Bloodborne: The Old Hunters DLC
Author: S.A.
Here it is, the add on to one of the hardest games I’ve ever had to play through in my rather long gaming career. In truth Bloodborne was one of those games that will, and has, haunted your dreams from the sheer amount of times you’ve likely died due to a surprise attack. Whether this was from the A.I. with its rather skilled monsters or a fall of a building ledge that you accidentally fell off of during a fight. This game is intense on a gamer’s fortitude. As it features a system that involves no true savepoints, non existent checkpoints, and the ability to lose all experience gained through well earned grinding due to death and loss of your “soul points”. That said, it will go down in history as one of the hardest RPGs to ever grace anyone’s console, much like its spiritual predecessors Demon Souls and Dark Souls.
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is much of the same in terms of gameplay, and doesn’t vary to hard from it’s non expansion state. However there are add ons to this game that add to it’s fun in a way that perhaps the original didn’t. It also is not something to tread into lightly, even for veteran hunters. With that in mind, it’s important to note that the difficulty for this DLC is on par with the ending sections of Bloodborne. I want this noted because you gain access to this DLC package about midway through the game, as it can only be accessed as you play through the campaign, and thus shouldn’t be explored until your player reaches a much more suitable level. So gung ho players beware, you’re in for a scare if you tread here to soon.
The storyline for the DLC is true to its name, and focuses on the Old Hunters that were mentioned throughout the normal campaign. Allowing the player to expand on the lore behind the game and to learn about these hunters. As an added bonus, you may also also summon these legendary characters to your aid in rather hectic boss fights.
In terms of addition to size, the DLC adds three new sizeable areas to the world of Yharnam. The boss’s that go along with each area are hardly anything to sneeze at, and will likely cause you no end of headaches if you’re ill prepared. It took six solid months of working for the development team behind it to be satisfied with the length and quality behind each new area. A testament, if nothing else, to it’s size and detail. Not only was the size of the game expanded, but also the weapon selection choice.The game now also features upwards of up to 10-15 new weapons in the new expansion. The weapons ranging from a new bow, a gattling gun, and an assortment of other goodies for the dedicated gamer.
The most interesting addition to the game though, in my opinion, lays in the new rune called the “beast’s embrace”. By using this new rune we transform into a “ghastly beast form” as part of an oath. This adds an interesting element to an already deadly game. Allowing for players to have increased agility, and temporary upgraded attack capabilities.
It’s easy to say that these add ons make this game more enjoyable, but only for those who can make it past the already hard game dynamics present within the game. So this is more of the same for those dedicated to the Demon Souls and Dark Souls franchise. It’s also remains far to hard for those of you dubbed casual gamers.
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