Archive for the Bloodborne Category

Elden Ring Playthrough #2: Still So Good

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Games with tags on February 18, 2024 by slateman

40 hours. (1 March update: 60 hours / 26 March update: 90 hours) After completing the title at a hefty 120 hours, I’ve now clocked another 40 and have no intention on stopping any time soon.

Despite arriving late to the FromSoftware parade, I’ve since beaten (and written heavily about) Bloodborne and later Dark Souls III. I got far into Sekiro (final boss) and both Dark Souls Remastered and Demon’s Souls. I feel confident in saying I understand the formula. And while I’ve written about this as well already, returning two Elden Ring two years hence has bought me right back to where I was in early 2022. I’ve got a few games I’m interested in playing: Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Rollerdrome, maybe more Lies Of P. But, there’s no reason to. Elden Ring is just that damn good.

In fact, as I return to ranking my top-20 favorite games again, I find this game moving up…and up…and up. I can’t be certain, but I think it’s a top-10-ever game at this moment. From its sensational allure of discovery to the phenomenal art design. From the honed gameplay loop to the enticing sense of wonder. Its sound, the visuals, the adventure: it’s second to none. I just can’t say enough about this game and even without DLC, it remains one of my favorite games of all time.

Now, with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth coming out, perhaps my passion will fade. But just like the first time I played this masterpiece, I’m really in no rush. Simply incredible.

Dark Souls III: Complete

Posted in Best / Worst, Bloodborne, Games on November 12, 2023 by slateman

Barring a short stint with Demon’s Souls and Bloodborne a long time ago, I missed the entire Souls phenomenon. It wasn’t until 2018 when I fell in love with Bloodborne and since then, it’s risen to become my favorite game ever. I plunked a few hours into the remaster of Dark Souls, at some point tested out DS3 and even started Demon’s Souls on the PS5, none really drew me in. Sekir just kicked my ass and despite making it to the final boss, I never beat that one either.

Now, Elden Ring was a different story. I wrote about this game not once, not twice but three times and I think it’s in my top-20 games ever, though that list keeps changing. In fact, that title alone ruined me for games for most of 2022, with only a few titles even holding my interest as the year went on.

Several weeks ago, afer playing Bloodborne AGAIN, I had the itch to try out Dark Souls again and I booted up DS Remastered. I would have to restart, but I hated the visuals and chose to delete it immediately. Instead, why don’t I wait to see if DS3 ever goes on sale? While perusing a used bookstore with my daughter, I saw a bargain bin of games, mostly Wii and Xbox 360 cases. There was one blue one, however, and to my great surprise, it was Dark Souls III! The game cost $4 and contained a sticker disclaimer that it was badly scratched. I bought it, installed it and never once had an issue.

Now, I had played a few hours of this game while in Europe but with a new save in tow and years of guides to lead me, I set off into the land of whateverthehell in order to do…something. The story aside, I absolutely loved traipsing through another Miyazaki world replete with winding passages, hidden areas and beautiful landscapes. In fact, only recently did I realize that FromSoftware level design has a lot in common with Mario, fitting now that I completed two of those games in one day (see next post). There are so many locations where you simply know that a hidden section exists. In both games, you’re rewarded for that exploration with some perk, though in Mario they often are easier to decipher.

With a claymore in hand, I plowed through most bosses – much to my delight – all while reveling in the joy of discovery. I loathe bosses as they detract from my favorite element of videogames: exploration. It’s clear as the years progress that I never mind being OP as the true enjoyment is no different from 30+ years ago. “How do I get over there?!” It worked in Spyro, it worked in THPS, in God Of War, Tomb Raider and more. And Dark Souls has that in spades. Now, the tough-as-nails portion of the game is digestible alongside a super-powerful weapon and a little patience. Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Dark Souls III with the exception of a few moments and that annoying Twin Princes battle. I legitimately planned on deleting the game if I didn’t beat him/them today – which I did, fortunately!

While I won’t likely return to this game, or either of its predecessors, or even to Demon’s Souls or Sekiro, but I’m so happy I played this. The call of Elden Ring beckons me repeatedly, perhaps I’ll revisit it again some day. But for today, DSIII has been a fun, 37-hour romp and one whose exploration was simply top notch.

Dark Souls 3: Thoroughly Enjoying!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Games on October 22, 2023 by slateman

I played Demon’s Souls when it appeared on PS+ ages ago and didn’t warm up to its difficulty and when Bloodborne came out, I felt the same. However, eventually, I returned to the latter title and it changed my gaming life forever. Afterwards, I dipped my toes in to Dark Souls Remastered and Dark Souls 3, never finishing either. A few weeks ago, I thought I should revisit the third entry into the renowned franchise, but I didn’t particularly wanted to pay the price tag right now. Also, Super Mario Wonder was coming out in a few days!

At the used bookstore two weekends ago, I found a budget bin full of games. Most were Xbox 360 and PS3 titles with a smattering of Wii games. Amidst the stack of DVD cases was one blue one: Dark Souls 3! For $4! Thus, I’ve sunk two dozen hours into the game in two weeks and am thoroughly enjoying it! I benefit from years of guides and videos and wikis.

Now, Super Mario Bros. Wonder just came out and so far…I like it. Today, however, I spent most of my gaming time playing Dark Souls 3. I think that says a lot. Anyhow, just some snapshots for now. See if I actually end up beating this game!

Bloodborne Revisited 2023

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Games on September 17, 2023 by slateman

While I bailed on Bloodborne in 2015, when I revisited in 2018, I became infatuated. Over the course of several months, I dissected the game, devouring the lore, defeating every boss, chalice dungeon and completing the DLC. After platinuming the title, I did a NG+ run before moving on to other games.

Though I’d revisited several times in the years since, I never completed a run, eventually bailing at the Rom and Forbidden Woods segmets, not altogether surprising. This past week, I dove back in, not having much else to play.

Now, rewind 18 months or so to another From Software game: Elden Ring. After that magnificent experience ended, I found myself strugglig to find a follow-up that inspired me as much. Barring God Of War and Resident Evil 4, few games have really drawn me in as much. In fact, despite decades of gaming, I just haven’t been as drawn to games since Elden Ring.

So, as I returned to Bloodborne mid-game, I found myself struggling. I couldn’t dodge as easily. I died repeatedly (quelle surprise!) But then…IT happened. Again. I defeated Micolash. My son wanted to see Darkbeast Paarl – and I defeated him on the first try. I started reading about the lore and the items. Do I have three umbilical cords? This music is so haunting and spectacular! With my PS5, I can capture in 4K, can I get a good snap of the Gehrman fight? Should I clean up some of those optional bosses?

And it hit me. This is still my favorite game of all time. I debated this fact over the past few years. I mean, Super Mario Bros. 3 was my #1 for decades. But as I explored through this nightmarish world, I paused to absorb the views, I observed the grotesque enemies, I turned up the music. This game is simply fantastic and though it’s far less accessible than SMB3, it remains the greatest game ever made.

Abandoned WIP Projects

Posted in Blog, Bloodborne, Games, Street Fighter with tags on September 1, 2023 by slateman

Some links of abandoned/unfinished projects.

Bloodborne In 2020 – The Best Game Ever?

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Castlevania, Games, Portal, Street Fighter on September 3, 2020 by slateman

The longer I allow this site to go un-updated, the more weight falls upon each new post. But whatever, just post whatever, whenever! I realize, each update is an insight into the point I am in life.

Right now, I’m writing my third book (fourth, actually) and Bloodborne is contained within those pages. A few months back I started anew – overwriting my NG++ run. I didn’t get far, hitting a wall against our favorite: Father Gascoigne! I dispatched him as my kids watched – something I never did before. This game is far more violent than I typically let them watch. However, perhaps b/c its hordes of undead monstrosities and not humans, I’ve allowed. This led to some exploring, recalling those nooks and crannies, once again becoming enamored with the lore, the lush environments, the brutal combat. My son wanted to see the Blood-Starved Beast and, surprisingly, on my second try, he too was defeated.

Lower Cathedral Ward, sending NPCs back to Oedon Chapel, hoarding blood echoes – I’m drawn right back in. It’s just that good. And as I write this book, I’m thinking of commenting on my favorite games ever. Thus, I’m ranking them. The top 5, top 10 and top 20. As I look at these names, the greatest titles ever, I start to realize: Bloodborne is up there. Way up there. Is it good enough to dethrone Super Mario Bros. 3? Today – I think it is. Bloodborne is the best game ever made.

As I chronicle these, I’ll eventually put up my list. It’s a good list. But damn, it’s tough comparing Street Fighter Zero 2 Alpha to Portal 2 to Symphony Of The Night to Bloodborne is not easy! But it’s a necessary evil. More on that soon.

Game I’ve Played / GotY 2018

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Castlevania, Games, Lists, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Screenshots with tags on January 12, 2019 by slateman


Usually I split this into two postings, but alas! it’s already 2019. Today’s update will include the games I’ve played over the last year as well as the easy choice as to which was the best. The latter will be detailed on my main Games Of The Year page. I’ll separate all this into individual sections. First – Platinums! Bold words indicate a 2018 title.

Platinums 2018

  • Bloodborne
  • Burly Men At Sea
  • Castlevania: Requiem
  • God Of War
  • Guacamelee! 2
  • Lara Croft Go

Two of the PS4’s greatest exclusive games were conquered this past year. Bloodborne stays with me and I now consider it one of the greatest games ever made. That’s a different list I’ve been mulling over. I’ve written about some of the rest of these already. Moving on…

Older Titles Played in 2018

These will fall into three categories:

  1. First-time plays (not completed)
  2. First-time played/beaten
  3. Beaten again

Here we have a mix. Some are simple PS+ games, others are purchases I never cared to complete, etc. A key for easy reference is listed above.

  • Assassin’s Creed Origins
  • Bloodborne
  • Burly Men At Sea
  • Call Of Duty: WWII
  • Dark Souls III
  • Fe
  • Firewatch
  • God Of War: Chains Of Olympus
  • God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta
  • God Of War: Ascension
  • Grand Theft Auto V
  • Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
  • Lara Croft Go
  • Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
  • Matterfall
  • Metal Gear Solid 2
  • Nioh
  • Rayman Legends
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
  • Sky Force Anniversary
  • Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana

Due to Gothenburg’s wonderful library system, I got to borrow some pretty cool titles this past year. I quite enjoyed AC:O – would like to return to it and would also love to try its sequel. Similarly, Nioh seemed cool and I’m still chugging through Sherlock Holmes though it didn’t really inspire me like its predecessor.

Many others I tried and never really felt inspired enough to finish. Dark Souls III was fucking difficult (I later tried DS Remastered and fared better). Matterfall was a huge disappointment, particularly after Nex Machina. After beating the PS3 remasters of the two PSP God Of War games, I figured I’d try out Ascension again. And again I lost interest. Firewatch, Fe, Rayman Legends – all just hit the ‘meh’ button and never beckoned me to return.

On the other hand, a few older titles were memorable. The aforementioned Bloodborne, those two GOW games and finally beating GTAV were some of the highlights of the year. Toss on yet another replay of RE4 and my second playthrough of the underwhelming MGS2 and old titles impressed in 2018.

2018 Titles

Once again we have categories: played, beaten and platinumed, despite the redundancy of that last item.

  • Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon
  • Burnout Paradise Remastered
  • Castlevania: Requiem
  • Chasm
  • Dark Souls Remastered
  • God Of War
  • Guacamelee! 2
  • Hollow Knight
  • Ikaruga
  • Iconoclasts
  • Just Cause 4
  • Onrush
  • Overcooked 2
  • Red Dead Redemption 2
  • Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (Started in 2019)
  • Spider-Man
  • Spyro The Dragon: Reignited (2019 plat!)
  • Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
  • Yoku’s Island Express (2019 plat!)

I haven’t been nearly as interested in some of these titles as I had hoped I would. I sold back RDR2 b/c I simply has zero interest in playing it. Spider-Man was probably a great game, but I didn’t feel the itch to play that either. I never beat Bloodstained and found Hollow Knight to be far less enjoyable than all the praise suggested. Just Cause 4 looks better than 3, but in so many other ways it felt like a step backwards. I’m not even listing some titles like PS+ games that I played and deleted here.

Burnout Paradise drew me back in just as it did a decade ago, Guacamelee! 2 was a fun and challenging romp but was marred by a few incredibly-difficult parts and I don’t think I’d ever go back to play it again. The first on the other hand…I would. And did! Overcooked 2 was great, but my wife and I devoured it and never touched it again. I’ve just started Yoku’s Island Express and will be finishing up JC4 in the coming weeks/months.

So, what we’re left with is the clear and easy victor. While I thought RDR2 might challenge the mighty Kratos, it didn’t even come close. God Of War’s story, gameplay, visual luster, deep and engaging lore and simple fun factor was leagues beyond anything else I played in the year (Well, Bloodborne may have the edge, I don’t know). I still haven’t a clue how Sony Santa Monica pulled it off. They took this beloved series, reinvented so much of it and made us all care about this one-dimensional killing machine. Being a father while playing it surely helped. This game is fucking legendary already and I look forward to diving in again when things slow down a bit.

Game Of The Year 2018 is an easy choice. God Of War. Now, my New IP GOTY? I don’t know that yet. Based on the limited titles I’ve played, Yoku’s Island Express wins, but that’s temporary. I feel Dead Cells or Celeste might take that crown, however, I haven’t had the opportunity to try them out yet. Let’s see what I missed below.

2018 Titles I Haven’t/Want To Play

  • A Way Out
  • Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
  • Celeste
  • Darksiders III
  • Dead Cells
  • Detroit: Become Human
  • Divinity: Original Sin 2
  • Far Cry 5
  • Mega Man 11
  • Shadow Of The Colossus
  • Tetris Effect

There are a few games I genuinely want to try out here. Unlike music, it’s not so easy to just try out everything you like and are interested in. A Way Out would be great…with a friend. Odyssey will require many hours, but I bet it’s a blast and quite the quick-and-easy opposite of something like Red Dead. Others on this list are a ‘kinda want to try’.

But the ones I must one day play: Dead Cells and Celeste. Both seem right up my alley and I think I’d just love them. They could be that coveted New IP GOTY. But…they’re a bit expensive for indie titles and I’ve been awaiting a sale to dip my toes in. Can’t wait to try them though!

Platinum #25 – Ranking The Hardest

Posted in Best / Worst, Bloodborne, Games, Lists on March 4, 2018 by slateman

I succeeded in getting my 25th platinum trophy this morning: the brutal Bloodborne, a game I formerly abandoned, deeming it way too difficult. But after returning, I discovered just what a brilliant masterpiece it truly was. The lore, the visuals, the gameplay: utter remarkable. And getting that platinum required some serious time and dedication. But was it the hardest of all my platinums?

25 is an impressive number, I might say, and I can genuinely recall getting each and every one of them. However, with two being My Name Is Mayo, suffice to say they were not all significantly difficult. I thought I’d run through them all looking at which was the most grueling. To start, here are the 25 in alphabetical order.

  1. Bloodborne
  2. Borderlands
  3. Color Guardians
  4. Far Cry Primal
  5. Guacamelee!
  6. Horizon: Zero Dawn
  7. Lego: The Hobbit
  8. Lego: The Lord Of The Rings
  9. Lego: Marvel Super Heroes
  10. Lego: Pirates Of The Caribbean
  11. My Name Is Mayo (PS4 & Vita)
  12. Resident Evil 5
  13. Resogun
  14. Rocket League
  15. Tales From The Borderlands
  16. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
  17. Uncharted
  18. Uncharted 2
  19. Uncharted 3
  20. Uncharted 4
  21. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
  22. Walking Dead, The: Season One
  23. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
  24. Zero Time Dilemma

The easiest would clearly be the absurd game about hitting a mayo jar. Next to that would be both the Telltale games: The Walking Dead and Borderlands as simply beating the game rewarded me with the plat. Similarly, the two Zero Nonary Games platinums benefited from some guide help, but neither required any actual dexterity.

Most of the Lego games are rather straightforward. Though some had challenging sections, they reside low on this list. Now we’ve covered 10 of the 25. The open-world games like Horizon and Far Cry Primal were both fun checklists of tasks. Rocket League was similar – not difficult, just time consuming and it was made easier when they changed the requirements for one of the trophies. THPSHD was a tough one, as I got stuck on that final trophy for years. Four-and-a-half to be specific. But a glitch (Robomodo + glitch = surprise!?!) allowed me to achieve it with utter ease. Color Guardians had some really tough segments but glitches worked against me here: I had to re-do entire stages, acing them repeatedly to get the trophy to pop. Live by the glitch and die by the glitch!

Now at 15, we have 10 left and things are getting a bit more difficult. Half of those are Uncharted games and not all were particularly challenging. The latest one had so many save points and auto-locking whereas the first had three specific, crushing sections on the highest difficulty. Oh what a nightmare those were!

Guacamelee! required some major start-over sections – repeatedly dying and retrying and dying again. Resident Evil 5’s professional difficulty was particularly trying. However, doing so in co-op really alleviated the challenge. That stupid troll segment was just annoying as hell though and almost made me quit that attempt.

Now I’m left with Bloodborne, Resogun and Borderlands. The latter took me over two years to finish, but with some high-level friends, it wasn’t all too brutal. Resogun was a solid challenge and the PSN says only 3.1% of players actually platinumed it. Bloodborne on the other hand shows 7.3%, a surprisingly-high figure. Now that we’re tossing figures out, Uncharted 3 and 4 are listed at 1.3% and 0.8% – Wat? o_0 Anyhow, back to things, while Resogun was indeed a chore, it was manageable in short spurts. Bloodborne on the other hand was an incessant trial of repetition, memorization and perfection.

The boss fights were maniacal: Blood-Starved Beast, Martyr Logarius, Rom the Annoying-As-Shit Spider, that Watchdog Of The Old Lords and that damn Pthumerian Descendant…the list goes on. That whole Defiled Chalice Dungeon (aka the ‘you inexplicably have only 50% of your normal health, good luck!’ dungeon) was brutal. Then I had to fight Rom again. And Blood-Starved Beast. Holy shit, some of these guys I was stuck on for days. I genuinely disliked myself during those days.

So, higher percentage or not, (PSNProfiles shows 23.8% got this platinum) I don’t care. This was a marathon trophy that beat me down repeatedly and this doesn’t mention just how bloody hard those opening hours were. And by hours, I really mean like 30 minutes, because I died 47 times just learning how the game worked. Brutal, I tell you! And so after looking at its two dozen platinum competitors, I really have no qualm in claiming that Bloodborne was my hardest platinum. It was my most rewarding and in some ways the most fun. It wasn’t without issues, of course, but they were worth overcoming to achieve the pinnacle of Playstation gaming.

Oh, and I tossed up some BB images from the latter parts of the game, for anyone interested.

Bloodborne: The Halfway-Done Review

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Games with tags on February 4, 2018 by slateman


I’m somewhere in the middle of Bloodborne. Some gamers could beat it much more quickly, but a) I’m an old, filthy casual and b) this game is difficult! So, while I’m in the midst of the madness, I thought I’d share some thoughts on one of the best games of 2015. In fact, while it won’t likely usurp that year’s GotY, it will assuredly take over the New IP GotY from Rocket League.

First off, as I mentioned earlier, this game is gorgeous. The eerie gloominess plagues every facet of this game. It instills a genuine sense of fear and dread about what is lurking in that corner. When you approach that hazy fog and…OMFG GET AWAY! I don’t particularly like jump scares, but this simply has me spinning the camera around constantly, worried at every turn about whatever hideous, nightmare-inducing creation could be waiting for my approach.

However, when I’m spinnning that camera incessantly, I’ve noticed issues with the game’s frame rate. As a non-videophile, it’s something I’ve never noticed in any other game before. That stuttering can be jarring though, especially when there are several enemies on-screen. In addition, the lock-on system falters: in some cases, rolling away from an enemy or group, a click of the lock-on button merely refocuses your camera. Then, peering into nothingness, they feast on your flesh. Frustrating indeed.

But for those few gripes, I’m greeted with a half-dozen awe-inspiring moments. The changing-world demands exploration. The lack of true direction is a fresh take on the hand-holding games of the past decade plus. I don’t really know what that new item does but I can’t inspect it now; grotesque baddies are surrounding me. And there are secrets virtually everywhere. It’s similar to Mario’s adventures which reward you with exploration all while being virtually nothing like Mario whatsoever.

The combat has taken me quite some time to really grasp. The beginning was just so brutally difficult, partly as learning the systems and layout was so unique. Well, unique to a non-Souls player at least. That difficulty is sometimes compounded on a cheap feel. When an enemy or three surround you, your character can get trapped or hit consistently with no reprieve or manner of escape. It’s frustrating when your 80% health is depleted without the ability to counter or retreat. Boss battles can do this, particularly with the small environments they can be in.

But victory against those odds is wonderfully-rewarding. With my heart utterly racing, those last strikes give much-needed relief to the high-anxiety stressfests that some battles are. But you never feel safe (refer to the 80% health comment above) and it’s only when PREY SLAUGHTERED appears that you can exhale.

With its non-linear paths, it goes against so many video-game tropes which leave an “anything can happen” feeling. It’s fresh, curious and beautiful, in a dreadful way. I’m hoping no future boss battle turns me off as much as Rom did (and, earlier on, the Blood-Starved Beast). I don’t know if a platinum trophy is possible, but my eyes are on the prize. Loving this game right now.

[Compare this last screenshot from the one in my previous post. It’s amazing how the world changes.]