Miyazaki thinks the secret to Bloodborne’s fun is that you “have to work for it”

Oh, Bloodborne, why you so moreish? It's a question we've asked ourselves on far too many occasions (usually while soaked in werewolf blood) - why are the danger-filled streets of Yharnam so damn addictive? So with extra content on the horizon in the form of a new Bloodborne expansion, Edge recently sat down with game director Hidetaka Miyazaki to discuss that all-important ingredient.

[DarkOcelet]

The difference between this game and for instance Assassins Creed/Far Cry/The Crew is that in...

Bloodborne, you have to really work hard to overcome the challenge but when you do, you feel like it was worth it. Just like in real life, when you work on something for a long time and it becomes successful, you feel like it was worth all the time and hard work you invested in it.

But in Assassins Creed/Far Cry, its feels like its a chore, doing repetitive $hit over and over again until the game is over. Or that's how i think it is. It feels like a boring job.

More games should have variety and challenge in them.

[JMaine518]

This.

[bouzebbal]

yeah, that!
Variety is the perfect recipe for a great game, and challenge to spice thing up a little bit. Incredibly rewarding!

[remixx116]

Yup those....

[breakpad]

BBorne is the perfect example of Japan's knowledge in making games, in contrary to the overpromotioned, overbudgeted and at the end overboring games from western super-powers in gaming like EA ,Activision , Ubi...Japanese are artisans in making games not simply professional programers,coders,artists

[DarXyde]

... or it's because it's an RPG with deep strategy elements, great atmosphere, interesting story, and balanced challenge. I'm not so inclined to say it's a matter of identifying with real world challenges, but I can agree with some of what you say.

Personally, I think it's because the games are hard but fair.

[The_Devil_Hunter]

I agree with you, I loved the game its my favorite game this year so far, and 10/10 without any doubt, but I think the reason its so fun its because of the RPG nature of the game and its fun strategic aspects.

[BG11579]

That's the balance right there. The game is hard but fair.
After spending a lot of time, one can realize this.

[SnotyTheRocket]

Only Ubi games. Nice. Easy to hate.

[Transporter47]

I have all of the AC games except for Unity and Rogue. He described them perfectly. Do you have anything that disproofs what he said?

[DragonKnight]

Uh, Bloodborne has its share of repetitive garbage too you know. Character progression, if you actually want to fully complete your character, is tied to Chalice Dungeons, your weapon, and successive New Game + playthroughs.

The fact that there are only 10 weapons in the game means that build variety is VERY limited. Upgrading those weapons to +10 is almost as bad as trying to get a Pure Bladestone because you only get 1 Blood Rock per playthrough outside of Chalice Dungeons. 2 of the weapons are received ridiculously late, and the entire Item Discovery system is tied behind both the Arcane stat (for general item discovery) and Insight (you need 70 to change the item tables so you can actually get those rarer drops).

So there's working for something, and then there's being forced to grind it out to the point it becomes tedious and you say to yourself "I am not doing this for 9 more characters."

I'm hoping the expansion adds at least 3 more new weapons and more chances to gain Blood Rocks at the minimum.

[guyman]

Good for you.

[trenso1]

thats exactly what i was thinkning as i was play farcry 4 it didnt help that when ever they gave you a mission is 600+ meters away. All of the side missions were the same old thing and the only thing good about the game was the sorta interesting story. That I feel fell kinda flat at the end.

[PaleMoonDeath]

Because of BloodBorne, I now play all new games and most recently The Witcher 3 on the hardest difficulty right from the start.

That's how it's done people, snatching BloodBornes expansion up the moment it drops.

[Germany7]

It's really cool how players discuss theories about the narrative, help each other and how immersive the game is, this is happening since Demon's Souls.
Bloodborne it's the best experience i've had recently on games.

[PaleMoonDeath]

^ This, I adore.

[ThichQuangDuck]

I want MLB the Show for pick up play,but I want this too. I like having the problem of wanting too many games. Shall make for a busy gaming summer for once

[llxKonanxll]

Ultimately the only thing I had to work for was beating Rom in the chalice dungeon.. The Daughter of Chaos. and the fire dog in the defiled dungeon. The game is really fun.

[DragonKnight]

I thought Rom was easier in the Chalice Dungeons because the pillars blocked the meteors.

[wakeNbake]

The Coop in this game is pretty underrated, I usually just pick a lamp and use the small beckoning bell for hours,its the fastest way to rank up, and you're contributing to the community by helping other players.

[linkenski]

I co-opped through the entirety of Forbidden Woods on NG+ while also PvP'ing with a player. That was adrenaline-pumping and unforgettable. Me and the co-op buddy were both close to death at least 7 times but even so, we went on to fight Shadows of Yharnam with 400k echoes in our pockets after we beat the adversary.

[Splatoon]

I'm on the second last boss of NG++ and I'm still addicted. It's currently my GOTY. (Before people start whining, no I haven't played the Witcher 3 yet. So I obviously don't know if it is better than Bloodborne.)

[Ninver]

I find it incredible how you feel you must apologise to people for your own personal experience and thoughts of GOTY. What is the gaming world coming to? Smh. Just say it like you want to. Bloodborne is my current GOTY candidate!

[Utalkin2me]

Witcher 3 is not on the level of bloodbourne. Not even close to actual gameplay of bloodbourne. Bloodborne is GOTY so far this year and nothing else is even close IMO.

[gamer7804]

i love a good challenge, but i just didn't like these games, i tried all of the soul's series. Its just a bland drab world in my opinion ,with no interaction with really any people in the game or outside for that matter. I know many people love the game, and thats cool, just not my cup of tea.

[TWB]

Though have you tried Bloodborne? I get why you would say that about the first Dark Souls (and 2 in some different ways) because the only impressive looking area in the begining is New Londo which is what sort of kept me going. I feel Bloodbornes world is instantly more interesting than in previous games.

The lack of NPCs/people in the world can be blamed for the undead curse/hollowing or the beastly scourge in BB so I guess thats supposed to a part of the vision.

Though I still think DS had some really good NPCs later on.

[gamer7804]

thanks for the civil response, i expected not many to agree. yah i've tried bloodborne, and you are right i did like it a bit better than the others, the world looked nicer too. Just still not my cup of tea, i mainly prefer jrpg or western high fantasy rather than the dark fantasy. Bloodborne is well made though.

[rainzor]

I feel the same way with Witcher 3

[linkenski]

Hmmm not really for me, but I do love the Witcher 3 because it has that sense of discovery and the sidequests, subplots as well as the main plot are intriguing and often memorable.

[WilDRangeRfc]

Not my type of game but I have to say I am getting really tempted to buy this and Witcher 3.
Never been into RPG games but I think these games will be perfect to play on my PS4/GAEM when I go away with the Navy.
BB and W3 are getting rave reviews for a reason I suppose,what does BB MP involve? Does the game have alot of replayability?

[DarkOcelet]

I have yet to play Witcher 3 but because i loved W1/W2, i will most likely love this and it looks really awesome.

Bloodborne on the other hand is a masterpiece, the replay value is excellent.

Those two games combined will give you over 400 hours of gameplay.

[WilDRangeRfc]

Cheers bud I will get both I think bubs up

[linkenski]

Always reassuring to know that the guy in charge knows exactly why people love the games he and his company puts out.

I wish I could apply that idea to Bioware.