With the release of Bloodborne, FROM's first, true next-gen "Souls" game, as well as the re-release of Dark Souls 2 with Scholar of the First Sin, I was able to get a good sense of how similar, yet different these two games are. While I'm a huge fan of many things Bloodborne changes to the standard formula, there are still a few things that the Souls games do better.
On the surface though, Bloodborne is faster, more aggressive game that awards the player with being quick and deadly, while Dark Souls, and by that extension, Demon's Souls, is a slower paced, more passive game that relies on blocking, reading enemy movement and reacting to it. But there are also a ton of aspects that make the game similar. Let's dissect the two games a little bit and see which one does things slightly better than the other.
Combat (Subjective)
This one is easily the biggest and most prevalent aspect of both games. Like I mentioned previously, Bloodborne is fast-paced while the Souls games are slower and more methodical. And even though I do have a definite favorite, this one is the most subjective, since every player has a difference preference.
Bloodborne, at least in my opinion, does everything better. The thing is, I've already played Dark Souls like I currently play Bloodborne. I've never really played with a Shield in my left hand and always prefered to either two hand my weapons or simply have nothing there. Mostly because I wanted to keep weight off and allow my roll to be a bit faster. So by that extent, I also didn't wear armor. I'm not saying that I wore light armor, I literally didn't wear any armor. Again, I wanted the increased mobility. Why be weighed down by armor and withstand some hits, when it's better to not get hit at all.
That's why Bloodborne combat just came so naturally to me. The attire doesn't really provide a whole lot of protection, and it never alters your movement speed. Getting hit isn't the end of the world either thanks to the Regain system, which further encourages you to get in (but be smart about it) and hit the enemy back in order to gain some of that HP that you lost.
But again, this is largely subjective. I'm probably in the minority that didn't play with a shield in Dark Souls. So take this point with a grain of salt, though I still firmly believe that Bloodborne combat is the step in the right direction.
Stats
Once again, Bloodborne simplifies something that was slightly too complicated for its own good. Dark Souls 2 especially had some stats that were completely dumb, and just added unnecessary complexity to the game. Let's break it down. Dark Souls 2 had nine different stats; Vigor, Endurance, Vitality, Attunement, Strength, Dexterity, Adaptability, Intelligence and Faith. Bloodborne on the other hand has only six; Vitality, Endurance, Strength, Skill, Bloodtinge and Arcane. It lumped some of the previous stats together in a much more comprehensive way. Now arcane characters didn't have to worry about things like attunement slots, Intelligence and Faith, and simply raise their Arcane stat if they ever wanted to dabble in "Magic." Likewise, equipment load has been completely eliminated, which means Bloodborne's Vitality stat only governs HP.
So… many… freaking… stats…
It was smart for FROM to streamline the stats, especially in a game that's usually so vague about its systems. Even new players won't really have a hard time figuring out each stat.
Jumping and Platforming
If there's one thing that Souls games were never really good at, it was platforming. Especially since some segments really necessitated it. While there isn't a ton of it in any of the games, there are sections that require you to carefully time your jumps in order to pick up an item for instance.
Dark Souls 2 really nailed this aspect with the ability to map your jump button to your left thumb stick, instead of double tapping the Sprint button. In Bloodborne, there was a difficult door to get to in one spot where you have to basically jump perfectly to a platform in a giant hole. It took me about 12 tries until I finally got it, since I not only had to be lined up right, but I also had to make sure I double tapped the Sprint button at the precisely right time. After playing Scholar of the First sin immediately after Bloodborne, there were many instances where I had to make a jump across a chasm in order to get an item, and so far I was able to get it on my first try each time. Having the ability to press the thumb stick while holding the Sprint button was a great change, and it's a shame that didn't come back to Bloodborne.
Environment and interconnectivity
While Dark Souls 2 had some truly great and diverse environments, the connection between them made very little sense. Why would taking an elevator up from a poison windmill take me a cavernous lava area. Bloodborne on the other hand didn't really have much variety in its environments, save for some of the later areas, but the connection and shortcuts between them were absolutely fantastic, and they actually made sense. However, going back to Dark Souls, those areas were not only varied aesthetically, but they also had some truly creative shortcuts.
This one might be a tie for me between Bloodborne and the original Dark Souls. Dark Souls 2 tried too hard making each area different, and thus making them feel way too disconnected. The great thing about Yharnam are the little details in the environment. Many players will most likely miss a lot of the subtle hints in each area, like the crazy statues when first entering the Grand Cathedral, or the fact that many of the corpses in Hemwick have their eyeballs ripped out because they're being used for rituals. FROM has always been good at using the environment effectively for lore purposes but they really drive it home with Bloodborne.
Bosses
I'll admit that bosses in Dark Souls 2 felt a little too familiar to one another. Apparently the team that worked on it thought that players would like to fight heavily armored humanoids with giant swords over and over. Bosses in Bloodborne however are very much the opposite. Whether it's a group of hunchback witches that can turn invisible while sending horrific sickle wielding monsters after you, or a giant electric four-legged beast with some crazy jumping skills, or perhaps a slow moving spider that's mostly vulnerable with the exception of its spiderling army pouncing at you from every side.
But once again, the original Dark Souls and Demon's Souls as well, had some truly impressive and horrifying boss fights as well. It just goes to show that when Miyazaki is at the helm, the quality of the product just goes through the roof.
Both franchises have their positives as well as their negatives, but it's clear that Miyazaki and his team have taken some great steps in the right direction. While not everyone will agree, since sword & board technique is still very much alive, I appreciate FROM trying to shake things up a bit. Sure, it's still a familiar game to a Souls player, but even veterans might be surprised at some of the drastic changes. Dark Souls, on the other hand, while still difficult, is meant for a more passive player. It's meant to be played as a slower game, where careful observation and reaction are rewarded.
So where do you fall? Are you on team Bloodborne or team Dark Souls? Or maybe you like the variety each one offers? Let us know!
