![]() For that matter, there are scattered pages to find and read, most of which have a simple expository message written on them, or a smidgen of history. But there are NPCs to chat with, most of whom stay hidden behind doors and respond to your knocks with whimpers for help, maniacal laughter, or tearful pledges to stay true to the church. You will not find reams of short stories to read on the game's bookshelves, and you will not be flitting from one non-player character to the next looking for quests. I offer reassurances, however, that Bloodborne has not taken From Software's template into Elder Scrolls territory. These are discoveries you should make on your own in this excellent game. Oh, how I wish I could share with you the details, or at least put some dots on the page and let you connect them. ![]() ![]() I wouldn't call its key events story twists, but rather, story detonations Your expectations aren't subverted but heightened, by many orders of magnitude. That its malformed majesty works so well is Bloodborne's greatest feat. The answer to that is, unequivocally, "yes." As Bloodborne introduces new sights and events, your suspicions become digital reality, and then the game asks you to suspend disbelief once again, rising to ridiculous heights of absurdity. Bloodborne is unafraid to go big, to the extent that you may find yourself questioning if what you think is happening is really what's happening. In fact, the lack of thematic nuance is what makes From Software's newly introduced storytelling spotlight as successful as it is. This isn't a high-minded reading of Bloodborne's story, which is none too nuanced. Bloodborne sucks the faith, hope, and charity from religious devotion, populating its world with grotesque disciples and forcing the meek into their homes, from where they hope for the church to cleanse the world of its woes. Once I discovered a surreptitious way to view their worship from above, I would sneak in just to bathe in the bizarre beauty of the scene. The low, grumbling hum of their chant is as terrifying as their unwavering focus on their deity. One of Bloodborne's many striking images is that of a massive crucified figure surrounded by single-minded worshipers which poison you when they attack. Outside of this clear theming, the developing saga comes to life through the sights and sounds of its world. The allegory isn't subtle: This is a third-person action role-playing game (or role-playing action game, depending on your view) featuring a cleric and a vicar among its bosses. Now, developer From Software has crafted an extravagant religious parable that mirrors its game's death-and-resurrection mechanics. The Souls games led you through parishes and cathedrals, but never have they made such grandiose statements with their subject matter. Bloodborne is not short of mysteries, but its narrative beats are inescapable, and its Christian themes are undeniable. Dark Souls and its direct sequel allowed their sights, sounds, and swordplay to tell the most vital tales, relegating backstory to atmospheric tapestries that revealed their details only if you looked closely enough. I know: such hyperbole! Yet this is the language of Bloodborne, a Dark Souls game in all but name, and one that introduces new themes and story motifs that cannot be overlooked. Instead, you come to an agreement with it: You allow it to invade your brain and demand your concentration, and it allows you to wake from inevitable death, reminding you with each resurrection that life is a gift. Even should you rise above its terrors, Bloodborne answers to no master. ![]() The vicar is a microcosm of Bloodborne itself, a wondrous monstrosity that attacks you with vicious horror and religious overtones until you submit to it. You've never seen anything like this creature, a giant komondor dog with horns-and a former vicar of the church, apparently, evangelizing her faith by holding her paws together in prayer, then slamming them onto the ground and knocking you clear. The beast appears, though you didn't expect it.
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