Bloodborne Playthrough Diary Part 1: Trials and Tribulations

I’ve had an interesting relationship with FromSoftware’s Bloodborne, to say the least. It was a spur-of-the-moment purchase from a few years ago and it’s a title I previously gave up on, that is, until now. After making a serious attempt to learn and appreciate the mechanics and logic behind the game, Bloodborne is a title I can’t seem to quite put down.

Considering how this is my first game of this type, I really can’t say with any kind of certainty whether it's supposed to be harder than Dark Souls or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, since I have yet to play either of those. If we were to take a survey to find the answer, you can bet the results wouldn’t be unanimous. All I can say for sure is this: Bloodborne for me has been a long journey of trials and tribulations.

This experience likely comes out on top for the most times I’ve died in a video game, with the Crash Bandicoot series and Another World probably falling somewhere distant behind it. In fact, death is seemingly waiting at every corner of this game. Whether it's traversing unknown locations or grappling with new and old foes alike, you absolutely will die in Bloodborne at some point or another. At first, it will piss you off and seriously test your patience, but once you accept your fate and see beyond these challenging aspects, it can be an extremely rewarding experience. Believe me.

As was the case with many who came before me, my struggle was understanding the gaming mechanics and being able to observe patterns. Bloodborne is far from a hack-and-slash adventure like God of War or even Devil May Cry, so your ability to see and predict things will ensure your survival. Not only that, but playing smart and moving with purpose is another skill you must learn. This is no game for someone whose battle tactic is to jump in guns blazing; those reckless players will be punished again and again.

Why join the group of people who have rage-quit this game and probably sold it for cheap after realizing they don’t have what it takes to play it? Maybe this question resonates with you a bit and perhaps this title has been collecting dust somewhere in your collection. All I can say is: give it another shot. This much-walked path of failure doesn’t have to be the course you take too.

Maybe you’re having trouble with the Cleric Beast, or the two vicious werewolves on the bridge before it? On a fun note, both of those items were the subject of a recent satire article from our very own The Rotting Corpse, which took aim at mocking me for my lack of progress in the game. All jokes aside, I have, in fact, finally made headway in Bloodborne. After defeating the Cleric Beast, Father Gascoigne, and the Blood-Starved Beast, I’m starting to feel like I can probably reach the finish line.

However, my wins are always soon met with losses, as I currently remain stuck at the Cathedral Ward and learning to understand the battle with Vicar Amelia. The good news is, though, that I’m not angry or ready to throw in the towel. Here we have Bloodborne presenting me with an opportunity to stop and learn to develop my skills further. Wise players will embrace these learning moments because it will only help in the long run. Yes, this game does let you catch your breath after toiling with you in the beginning, so it’s not always a constant struggle!

I’m not sure what lies beyond where I am now, and quite frankly, I don’t really want to know. My only concern is defeating Vicar Amelia so I can see what other challenges come after it. At least this time around, the nightmare won’t be a bad dream I want to put an end to. Stay tuned for further parts in this series as I slowly but surely (and hopefully) complete FromSoftware’s Bloodborne!

About the Author

Jay Gervais

From small town to big city and back again, Jay was born and raised in Canada and has lived his whole life there. He’s always ready to cut down any misconceptions his American friends have of life in the great white north. He’s also no stranger to this kind of community, and has plenty of experience under his bed. He enjoys all kinds of horror entertainment, as long as it’s got the heart and soul to it. When he’s not doing something here, he can be found at his post at the night’s watch, or knee deep into his school studies.

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