frontier and the Dream freak me out because I feel that if I stare at the abyss below, I'll see something moving there.

[@TheGoldenLynxx]

Goddamn, I've fell in love with this channel. Amazing work man, time to watch everything.

[@averypetterson6811]

Dang that ending scene where you walk pass the moon with the sword. Amazing

[@kodyfuzzell4201]

I love your videos. They always bring up points to the game that I never even considered.

[@WritingOnGames]

Thanks so much! I'm really glad about that. I like to think that even if people disagree with what I'm saying, that it at least gets them thinking.

[@Unholy_Mango]

What I love about the mechanics is how, in souls, the best way to deal with many bosses and enemies was to get right in there, to dodge into their attacks and stick to them. But dealing with bosses in other ways is viable, so in souls a lot of people gravitated toward keeping a distance and blocking and taking every fight really slow. But bloodborne punishes you for dodging away. Many enemies and bosses simply don't stop attacking. You need to conquer your fear and your instincts, and just push right up close and personal. There is no other way.

[@okidokibuddy]

So glad I found your channel! Top notch content!

[@WritingOnGames]

I'm glad you found it too!

[@christiantriplett7462]

I love your dialogue especially at 1:20 to 1:26

[@samikalastaja]

5:58 was the moment I felt that I have no longer a safe place in this game. I was thinking "Where am I supposed to go now since I can't stay here either."

[@ZacFrazier]

Bloodborne was a game I thought I would just never beat. I went into it 100% blind, and had only played up to Sen's Fortress in Dark Souls at that point. So it was just this overwhelming experience that I hadn't really felt since I was like 6 years old playing Half-Life. And you got the Cleric Beast on the admittedly way too fucking narrow bridge, and after that Gascoigne, which just stomped all of my will to continue. Like you said, there is a never a respite, no characters who live long enough to feel any sense of company, and a parade of battles always testing you. But one thing I will have to disagree with is what you felt as a lacking of a sense of accomplishment. Thematically speaking, the game and its plot is basically the antithesis to accomplishment. But beating every boss solo is something I felt immense pride in, especially after getting passed the grueling fights for Ludwig and the Orphan.

[@earlofyarg]

Oh wow this was great! I've previously compared my experience with Bloodborne to mine with Martyrs, so thought that was a great point.

[@WritingOnGames]

Good to know I'm not the only one! Thanks for watching.

[@earlofyarg]

Martyrs was such a fantastic movie. Traumatic and thoroughly painful to watch, but fantastic. Where, for example, Hostel desensitizes the audience to violence, I felt 'hypersensitized' to it during Martyrs.

[@paulcoffey8479]

As a fellow Scotsmen, Bloodborne is my favourite game of all time. I've played every other soul's game, but none had the same impact on me that bloodborne did

[@DkViking1]

That's what I call a touching loveletter to Bloodborne! Great!

[@trenbolone007]

Good stuff... You now have a new subscriber. Look forward to more videos like this one.

[@SgtYTube]

I enjoyed the video so much that when the video ended I was like "This was 10minutes already? More please."

[@adognamedsally]

I agree with you that the game is constantly stressful, giving no chance to ever celebrate your victories, which is why I found myself often putting the controller down for a while once I finally beat a boss, not really excited to push into the next area. However, I'm not so sure about a lack of a sense of accomplishment. When I killed bloodstarved beast through nothing but my ability to dodge and keep up with a manicly fast and intense fight, I did feel massively rewarded. As you pointed out, every movement of your hand matters in this game, and for me, that meant that a victory was entirely attributable to my own skill. And, playing through the game again, I found it so much easier, despite being at the same level that I was the first time through, just because I had learned how to be successful through mechanical fluency in the game's systems. I agree with your assessment that the world is built to oppress and loom over you though. Every area you go to is more horrid and terrifying than the last, from a mob of angry townspeople turned savage by their consumption of blood, to a town inhabited by ravenous werewolves situated around a tower from which a crazed hunter pelts you bullets, to a forest full of snake abominations, and later to the jump-scare laden orphanage and finally the nightmare of mensis. Really, the part that sells the experience for me and really plunges it deep into oppression is the undertone of insanity that frames the whole thing. The story of the old blood and the insanity it breeds in the pursuit of becoming a god is littered throughout the world. In dark souls, you have a lot of that insanity present in the NPCs, but I think overall, the world is reasonably friendly for one main reason. The enemies you fight feel like video game enemies. You never get the sense that they were once like you. You fight giant suits of armor that seem to be animated by magic almost. But in Bloodborne, almost every enemy has a human element and you know that they got to be the way they are due to blood ministration or a mistaken experiment. With few exceptions, the enemies in the game don't really feel like 'video game' enemies. Even bosses like Rom, The One Reborn, and Ebrietas, while they are giant and fantastical, they all fit into the story line of the old scholars pursuing the great ones. God, I just love the lore in this game man.

[@thegamejunky7223]

great video man. you have nothing but amazing content. keep it up.

[@frogwhore3986]

Good vid, but that "glitch" is actually deliberate. No matter what you do, the fight wont officially end until Mergo stops crying. Keep up the good work! :)

[@playerone198]

5:40 I played the game just recently and my friend who supported me throughout told me I seemed to have a very glitched playthrough. Many bosses moved completely out of the normal. Mergo‘s nurse for example just doubled herself and I had to face two of her at the same time (during her none cloning phase!). Or one of the living failures in the dlc just stayed after I slayed the boss and attacked me further. Just to name a few

[@anthonyfergerson3444]

I have many, many thoughts and topics I'd like to discuss about this gem but one thing I've just noticed during my most recent playthrough is about the health regen system. I've always known that you can regain health even after they your enemy dies but I never gave it much thought until now. Fromsoft rarely ever have a mechanic work the way it does just for the sake of it, theres always a reason. This is a small thing yes but still, it's almost like they encourage overkill. They want you to keep swinging even after they're dead and it fits perfectly in the world of bloodborne. You're a hunter who is out for blood and if you seen them fight in real life I'd imagine it would be brutal, bloody, gruesome, and I imagine they wouldnt stop when they're prey dies either

[@gabrielgroenendaal3007]

I really agree that the Hunter's Dream didn't feel like a place of "quiet safety" like Firelink Shrine or more to the point, The Nexus from Demon Souls. But that's kind of what I like about it. That sort of surreal sanctuary.

[@tepidtopic4979]

honestly this one of the only games i don't think ive ever gotten mad at this game because honestly the controls are wonderful and never have i gotten killed because i felt the controls didn't respond like they were suppose to it's always been very clearly , oh i did that wrong. and the scenery is morbidly beautiful