Ahh, Bloodborne. The old faithful. Probably Fromsoft’s best game (though Elden Ring is up there) and one that players revisit constantly, not only because it’s brilliant but also because there’s no sign of a sequel. While Bloodborne kept a lot of what made Fromsoft’s games so popular, it was a slight departure due to its pacing and style.
The switch to a straight-up gothic nightmare thrilled fans and the monstrosities you’d face off against were some of the best monster designs in the developer’s history. Of course, all of the SoulsBorne games are epic in scale and feature plenty of hidden details that players can easily miss. Here are some of the best from the classic that is Bloodborne.
Tiny Music Box
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When exploring Yharnam you might bump into a little girl sitting in an open window of a house. She explains to you that her daddy is a hunter too, but he hasn’t come home in a long while. She will give the player a tiny music box and ask you to give it to him if you see him. Well, you’ll definitely meet him as he turns out to be Gascoigne, the super-difficult early boss who is partly transformed into a monster. Though he will become a little easier if you play the music box for him.
Lovecraftian
It comes as no surprise that Bloodborne was heavily influenced by H.P. Lovecraft. After all, the author is responsible for the concept of old Gods that watch us, but the developers actually copied many of his monsters point-for-point, crafting the monsters in the game from the text of the old books. So, it’s no wonder that everything has tentacles and lots of teeth, it seems that the creators didn’t stray too far from a well-trodden and respected path.
Little dudes
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On your journey through the gothic nightmare that is Bloodborne, you’re likely to spot these little guys hanging out. They look like small husks of people, in a very ghoulish way. Despite their appearance, they’re actually the cutest thing in the game and you may be thinking they don’t really signify anything, but you’d be mistaken. These creatures actually give you an idea of how many other players are in the area - a lot of them means there are hunters to play with or against, and fewer of them mean it’s unlikely anyone is around, which is more likely nowadays.
The Lady of the Night
There are two NPCs to be found who have a very unique interaction with each other. They are Arianna, a streetwalker who can be found selling her body for payment in blood; the other is Adella, a nun who claims to be saintly and treats the hunter as a savior. You’ll eventually send Arianna to the safety of Odeon Chapel where you can let her feast on your blood. This ungodly act obviously annoys Adella and if you do it three times, the nun will straight up murder Arianna, leaving her dead body in the chapel.
The true ending
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Many players would miss out on the true ending simply because they haven’t travelled back to the game’s starting area. When you first wake up you’re in Iosekfa’s Clinic and later in the game you can return here to talk to a voice behind a door. There is actually a hidden path in the Forbidden Woods that takes you into the backrooms of the clinic where you’ll find a collection of survivors who have been healed and taken care of. They’ve formed the Celestial Emissary and finding this leads you to another hidden area which unlocks the true ending of the game.
Big lore drop
The story of Bloodborne is a convoluted one, perhaps more so than Dark Souls. It has a lot to do with the drinking of blood that turned people into monsters and whatnot. Of course, it goes much deeper than that but there’s only so much space in this list. One thing we’ve already mentioned is the connections to Lovecraft and his celestial beings. You’ll find much more of this in the Orphanage in Upper Cathedral Ward. Missing this area hides vital story information from you, plus a brilliant boss battle that can’t be missed.
Moon Rune
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It’s easy to miss items in Fromsoft games as they’re often stashed away from prying eyes and it’s only by wandering aimlessly that you’ll discover them. One such item is super handy to have as it allows you to farm more blood echoes from enemies. Like souls and runes from Dark Souls and Elden Ring respectively, blood echoes are your currency here and you can earn up to 30% more with the Moon Rune equipped. To find this item you’ll need to go to either Hypogean Gaol or at the bottom of a winding staircase after fighting Micolash.
The First Hunter
Like many Fromsoft games, you can expect one of a few different endings in Bloodborne. One of these has another ‘final’ boss. That’s right, after killing Mergo’s Wet Nurse you’ll offered the chance to wake up out of the Hunter’s Dream, if you refuse you’ll end up in a field of flowers, and have to fight Gehrman, The First Hunter. This is a very tricky boss fight, but killing Gehrman means you’ll get access to a new weapon and a set of clothes ready for New Game+.
Topics: Bloodborne, Fromsoftware, Bandai Namco, PlayStation