Sony briefly showed off the Bloodborne expansion coming in November today, and while the trailer was short, it was soooo full of stuff. Let’s take a closer look.
If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, here’s the whole thing.
If it felt like that all went by in a flash, you’re not wrong. When I first watched it, my response was: that’s it? Then, I took a closer look…
The expansion is called The Old Hunters, suggesting we may be getting a prequel to the events of Bloodborne. Here’s how the PlayStation Blog describes it:
Set in a nightmare world where hunters from the past are trapped forever, explore brand new stages full of dangers, rewards, and deadly beasts to overcome. You’ll find multiple new outfits and weapons to add to your arsenal as well as additional magic to wield and add more variety to your combat strategy.
We don’t know how players will access the add-on, but “set in a nightmare world” makes it sound separated from the main game, as if players may stumble into a portal. (Or, more likely, use a new tombstone in the Hunter’s Dream.) In Souls, the games required playing until a certain point, with DLC organically mixed into the original game. Finding the areas was sometimes so convoluted that it required a walkthrough. (Looking at you, Dark Souls 2.)
Now, let’s check out the new, badass weapons we’re getting access to. This should make Bloodborne fans super happy; one of the game’s lingering criticisms has been the lack of replability, thanks for the limited weapons set.
Is that a f’ing flame hammer?
In what can only be described as a medieval buzzsaw, this may be my new main.
Bows have been part of the Souls games for a while, but were absent from Bloodborne. No more, apparently, with players getting new long range options.
I barely dabbled with Bloodborne‘s magic options, since it wasn’t clear magic was even an upgrade path until much later in the game. I’m not sure if The Old Hunters will try to address that at all, perhaps making magic more viable in the early hours, but the trailer makes clear it will be expanding how magic is used.
Players have speculated that Bloodborne, at one point, had a more fleshed out transformation system that allowed players to navigate between human and beast. It’s possible to transform your arm into something monstrous in the original game, but it looks like The Old Hunters will greatly expand this point.
We’re given a glimpse at a brand-new boss for The Old Hunters, in addition to remixes of previous Bloodborne bosses. It’s not clear how players will stumble upon these modified versions of the game’s past monstrosities, but if the DLC is forcing players to make their way through parts of the game to even access the add-on, it’d make sense to give them some unexpected wrinkles along the way.
Want a closer look at one of the new bosses, Ludwig?
Gross.
I’m already swamped with new games to play, but I cannot wait to return to the world of Yharnam on November 24, buzzsaw weapon ‘n all.
Comments
6 responses to “Bloodborne’s DLC Trailer Is Packed With Small Details You Probably Missed”
More importantly, is that a cloak made out of live rats!?
That sentence can be said anywhere, anytime, and the ‘more importantly’ part will remain relevant.
Oh hell yea! Can’t wait.
Also looks like new shield options (1:20 in the trailer). Maybe using a shield is viable in the DLC…?
I’m hyped, though Cleric Beast on fire just seems lazy. As in Asylum, Stray and Firesage lazy! Hopefully more variety awaits. Agree, new weapons, spells and get-up certainly seem impressive.
Waat!! There’s a shield on 1:30
Tip for the creators of the trailer (and frankly all trailers with a voice over) If you want to make your music epic that’s fine, but drop the volume when you are trying to say something so it doesn’t sound like a garbled mess.
Also flame hammer.