Bloodborne finally returns in what might already by my GOTY

I’m gonna level with you: I would do really awful things for a sequel to Bloodborne. I’m certainly not admitting I’d break the law in writing, that’d be really dumb. But if the only thing stood between me and Bloodborne was, for example, punching an old man? Well, sorry grandad.

The reason Bloodborne fans such as myself are so ravenous is simple. In 2015 PlayStation released one of the greatest video games of all time and then proceeded to spend the better part of the next decade pretending like it never existed.

PlayStation treats Bloodborne like an uncle who got caught at an EDL march. You’re welcome to try and mention them over Christmas dinner but all you’ll get in return is an awkward silence and a few stony stares.

Fortunately, it would seem PlayStation has finally deigned to bring Bloodborne out from the back of the cupboard, if only briefly.

The recently released Astro Bot is probably my GOTY at the time of writing, and I couldn’t agree more with my colleague Kate’s glowing 10/10 review of the PlayStation 5 adventure. There are tons of reasons why I love the game so much. It’s a tightly designed platformer brimming with ideas and references to PlayStation’s past. But perhaps best of all, it actually acknowledges Bloodborne.

There are tons of Easter eggs and nods to franchises like God Of War and The Last Of Us, but when I finally unlocked the costume room in Astro Bot and discovered an option to dress in the iconic Yharnam Hunter gear from Bloodborne, I very nearly did a little wee. Suddenly I found myself running through colourful worlds as a deadly hunter.

I don’t pretend to believe this one small nod to Bloodborne in a game that also includes references to Ico and Ape Escape is indicative of any kind of proper revival, but if nothing else I got a constant reminder for most of my time with Astro Bot that Bloodborne actually did happen and I didn’t imagine it. And really, that’s about the best any Bloodborne fan can hope for right now.