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John 3:16 New International Version 16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
Regarding the ending of your video I think of this quote: "Great art disturbs the comfortable, and comforts the disturbed". This game is a true work of art.
I fully agree with this quote, though I think the truly comfortable are more intrigued by such art. If it disturbs you, as in negatively effects your emotions, perhaps you're looking too superficially at said art. Or perhaps my guess is all wrong, and that quote is far more accurate than I anticipated.
I've never heard that quote before. But it sums up Hans R. Giger's artwork perfectly. He said in an interview. That his work was inspired by nightmare's he had. Supposedly after smoking opium. Which I can honestly believe because I know first hand that opiate's and some opioids can cause lucid dreams. But I've never had anything to do with hellish insect biomechanical creatures with sexual overtones type of dreams. I'd actually be more inclined to believe he tapped into other dimensions.
"Tonight, Gherman joins the hunt" is still my favorite line on all of videogames and I still get chills when I remember the first time I heard that, Bloodborne really is perfection. And I dropped the game twice before getting hooked to hit.
Gherman standing up from the wheelchair to start the fight made me genuinely drop my jaw. I had subconsciously underestimated him this entire time and I was gonna pay dearly. It was awesome.
I always viewed Ludwigs phase 2 theme as his victory song. It's triumphant for him. He has overcome his beasthood and remembered who he is, and now he fights one last honest fight to the death.
This is probably the best and most convincing endorsement of Bloodborne I've ever seen. You sell the horror and tone so well. I also love how you describe it as one of those horror experiences that feels truly profane, like something awful that barely stays within the containment of its medium.
I have had this experience only once (never played bloodborne), and it was the visual novel Saya no Uta. Not the english translated version, the original. Because holy shit, that rabbit hole goes DEEP in terms of sheer, unfiltered terror, grotesqueness and pain, while also giving you a few deeply disturbing realizations. And it does this, while simultaneously being one of the most pure, deeply profound love stories I've ever seen. If you dare to try it, a couple of things to keep in mind. Don't watch any videos/read up anything about it, go play it completely blind. Make sure it's the original version with a translation patch. Make sure to select the "0%" censoring option when it boots up. And most of all, make sure you're ready for it (because you won't be).
Weird, I'd have to say he barely even mentioned any horror aspects. I was hoping to be sold on Bloodborne being a "horror" game as someone else mentioned it to me on the Elden Ring subreddit. I've already experienced Bloodborne and I wouldn't consider it a horror game by any measure. It just has a dark aesthetic not unlike the Souls series. It just uses different props.
One of my favorite things about Ludwig's second half is that when he's holding the sword in front of himself, it covers the horse/beast half of his face. Giving a faint vision of the former hero's glory as he readies himself for one last true fight as a hunter.
Ludwig deserves an enitre Orchester to himself, at least. A fallen Hero, a Monster who remembers himself. Ludwig is one, if not the best stories from software ever created. Even in the darkest of nights, most horrible nightmares he becomes Ludwig the Holy Blade, not the accursed( directly contradicting the first boss). I don't know if this was interntional, but Myazaki truly inspired me with this character. It is always a pleasure to realize something about a character you do not see in the first try. I do not know if you know, but he literally stands up, he literally stands up to fight what he believes in. This entire DLC is just impressive.
it makes perfect sense to me that you would enjoy bloodborne extra hard while depressed. when i was depressed, a big thing for me was that my every day life didn't match the darkness in my mind, i felt like nobody understood what i was going through. consuming horror fiction in that state felt... validating. like my mood was appropriate for that space. it's also easier to really appreciate little things like croissants and lovely weather or a comfy chair after returning from a trip to yharnam or silent hill.
That's a very interesting perspective and I undestand it completely. Personally, I hate nihilism to its core but from what I've seen, the game looks visualy and from combat perspective really fun. Not saying I'm a snowflake who can't handle dark things but I appreciate a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Would you recommend this game?
The fight with Gherman is absolutely my favorite part. Two hunters locked in combat, not out of a lust for blood, but to spare the other a horrific fate. Some thought that it was weird Gherman can kill you in this fight and you don't get the "Mercy" ending, but I think it is because... you're more determined to grant him peace than he is. You took the place of Gherman not when you killed him, but when you refused his mercy.
My interpretation is that players would get pissed if they only got one shot with no practice to learn his moveset, and have get sent to NG+ if they lose once. I like your interpretation as well though.
Best way I heard the fight summed up was “the winner loses, and the loser wins.” Both hunters are just looking for a way to end each other’s nightmare.
This! No one really goes in to how many horrible choices you are given. Lots of them can be used to benefit you physically, but a lot of the time you get the most character arc when you sacrifice for others. Lying to Ludwig, Never telling Father Gascoign's Daughter both her parents died (I cant remember how to spell his name.) The man you tell to go to the clinic so he goes to the church, all these are done as you replay the game because it gives your character humanity. There's no Reason other than because you have more eyes and you chose to be the better person. Props to the real ones out there who play like the eldritch god you re-awoke to be.
I think what is an often overlooked quote that perfectly summarizes bloodeborne is: “Insanity can often breed creativity, and creativity can often lead you back to sanity. But sanity is just a pit stop right back to insanity.”
Another amazing detail about the music for Ludwig's fight: After he gets his sword it switches to 3/4 with an accent on the second beat. It's a waltz. A dance of death, which was a common description of classical sword duels.
Miyazaki said out of his "children" that BB was his favorite How many games have pulled off the "the wheel chair bound man stands up"? It was such a hype and sad experience!
I think there is a better way to explain how genius the fight against gehrman is you understand that he is trapped an engage in a fight with him. You are both trying to kill the other one to free them instead of yourself. That is what makes the fight so beautiful
"Somebody... pleeaseeee..." That sobbing is extremely real. In the most grief-stricken moments of my life I heard that sound from my own throat. It's incredibly upsetting.
As many other comment pointed out, the "Infant Old One" ending is the "good" but not only because you escape the shackles of the world the surrounds you but also because you ascend into a being capable of making meaningful change, you now have the power to change the world for good, keep it the way it is or make it even worse (idk how much power the moon presence has over the world and the other Old Ones but still)... so yeah, its not guaranteed that whatever you can change now is for good, but the possibility alone, the mere idea of being able to make things better is enough. I'd call it an ending about hope, hope that once your character matures as an old one they change the world or at least some of it for good. Cuz that what hope is in some sense, expecting something will go a certain way or something will happen without any way to really predict it will. Thank for coming to my TED Talk.
This is assuming you'd still possess the mind of a human. Since you ressurect as an old one, there's a high if not 100% chance you'd just have the same line of thinking as Rom or Ebrietas.
I genuinely believe Ludwig regaining his humanity is one of the best cutscenes in all of gaming. I literally SCREAMED at my TV when Bloodborne's incarnation of the Moonlight Greatsword appeared. What an incredible moment
Even on my replays and even when I don’t beat him first try, I never skip this one cutscene. It’s always goosebumps all over the body, and that music transition, oh shit
i believe one of the most interesting aspects of bloodbornes is the journey of hunters. all hunters who live long enough, surviving madness, cheating death and staving off bloodlust and beasthood, eventually stop “hunting” essentially and begin defending. Several hunters have a group, thing, or idea they fight to protect. Lady Maria protecting the the experimentation victims in the hamlet from further abuse. Djura protecting the beasts of old yarnham from being needlessly killed by other hunters. Eileen protecting hunters from themselves by granting a merciful death. Gherman protecting hunters from the moon presence, keeping them away from inhereting his fate. Ludwig protecting his followers and subordinates from the harsh realities of the fate of blood and the failures of the church.
even the great old ones are trying to protect their children. the City is technically a womb of conflict to gestate a newborn old one (the hunter in the "good" ending"). It is the blood that spills as "Good" people try to protect their own under "bad" circumstances that allows the new Old one to be Borne (see what I did there?)
one million views man!!!!!!! wow!!!!! insane to have such a hugely positive reception to the first video of this format i've ever made. thank you all so much, especially those of you who shared the video around. stay strong out there hunters, and may the good blood guide your way :) edit: my 2nd video essay has been completed!!! check it out here if you're intested: ruclips.net/video/lSDh-Zh5z_8/видео.html
this video fucks. Genuinely an extremely good retrospective on the game and what it meant to you. The stuff you said at the end of the Ludwig segment gave me fucking chills.
John 3:16 New International Version 16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!!!!!!!
The clocktower patients in the research hall terrified me. The drip drip dripping water they speak of haunted me. As did the dark rooms they lied, tied down in the pitch darkness. A masterpiece of a game.
One thing that sets Bloodborne apart, for me, is the sense of comfort and relief I feel when I return to the Hunter's Dream and speak with the Doll. She's the only one rooting for you, cares for you, shows support in all the endings. In the Doll, there is hope, I think. Something good to return to from the horrors outside
@@SilverForMonsters there are plenty of supportive characters, they just don’t tend to have good endings. Eileen (for most players), gehrman, etc. hell, the first character you interact with is iosefka, among the most caring people in the game… until she’s replaced with someone else.
The Doll is an aspect of The Dream, kind she may appear, she serves uncaring and unknowable masters. The Dream didn't collapse after you kill the Moon Presence after all
I think that ending C is the best of them three. You have seen the horrors of the hunt and delved in it deeper and deeper, discovering fears even beyond your comprehension, losing people to the hunt, understanding what the Church, Mensis and every other institution was trying to do to the point of wanting to end the nightmare whatever it takes. You consume the cords of three newborns, each even more deformed than the last, you free German, having to deal with the One who was pulling most of the strings and, when you finally defeat It, you become the same thing. The puppet master in a sick, twisted and misshaped theatre. It might take a couple of eons, it would take Yarnham, and possibly other civilizations after them like the Pthumerian, since more hunters won't join the hunt. But you could become the one who ends it all. It took you everyone and everything. But you can end the nightmare
i'd say the ending is good in the sense that you pretty much beat the impossible odds set against you and achieved your goal. You did what nobody in the healing church or mister eye guy could do, you've ascended. edit: also, I like how the fight with gherman is basically two hunters trying to free the other from the dream, its so sad.
No this ending could be the worst we’ve become a great one bringing humanity into a new infancy yes but we aren’t human anymore after slaughtering everything we see over and over we kill one more god and then we become one after that whats next will we sit on a chair with popcorn waiting for outher humans to catch up? That’s not the hunter we know for all we know when we’re strong enough we go do what the moon presence did and slaughter more great ones why do I think this? Because if you had a choice to stop killing in blood-borne or for a whole Nother DLC or game filled to the brim with new enemies and bosses which one would you pick? Exactly if the hunter is like the player then the hunter will go out of its way to kill just for some enjoyment and with the power of a great one who knows how much new prey we can slaughter. This is edgy as fuck sorry if I give you a paper cut but that’s just the truth but hey maybe I’m just overthinking things
@@imrunningoutofnames2413 we don't really know what the future will be for the hunter after all, a lot of things can happen with them being a great one. the hunter could just become the moon presence themselves and do the same thing as the last one did, or they could herald humanity into ascension like they did, or they could do nothing at all and mind their business. however, that's not the point im making. Y'know in dark souls no matter what you do it wont change anything. you either link the fire and prolonged the inevitable or just let it end already. whatever you do for humanity won't change or heal the damages that has already been done. but here in bloodborne, it really has nothing to do with humanity. Even if all of humanity finds the blood, it's not like it's your job to do anything about it, well you were but under the condition that you save yourself from the curse as well. The point im making is that you're on a journey to cure yourself under the condition that you work for the hunter's workshop and what better cure is it to become a great one? but i suppose it's subjective, the hunter is whoever is playing as them and you can look at the hunter in your own perspective and it wouldn't be wrong too. are they a killer or a survivor? sorry for the long rambling, im not sure if im making any sense.
Something that occurred to me was that there's a way to save Gehrman even without killing the moon presence, at least lore wise. If the only way for Gehrman to be freed is to be replaced by someone else, then a hunter can kill him and take his place, and then when the next hunter comes along, they can do the same. That way, each new hunter would only have to stay for a short while, and then they'd be freed. And eventually, someone could break the cycle by killing the moon presence or destroying the hunters dream. If it was begun, it can be ended.
@@burneraccounthandle It's implied that you're making a huge sacrifice by killing Gehrman, like you'll be trapped in the hunter's dream for eternity as well, but you could just keep handing it off to each new hunter at a time rather than one hunter staying there for years.
I like to sculpt figures with clay. And your video never ceases to make me want to make bloodborne figures. So thank you very much, for always giving me inspiration on making figures of one of my favorite games of all time!
The "turn into an infant Great One" ending is considered the "good" ending because you (your character) manages to effectively escape the horrors of the "waking" world. This process obliterates everything that made you human, but hey, it's better then the other options, right?
@David Reyes Seems a bit unrealistic, considering every other great one you meet hasn’t done anything to make the world a better place for humans. I cannot figure out how to @ someone with a space.
While your body is no longer human, your memories remain very human. Not only is moon presence Finnaly cast down and it's slaughter of infant great ones stopped but the new great one will look fondly upon the race that birthed it.
Can’t get good enough words to describe how good this was. I’m gonna be rewatching it for the next couple days tbh. Everything from the script to the sound mixing and video quality was astounding. you can rly tell the heaps of heart and soul that went into it. Dudes Rock 💀
20:35 Funny thing about the Church Dweller is that he drops an Formless Oedon rune when you kill him. I personally believe Oedon is speaking to you through him, and is frank at wanting to help the inhabitants of Yarnam. But considering the Great Old Ones all desire to have children, there's a very good chance that Oedon impregnated Arianna as a cloud (like Zeus sometimes did) or while using the Church Dweller as a body.
I don't think Oedon cares about helping people, but I agree he influences the chapel dweller as the rune he drops sort of proves. Oeden wants to bring people to the chapel so they can impregnate the inhabitants and bare a great one child. Adella drops the Oeden writhe rune, which looks eerily like the female reproductive organ (suggesting he attempted but her blood wasnt worthy). And Ariana (who has the Vileblood, like Queen Yharnham) actually does end up being impregnated and birthing a great one child.
And a small note, but Oedon is in the messages as a "concept." Take that to mean what you will. Odeon was always and still is one of the biggest mysteries in Bloodborne, and your theories are worth discussing more.
Everyone who hangs out in the church gets an oedon rune. Oden Writhe induces/indicates that they could be/are impregnated, only seen with Ariana and Adelle, Formless Oedon drops from the male characters and the old lady.
@@watertommyz Shit like this is what makes From games lore stand out so much for me. Not even in item descriptions but in a note label. It's alluded to throughout the game as he's called formless and in/of the blood but the fact that they took time to make that distinction in the notes of all places shows such a great attention to detail. And I agree Oedon is still the biggest mystery of the game for me. I like to think he's the Great One who has ascended furthest into literally becoming part of the physical world and existence itself. Oedon is literally now One with the blood.
"Completely alone, on this night of the hunt the status quo of Bloodborne's will not change, and you will either be spit out and left to die by it, or set to become a cog in it's machine." This line, this speech from 18:14 to 18:56 is soul crushingly gorgeous. It completely highlights that feeling of beautiful, inevitable obliteration that permeates the entirety of Bloodborne's and I love it
It's also.... only one interpretation. I'd say becoming a cog in the machine would be a better description of succumbing to beasthood or obtaining too much knowledge and allowing madness to manifest. The "become a great one" ending is the best ending because, despite being an unknown ending, it's the only hope for humanity to transcend the nightmare. Who's to say that humanity needs to remain in order for hope to?
@@austinsharpe8157i think the great one ending is the best also because it means humanity can comprehend (high insight and you're not insane or crushed by this knowledge) cosmic horrors, even though it is very dangerous and hard, and fight back (like killing the Moon Presence) against unimaginable forces
@@joit905it is also a proof of humanity's endless potential. A nameless hunter, a meager, meaningless piece in the bigger scheme yet manage to slay all the great ones.
Theres nothing quite like the feeling of being killed by a body snatcher, and waking up with no lamp to the sound of the bass voice of "hail the nightmare". Something comes over me every time i listen to that, and that's way too often
Man that line of Gehrman where he begs to get out of the dream... hurst to hear honestly, I get goosebumps every time, it really feels like someone is in his personal hell worse than death itself and is shattered to the ground in immense pain... gosh darn its really really scary
this video is unbelievably beautiful and captures everything that i adore about bloodborne. i've been going through a lot of stuff lately, and i completely understand the weird catharsis that this game brings. genuinely, thank you for making this. this is a masterpiece.
I don't know why, but the moment I open the door to the forbidden woods and see the "already dead" gate keeper who asked for the password just gives me chills. This game nails the grand cosmic horror as well as the minor moments of discomfort and unease.
It's been like... 8 years? And this game is still talked about, soundtrack is still one of the best if not the best, and it's still beautiful and playable game. Such masterpiece
Even in what seems to be fromsofts most hopeless game, I still see so much hope in the story. In the bleak world where there are beasts hunting the townsfolk and father's becoming monsters and murderers running loose, there are still people willing to reach out and help one another as we see through the safety of the chapel and the hunter's search for survivors to protect. Ludwig's glimpse of humanity overcoming his bestial transformation in his last moments to fight as a proud knight again. The Hunter refusing to run from the dream I read as a sacrifice to save Gherman from his nightmare. And even the transformation into a great one to me shows humanity's willingness to overcome their demons and break through our limitations to infinitely greater heights. I don't think it's possible for Miyazaki to create a truly hopeless world.
@@trmorris3994 That was always my favorite part of the DLC. Ultimately you are on a quest for truth, but in the wake of your discovery, you free all the trapped souls from the nightmare and end their suffering. No matter what ending you may choose, that deed alone has permanently saved so many.
This is one of my favorite videos. I’ve come back and watched it SO many times. Your passion and love for Bloodborne is infectious and wonderful and I’m very thankful for it haha
Bloodborne and Sekiro, IMO, are FromSoftware's most finest creations in their series. The creative truly shine and I will always remember them as top tier masterpieces.
While Sekiro isn't my favorite, I definitely consider it the most refined of From Software's games (haven't played Elden Ring yet). The enemy and boss quality in that game is consistently very high, and it has very little "meh" bosses.
@@SunlessSage I agree with you about Sekiro being refined, but having played Elden Ring myself I'd say that ER is the most refined RPG character build game Fromsoft has ever made. In my opinion the reason why Sekiro is so wonderfully tight and curated is because they didn't have to account for a multitude of stats and whatnot. It's why Sekiro isn't really my cup of tea, but damn do I deeply respect it for what it does.
John 3:16 New International Version 16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
@@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269 Hey! I understand that you're trying to save our souls and all, but while I appreciate the gesture I think this approach has more of an opposite/negative effect. I think almost all non-religious people get slightly annoyed by getting notifications for this kind of comments that are completely unrelated to the discussion. Have you tried posting comments like this on videos that have a religious or spiritual subject? I'm sure it would be a lot more appreciated there.
@@SunlessSage Im not a fan of Elden Ring too much, its a great game but it honestly feels the least balanced/fun for me. Theres sooooo much stuff that its impossible to balance, Ive done 3 runs so far (Arcane, Greatsword, Archer/Mage) and its been too easy each time. Bosses go down way too quickly. The demi-gods and very endgame stuff are the only dudes that feel like actual Fromsoft bosses, and even then theres so much stuff in the game you can easily find ways to trivialize them. Theres like 120+ bosses and I only really felt like 15 were good. Awesome first playthrough seeing all the stuff and exploring, but afterwords I feel like 90% of the game is filler and me waiting to get to something exciting. Each playthrough started to feel like a chore once I hit Altus Plateau, and only the big bosses were entertaining from that point on. I think I VASTLY prefer more streamlined games like Sekiro or Bloodborne or Demon Souls. Where theres not as much stuff but its more polished. I got Elden Ring and Demon Souls on the same day and I think I've beaten Demon Souls like 15 times in that amount of time, I keep coming back to it. Its vastly shorter (Im averaging around 4-6 hours a playthrough) but I feel like I want to try literally every single build in the game before Im finished with it, whereas with Elden Ring I PvP maybe like a half hour a week and am mostly waiting for DLC. I love open world games (really enjoying Forbidden West currently) but I think Elden Ring wouldve been better as a standard Soulsborne game instead of open world. Just my opinion though. First playthrough was really fun seeing everything for the first time, but afterwords it felt like a slog going through some parts.
Honestly, I think the Old Hunters is, surprisingly, the part of the narrative which evokes a modicum of hope in an otherwise bleak main storyline as you describe so poignantly in this video. By breaking the cycle of the Curse of Kos, freeing the Orphan from its suffering, and coming to terms with the tragic and horrific past of the hunters and their original sin of sorts, you genuinely feel like you achieved something meaningful. Bloodborne is already a work of art in the main game, but I always felt like The Old Hunters elevated it even further into masterpiece status, it made everything feel complete and was arguably the best video game content From has ever created, even above anything in the Dark Souls trilogy or Elden Ring for me. Also, I can relate with you in Bloodborne helping me through a rather difficult part of my life. The game's mesmeric, warped beauty and intricate lore, aesthetics, and Lovecraftian thematic brilliance all came together so well and really helped me feel attached and inspired by something in an otherwise uncertain period of my life. I'm glad you and so many other people feel the same. Great video, really enjoyed it!
Also we only see a small part of the world and unlike Dark Souls or Elden Ring, the world is still alive, its very probable the world will bounce back and even forget about all of this... for the next cycle involving great ones to begin again probably, but still! XD
@@Acesahn What are you talking about, the world of Dark Souls has long died to hell by the time the game starts. And there is no good ending. Everything will literally turn into fucking ashes. The whole world can still be saved.
Every time I replay blood borne, oh my god Gehrmans boss fight gives me goosebumps, it’s like every time I experience it like I did the first time. This is the only game I can personally say, has endless replay ability and it inspires so much of my writing. The dark stories, none ever having a good ending. The immense emotion that washes over you with every realization, the impressive, terrifying and saddening presence of all the characters. It’s so beautifully horrifying.
Bloodborne is the kind of a friend who knows, things will not be ok, but will stand by your side with the saw cleaver in hand, helping you to keep pushing through and persevere.
It actually makes me tear up when I think about how I'll never be able to experience this game again completely blind with no prior knowledge or expectations.
John 3:16 New International Version 16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!!!!!!!
I know that feeling. Mine is made worse because I got lost at one point and had to research where I was supposed to go, the bloody guide spoiled the location of the Abandon Workshop. I will NEVER get to feel what it's like to discover it on your own.
@@insertnamehere001 oh my gosh nooo! I'm sorry that happened 😭 On another note, do you see that other reply just quoting the bible? What's up with that? 😅
The secret ending of Bloodborne is also considered a good ending because the goal the ultimate goal for Byrgenwerth and the Healing Church and even the School of Mensis was to actually ascend humanity to the same level as the great ones even at the expense of sacrificing their own humanity and its also the ending that apparently puts a stop to the hunters never ending night of the horrors since the hunt purpose is fulfilled.
It also is our hunters goal. In the beginning the game says “A hand-written scrawl reading ‘Seek paleblood to transcend the hunt’ “ however the official translation says it’s in YOUR hand writing meaning we came there for that express purpose. Kind of makes our character seem almost malevolent in their ambition.
14:27 I think the Infant great one ending is the true ending and the good ending. After all the struggle and strife I like to think atleast, that not all of the hunters humanity is gone, and maybe when you become a great one, you arent as disconnected from humans as others, and you can truly do something good for them.
To put it simply it is confirmed to be the true ending and it states in the PS4 trophies that you've become an infant great one taking taking the next big step for humanity I think that means that a human becoming a true great one not a half baked one is meant to be their escape from The nightmare
Yeah if I remember what my brother told me (Cause he actually cared about the lore) the true ending was the only one that fully broke the cycle of the Hunt
I always choose the Infant Great One ending for my character since it makes the most sense after the struggles she went through. After the hunt, you can't really return to other people, you are and always will be more than human - even if you don't remember it. Also, given that our character was ill, quite possible close to death in the real world which is why they even went to Yharnam, I don't see Gehrman's mercy not really as mercy. Given I view Yharnam as some victorian era town, medicine wasn't all to great to say the last. Quite possible, in the real world the horrors and pain would only continue. And I don't really feel comfortable with having my character taking Gehrman's place, a prisoner after all these fights she took to survive. I've come to see my Bloodborne character as someone who would do anything to survive, even if it means to throw away your humanity. And while I personally wouldn't go that far, I find that really admirable. I guess, I love Bloodborne so much because it feels... honest. Yes, things are terribly bleak and you face horrors, even in your real life, but you will find ways to survive.
The only time I’ve been actually brought to tear by a Fromsoft game is when I stumbled across Gehrman having his sad little dream monologue. Broke my heart. I’m glad a video has finally got to his tragedy in a real way
I think this is my most watched video on RUclips. The presentation, music choice and emotions all make this my favorite video that I almost memorized it. Great job!
"THE SPIDER'S THREAD" by Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, first published 1918: One day, the Buddha was strolling alone along the edge of a lotus pond in Paradise. The blooming lotus flowers in the pond were each pure white like jewels, and the place was filled with the indescribably wondrous fragrance continually emitted from each flower's golden center. It was morning in Paradise. After a time, the Buddha paused at the edge of the pond and from between the lotus leaves that covered it saw a glimpse of the state of things below. Now this celestial pond just happened to lie directly over Hell, and peering through that crystal-clear water was like looking through a magnifying glass at the Sanzu River and the Needle Mountain. Buddha saw there, in the depths of Hell, a single man writhing along with the other sinners. This man was named Kandata, and he had been a notorious thief who had performed murder and arson and other acts of evil. In his past, however, he had performed just one good deed: one day, when walking through the deep forest, he saw a spider crawling along the road. At first he raised his foot to crush it, but suddenly he changed his mind and stopped, saying, "No, small though it may be, a spider, too, has life. It would be a pity to meaninglessly end it," and so he did not kill it. Looking down upon the captives in Hell the Buddha recalled this kind act that Kandata had performed, and thought to use his good deed as a way to save him from his fate. Looking aside, there on a jade-colored lotus leaf he saw a single spider, spinning out a web of silver thread. The Buddha carefully took the spider's thread into his hand and lowered it straight down between the jewel-like white lotuses into the depths of Hell. Kandata was floating and sinking along with the other sinners in the River of Blood at the bottom of Hell. It was pitch black no matter which way he looked, and the occasional glimpse of light that he could see in the darkness would turn out to be just the glint of the terrible Needle Mountain. How lonely he must have felt! All about him was the silence of the grave, the only occasional sound being a faint sigh from one of the damned. Those who were so evil as to be sent to this place were exhausted by its various torments, and left without even the strength to cry out. Even the great thief Kandata could only squirm like a dying frog as he choked in the River of Blood. But one day, raising up his head and glancing at the sky above the lake, in the empty darkness Kandata saw a silver spider's thread being lowered from the ceiling so far, far away. The thread seemed almost afraid to be seen, emitting a frail, constant light as it came down to just above Kandata's head. Seeing this, Kandata couldn't help but clap his hands in joy. If he were to cling to this thread and climb up it, he may be able to climb out of Hell! Perhaps he could even climb all the way to Paradise! Then he would never be chased up the Needle Mountain, nor drowned in the River of Blood ever again. Thinking so, he firmly grasped the spider's thread with both hands and began to climb the thread, higher and higher. Having once been a great thief, he was used to tasks such as this. But the distance between Hell and Paradise is tens of thousands of miles, and so it would seem that no amount of effort would make this an easy journey. After climbing for some time Kandata tired, he couldn't climb any higher. Having no other recourse, he hung there from the thread, resting, and while doing so he looked down below. He saw that he had made a good deal of progress. The River of Blood that he had been trapped in was now hidden in the darkness below, and he had even climbed higher than the dimly glowing Needle Mountain. If he could keep up this pace, perhaps he could escape from Hell after all. Kandata grasped the thread with both hands and laughingly spoke in a voice that he hadn't used in the many years since he had come here, "I've done it! I've done it!" Looking down, however, what did he see but an endless queue of sinners, intently following him up the thread like a line of ants! Seeing this, surprise and fear kept Kandata hanging there for a time with mouth open and eyes blinking like a fool. How could this slender spider's thread, which should break even under just his weight alone, support the weight of all these other people? If the thread were to snap, all of his effort would be wasted and he would fall back into Hell with the others! That just would not do. But even as he thought these thoughts, hundreds more, thousands more of the damned came crawling up from the Lake of Blood, forming a line and scurrying up the thread. If he didn't do something fast, surely the thread would snap and he would fall back down. Kandata shouted, "Hey! You sinners! Who said you could climb up my thread? This is my salvation, not yours! Get off! Get off!" Though the thread had been fine until just then, with these words it snapped right where Kandata held it. Poor Kandata fell headfirst through the air, spinning like a top, right down through the darkness. The severed end of the spider's silver thread hung there, suspended from heaven, shining with its pale light in that moonless, starless sky. The Buddha stood in Paradise at the edge of the lotus pond, silently watching these events. After Kandata sank like a stone to the bottom of the River of Blood, he sadly shook his head and continued his stroll. He must have been surprised that even after Kandata had suffered such severe punishment his lack of compassion would lead him right back into Hell. Yet the lotus blossoms in the lotus ponds of Paradise care nothing about such matters. Their jewel-like white flowers waved about the feet of the Buddha, and each flower's golden center continuously filled the place with their indescribably wondrous fragrance. It was almost noon in Paradise. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ And that's why the Hunter's Nightmare looks the way it does, with Yharnam's needle-like spires and steeples and flowing river of blood. It's what Ludwig is referring to when he asks if you've seen the thread of light; just a hair, a fleeting thing, that he clung to, steeped as he was in the stench of blood and beasts. It's what the Caryll Rune "Guidance," of which there are two -- one held by Ludwig in the Research Hall's basement, and the other held by a crow at the very top of the Research Hall tower -- represents. And it is why there are Nightmare Apostles, Spiders, in The Nightmare of Mensis. (Incidentally, Ludwig also pulls double-duty as a stand-in for Mezu, the Horse-faced Oni guarding the gates of Hell.)
"Bloodborne is like a friend to me, the kind of friend that makes you sure things are gonna be okay." that caught me off guard. I've been playing this masterpiece for quite sometime and I always deeply thought about my relation with the game, but I was never able to share my love by just using words... but... those words described everything. Thank you very much for this video fellow hunter, and may the good blood guide thee.
I've noticed an incredibly strong correlation between people suffering from depression and adoring FromSoft games, myself included. I think it's that feeling of euphoria when you persevere in these games, even when the real world keeps beating you. These games have most likely saved my life multiple times over, even if that makes zero logical sense. I may struggle to make myself eat or do laundry, but I can still bludgeon an Eldritch horror to death and I guess that counts for something. I absolutely agree that Bloodborne is still their finest work to date.
I've been playing since Demon's Souls and I have been in the same boat until Elden Ring. Something seems off, when I completed the game I didn't feel like I had accomplished as much - then I played and beat Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy and felt that catharsis again. Bloodborne never fails to get that blood pumping though, pardon the pun.
@@legitplayin6977 There's usually a "click" moment where you finally understand the game mechanics and then you're invested. The first time I played BB I hated it, spent 4 hours trying to just find the first boss and then got stomped by him until I learned the parry. And this was after playing DemS DarS1 DarS2. Different strokes for different folks though
It's the video game equivalent of an anti depressant. Which is crazy when you realise how dark FS games get. I found that Elden Ring has helped me to escape the real world for a few hours at a time, chasing the loot, killing bosses and exploring dungeons is my way of forgetting the bad stuff for a while and making it easier to face after a break from reality.
The way you manage tone and feel throughout is wonderful. I've watched this a few times now and it never fails to engage me emotionally. I haven't been so hot lately, and I've found myself playing Bloodborne again, and binging passionately made vidoes on Bloodborne like yours, and this vid has moved me the most. Thanks.
Love Gasscoigne's theme As many definetly pointed it out- the music describes the fight perfectly. Besides that, from lore I know of- Father Gasscoigne is a fellow outsider, just like the character you play as. Yes, he lived in Yharnam for a bit longer than you, but it still took just this little for him to turn to bloodlust
A cool thing about Ludwig is that in his fight, he is classified as a beast and takes extra damage from serrated weapons, but once he enters he sword phase, he is no longer classified that way and serrated weapons no longer have a buff against him. Pretty cool that they added that little bit of lore into the game mechanics.
I cant get enough of this video Man I cant I watch it like twice a week , i just love it so much , the way you telling the story that i know very well make me feel i just herd it , same feeling every time i watch this video This is pure love I cant express the feeling this is the best i can do Thank You for making this video
if youve played elden ring, just know before going in and playing bb that it has issues. they are all masterpieces to me but depending on what aspects we discuss bb can have some glaring shortcomings. other than that its a fantastic game. as far as im concerned elden ring is the best masterpiece between them.
If you live in a civilized country you can play it on psnow or even if a friend of your has a console you could use ps remote play like i did, so they could stream for you.
17:11 I wasn't expecting to hear music from Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs! It's one of my favourite games as well as bloodborne so a combo of both was a welcome suprise.
@@richanec2854 thanks man, I've played almost all of the FromSoft games (I still have DS3 and S:SDT to finish, love it both as well) and even platinumed Elden Ring weeks ago, but Bloodborne will always be my number 1.
Love this video. Also as to why many folks see transformation ending as "the good ending", is due to the game's deep deep deeeep roots in Lovecraft literature, most of the horrible bizarre creatures that aren't in line with the Van Helsing hammer horror esq seeming era, are stuff straight from Lovecraft's expansive multiverse. At the end of the day, everyone is trapped in the nightmare that you yourself are trapped in as well. Defeating the true end game boss gives an opportunity to free everyone from that nightmare, even if it is just letting them finally rest in a peaceful death... everyone except for yourself of course which now your only companion is the doll as everyone else is gone, free in one way or another from the dream as your humanity inevitably drains away. Often times the very very rare occasion Lovecraft's works had a "happy ending" was when one or more people gave up literally everything to ensure the world kept spinning, even if it was only for a little while longer.
i dont know if this is weird but i've rewatched this videos more times than i can count, it's genuinely so good. both in terms of editing and putting things into words that i couldn't. bloodborne is my favourite fromsoft game, if not my absolute favourite game of all time. hearing other people talk about it so passionately is great. honestly this video made me appreciate bloodborne more than i already did, which i didnt even know was possible. have you ever considered making lore videos about bb? it's so difficult to find any content on it, plus i could listen to you talk about this game all day lol
the absolute amazing detail where ludwig takes extra damage as a beast from a certain weapon/s,, but once he stands up right and holds his old blade, he no longer does, because u are no longer fighting a beast, but a man,, a very grotesque one, but a man nonetheless...
I've only ever seen bits of streamers playing this game, I thought it was just some generic kill-the-bosses hard game. I had no clue it had this much personality to it. Never understood how so many people call it their favorite game ever. Now I realize just what I've been sleeping on. This was a great video
My favourite thing about Bloodborne's music is that it makes you feel a very specific emotion. It's the feeling of facing a horrendous monster, as you slowly but surely become one yourself, and Gascoigne's music perfectly encapsulates this.
John 3:16 New International Version 16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
A lot of people say that Ludwig's 2nd phase, even though he regained his sanity, he still "follows his duty to cleanse you" as said in the video. I think it's more along the lines of how a noble warrior wishes to die. They don't want to die like some kind of animal, or die in some kind of pathetic way, Viking style. Ludwig continues to fight because he wishes to die and be set free from his cursed shackles, and would rather die a hunter of The Church than a mindless beast. Die as the predator, not as the prey.
This is my favorite video essay type video. The music, the tones, vocal tone, the footage. The actual substance and points. I watch this pretty much every day.
This is quality. Jesus Christ Maybe i'm missing something, but i don't see videos like this on your channel. Too bad, considering you made this one just Perfect. Your voice, editing, the script - i am already in love with this game, before i could get a chance to play it. Keep up the good work P.S. Thank you for introducing Ludwig's OST to me, it's just phenomenal
This was the most well written video essay I’ve ever watched. I just got into blood-borne recently, and I love that video game creators are able to tell stories that resonate with the players. I also agree with what you said: a well written video game, that challenges you and connect with you on the mental level is like a dear old friend.
My favorite game of all time. The story is so fuckin rich. There’s so many layers the more you dig into it. Old Hunters left me speechless. Ludwig and Maria. The feels at the end of those fights and the lore we get along the path. The research hall was so fuckin good. The tragedy and trauma these characters face. It’s all perfect. The gameplay is incredible but the story just gets me. Great video.
My favorite part is that the story wraps up perfectly. Literally every plot point, every hint, every story line gets wrapped up, resolved or explained in one way or another. Its insanely mysterious, but by the end it all makes sense.
I always like to think when you wake up to the real world it's not actually the real world but the same nightmare playing out again without your character knowing, and you as the player are stuck in a unending dream of pain and despair
Bro you nailed it. Thos really hits hard on how i feel about thos masterpiece of a game. I also really get caught up in the sheer enormity of the city and how it is built upon other cities from hundreds of years past.
“It will spit you out and leave you to die or set you up to become a cog it it’s machine” is such a raw line that it’s hard to believe it comes from a RUclips video of a guy talking about his favorite game, not only that but it’s fits bloodbornea feel of hopelessness perfectly. Love the video
Having watched RTGame's playthrough of Bloodborne. I have seen the alternative for where Ludwig ends up. Horse instincts taking over as his neighs and horse sounds bleed into his human voice, coalescing together in a way we were never meant to hear. It was truly horrifying to witness, but inescapably perfect.
There’s something comforting being in a world where there’s only ever despair. I think it’s the consistency that’s attractive. You don’t have to get your hopes up for nothing since there’s no hope to begin with.
hey guys!!!! big update: i recently launched a patreon for these exact types of videos. it's on a per-video basis since I don't normally release videos monthly, so please consider supporting me there. thanks!!! ⭐ www.patreon.com/shinigamieater
Would you be willing to list some of yout favorite horror movies/any in general that made you feel uneasy or left you with a lingering sense of fear
ill play the bloodborne boardgame
Wow, I almost forgot how many people were obsessed with that Ref Dead 2 horse detail.
Still a silly nitpick
whats the movie at 0:17
Where’s the Lies of P video William. You made a video on the demo. Where’s the video on the full release 😐
“Bloodborne’s musical scoring is a sea of tortured souls wailing out to signal the coming of the end” such a hard line
There were so many lines that fucking mike Tysom'd my emotions it was unreal.
that line went raw
Kinda the same for Dark Souls depending on the ending
John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
Even the final "you will either be spit out and left to die by it, or set to become a cog in its machine" is so cool
Regarding the ending of your video I think of this quote:
"Great art disturbs the comfortable, and comforts the disturbed".
This game is a true work of art.
And here I thought I was among the "comfortable". Games like this do nothing but comfort me.
I fully agree with this quote, though I think the truly comfortable are more intrigued by such art. If it disturbs you, as in negatively effects your emotions, perhaps you're looking too superficially at said art. Or perhaps my guess is all wrong, and that quote is far more accurate than I anticipated.
I had this exact feeling after watching The Weeknd’s In Your Eyes video. Was like “aah yes, all is well with the world”
I've never heard that quote before. But it sums up Hans R. Giger's artwork perfectly. He said in an interview. That his work was inspired by nightmare's he had. Supposedly after smoking opium. Which I can honestly believe because I know first hand that opiate's and some opioids can cause lucid dreams. But I've never had anything to do with hellish insect biomechanical creatures with sexual overtones type of dreams. I'd actually be more inclined to believe he tapped into other dimensions.
That's a great quote, I literally say "I just feel comforted, it's my therapy" every time someone asks me why I play Soulsborne games.
"Tonight, Gherman joins the hunt" is still my favorite line on all of videogames and I still get chills when I remember the first time I heard that, Bloodborne really is perfection. And I dropped the game twice before getting hooked to hit.
Mans was exuding, "I am vengeance" energy XD
Gherman standing up from the wheelchair to start the fight made me genuinely drop my jaw. I had subconsciously underestimated him this entire time and I was gonna pay dearly.
It was awesome.
got chills just from reading this !
That line along with the choir part of his theme gives me chills. It’s just so damn good
Iknow right! My reaction on my first playthrough was: "Oh shit". I was not even screaming. I was just calmly saying it.
To sum up Ludwig’s fight the best, once that sword is drawn, that is.
“You fight no longer a beast, but a man.”
And that is why it is my fav fight in the game
I don't know if it's true but someone said that Ludwig becomes resistant to beast killing weapons in his second phase
@@thelonelystankmuncher8879 I believe he does, yes, I can’t be 100% certain at this moment but I’m fairly certain he does change weaknesses
Behold, a *man* !
@@PheonyxJay fire damage no longer does extra damage on him once you get to second phase
“You are no longer hunting a beast, you are duelling a seasoned killer”
In a video with such amazing writing, this is the line that goes the hardest
I always viewed Ludwigs phase 2 theme as his victory song. It's triumphant for him. He has overcome his beasthood and remembered who he is, and now he fights one last honest fight to the death.
This is probably the best and most convincing endorsement of Bloodborne I've ever seen. You sell the horror and tone so well. I also love how you describe it as one of those horror experiences that feels truly profane, like something awful that barely stays within the containment of its medium.
I have had this experience only once (never played bloodborne), and it was the visual novel Saya no Uta. Not the english translated version, the original.
Because holy shit, that rabbit hole goes DEEP in terms of sheer, unfiltered terror, grotesqueness and pain, while also giving you a few deeply disturbing realizations.
And it does this, while simultaneously being one of the most pure, deeply profound love stories I've ever seen.
If you dare to try it, a couple of things to keep in mind.
Don't watch any videos/read up anything about it, go play it completely blind.
Make sure it's the original version with a translation patch.
Make sure to select the "0%" censoring option when it boots up.
And most of all, make sure you're ready for it (because you won't be).
@@carljohan9265 Any idea where I can find a copy with the translation patch? You make it sound alluring.
Weird, I'd have to say he barely even mentioned any horror aspects. I was hoping to be sold on Bloodborne being a "horror" game as someone else mentioned it to me on the Elden Ring subreddit. I've already experienced Bloodborne and I wouldn't consider it a horror game by any measure. It just has a dark aesthetic not unlike the Souls series. It just uses different props.
Check out the Max0r review
@@Seagull780 Ok so the reply I tried to type to you is gone from this comment section now for some reason.
Nice to see that YT mods do a "good" job.
One of my favorite things about Ludwig's second half is that when he's holding the sword in front of himself, it covers the horse/beast half of his face. Giving a faint vision of the former hero's glory as he readies himself for one last true fight as a hunter.
Ludwig deserves an enitre Orchester to himself, at least. A fallen Hero, a Monster who remembers himself. Ludwig is one, if not the best stories from software ever created. Even in the darkest of nights, most horrible nightmares he becomes Ludwig the Holy Blade, not the accursed( directly contradicting the first boss).
I don't know if this was interntional, but Myazaki truly inspired me with this character.
It is always a pleasure to realize something about a character you do not see in the first try.
I do not know if you know, but he literally stands up, he literally stands up to fight what he believes in.
This entire DLC is just impressive.
@@irgendeineperson5350 Flawless game and DLC, Orphan had me going insane my first playthrough
And is when everyone realizes they're fucked.
@@thomasharaldsson4509 was it the screaming or the difficulty
it makes perfect sense to me that you would enjoy bloodborne extra hard while depressed. when i was depressed, a big thing for me was that my every day life didn't match the darkness in my mind, i felt like nobody understood what i was going through. consuming horror fiction in that state felt... validating. like my mood was appropriate for that space. it's also easier to really appreciate little things like croissants and lovely weather or a comfy chair after returning from a trip to yharnam or silent hill.
That's a very interesting perspective and I undestand it completely. Personally, I hate nihilism to its core but from what I've seen, the game looks visualy and from combat perspective really fun. Not saying I'm a snowflake who can't handle dark things but I appreciate a light at the end of a dark tunnel. Would you recommend this game?
@@fallasleep9472the game starts dark and gets darker and doesn’t end very light either ending but the vibe is unmatched
@@fallasleep9472it's not entirely nihilist, it's more like a love letter to meaninglessnes
@@alejandropulidorodriguez9723 playing it right now, let's see how it ends. (I already spoiled myself but the journey's been fun so far 😅)
@@fallasleep9472 have fun
The fight with Gherman is absolutely my favorite part.
Two hunters locked in combat, not out of a lust for blood, but to spare the other a horrific fate.
Some thought that it was weird Gherman can kill you in this fight and you don't get the "Mercy" ending, but I think it is because... you're more determined to grant him peace than he is.
You took the place of Gherman not when you killed him, but when you refused his mercy.
My interpretation is that players would get pissed if they only got one shot with no practice to learn his moveset, and have get sent to NG+ if they lose once. I like your interpretation as well though.
Best way I heard the fight summed up was “the winner loses, and the loser wins.” Both hunters are just looking for a way to end each other’s nightmare.
Great way to put it, shit gave me chills bro.
The hunter "I need not your mercy, for you have suffered enough. Now, allow me to end your nightmare."
This! No one really goes in to how many horrible choices you are given. Lots of them can be used to benefit you physically, but a lot of the time you get the most character arc when you sacrifice for others. Lying to Ludwig, Never telling Father Gascoign's Daughter both her parents died (I cant remember how to spell his name.) The man you tell to go to the clinic so he goes to the church, all these are done as you replay the game because it gives your character humanity. There's no Reason other than because you have more eyes and you chose to be the better person. Props to the real ones out there who play like the eldritch god you re-awoke to be.
@@impartialthrone2097 I mean this is the *actual* reason, but I'm thinking of a reason to not piss off the Vorthosi
"Even in this darkest of nights, I still see the moonlight"...I confess I shed a tear in this exact same moment, what a fucking game
Wrong
And Ludwig was not the only one
It gets me every time. Truly a masterpiece.
Even in the coldest of nights, I still eat my own c-
I think what is an often overlooked quote that perfectly summarizes bloodeborne is: “Insanity can often breed creativity, and creativity can often lead you back to sanity. But sanity is just a pit stop right back to insanity.”
Another amazing detail about the music for Ludwig's fight:
After he gets his sword it switches to 3/4 with an accent on the second beat. It's a waltz. A dance of death, which was a common description of classical sword duels.
Miyazaki said out of his "children" that BB was his favorite
How many games have pulled off the "the wheel chair bound man stands up"?
It was such a hype and sad experience!
Gherman boss fight is my favourite one out of the 2 souls games i played (Elden Ring, Bloodborne). The OST gives me goosebumps every time.
@@fidyy_ you'll like sekiro a lot, get on it ASAP!
He wasn’t really around for DS2 and joined DS3 development late. So at the time of his statement Sekiro is the one I see as a close competitor.
I still find DS 1/3 and Sekiro much better games than Elden Ring.
@@waltersullivan2727 > Joined DS3 development late.
I thought he was fully involved in 3rd game's development, source on that pls?
I think there is a better way to explain how genius the fight against gehrman is
you understand that he is trapped an engage in a fight with him. You are both trying to kill the other one to free them instead of yourself. That is what makes the fight so beautiful
Whoever wins will lose, and whoever Loses will win.
The idea of the fight is fucking amazing. I love it. But actually fighting him... FUCK I CAN'T DO IT. IT'S SUCH A BAD COMBAT SECTION.
Yet we just respawn when He kills us
The voice actor for Gehrman brings me to tears every time I hear him plead for mercy. Such amazing voice acting.
"Somebody... pleeaseeee..." That sobbing is extremely real. In the most grief-stricken moments of my life I heard that sound from my own throat. It's incredibly upsetting.
“You are no longer hunting a beast you are dueling a seasoned killer “ what a amazing line summing up Ludwig second phase
His description of the second phase made up my mind on getting the game. Everything about it is so perfect and mythical.
@@beatthegreat7020 u enjoying it so far?
He grunts, he literally grunts instead of screeching
@@whyareyouhere6274 bruh
@@ofmasterOof 00f
"what would a boss fight like that sound like?" me: *anticipation* youtube: *plays an ad* me: screw you youtube
I loathe RUclips now I swear if I could watch some of the lore channels anywhere Les I would
As many other comment pointed out, the "Infant Old One" ending is the "good" but not only because you escape the shackles of the world the surrounds you but also because you ascend into a being capable of making meaningful change, you now have the power to change the world for good, keep it the way it is or make it even worse (idk how much power the moon presence has over the world and the other Old Ones but still)... so yeah, its not guaranteed that whatever you can change now is for good, but the possibility alone, the mere idea of being able to make things better is enough. I'd call it an ending about hope, hope that once your character matures as an old one they change the world or at least some of it for good. Cuz that what hope is in some sense, expecting something will go a certain way or something will happen without any way to really predict it will. Thank for coming to my TED Talk.
There are no good endings to this game. Only conclusions to the nightmare.
@@Nidhog17 very bad take. what's 'good' is completely subjective to you.
I agree with you
This is assuming you'd still possess the mind of a human. Since you ressurect as an old one, there's a high if not 100% chance you'd just have the same line of thinking as Rom or Ebrietas.
@@pillarmenn1936 there's not a 100% chance of anything, as youre not writing the game.
I genuinely believe Ludwig regaining his humanity is one of the best cutscenes in all of gaming. I literally SCREAMED at my TV when Bloodborne's incarnation of the Moonlight Greatsword appeared. What an incredible moment
That was my first exposure to the moonlight greatsword. No other version has lived up to that standard.
Even on my replays and even when I don’t beat him first try, I never skip this one cutscene. It’s always goosebumps all over the body, and that music transition, oh shit
His dialogue is pure poetry.
My favorite cutscene ever
Same, it was poetic. Will never forget it
“When a game is truly immersive it makes me feel like I’m breathing the air of that world” best way to put it when a game can really be immersive
i believe one of the most interesting aspects of bloodbornes is the journey of hunters. all hunters who live long enough, surviving madness, cheating death and staving off bloodlust and beasthood, eventually stop “hunting” essentially and begin defending. Several hunters have a group, thing, or idea they fight to protect. Lady Maria protecting the the experimentation victims in the hamlet from further abuse. Djura protecting the beasts of old yarnham from being needlessly killed by other hunters. Eileen protecting hunters from themselves by granting a merciful death. Gherman protecting hunters from the moon presence, keeping them away from inhereting his fate. Ludwig protecting his followers and subordinates from the harsh realities of the fate of blood and the failures of the church.
Fantastic observation !
even the great old ones are trying to protect their children. the City is technically a womb of conflict to gestate a newborn old one (the hunter in the "good" ending").
It is the blood that spills as "Good" people try to protect their own under "bad" circumstances that allows the new Old one to be Borne (see what I did there?)
@@Urliamo The world is a egg made of nightmares to bare something unnamable
@cassierbutler6073 Well yes, but actually that's our character that we named. But only in that one ending.
My headcannon is that Gehrman's boss music is all the previous hunters who were in the dream chanting to summon the Moon Presence
The "sea of tortured souls" he mentioned
Mine is that it's the words neither of you could say as you fight to free the other.
one million views man!!!!!!! wow!!!!! insane to have such a hugely positive reception to the first video of this format i've ever made. thank you all so much, especially those of you who shared the video around. stay strong out there hunters, and may the good blood guide your way :)
edit: my 2nd video essay has been completed!!! check it out here if you're intested: ruclips.net/video/lSDh-Zh5z_8/видео.html
an honest slam dunk from the get go
haha!!
Please do a lets play
You are welcome!
Honestly one of the best reviews I've seen done on Bloodborne great job!
I love how gehrman introduces himself like it takes a momment for him to remember his own name
He's been stuck there that long.
No way bro but i dont remember...
I have dimentia i just dont remember 👍
this video fucks. Genuinely an extremely good retrospective on the game and what it meant to you. The stuff you said at the end of the Ludwig segment gave me fucking chills.
What does it fuck?
The new century do hit different
Your comment is much better than mine.
John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!!!!!!!
@@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269 thank you
The clocktower patients in the research hall terrified me. The drip drip dripping water they speak of haunted me. As did the dark rooms they lied, tied down in the pitch darkness.
A masterpiece of a game.
One thing that sets Bloodborne apart, for me, is the sense of comfort and relief I feel when I return to the Hunter's Dream and speak with the Doll. She's the only one rooting for you, cares for you, shows support in all the endings. In the Doll, there is hope, I think. Something good to return to from the horrors outside
I would also say that certain other characters like Gehrman, Eileen and the church dweller are supportive
@@SilverForMonsters
there are plenty of supportive characters, they just don’t tend to have good endings. Eileen (for most players), gehrman, etc. hell, the first character you interact with is iosefka, among the most caring people in the game… until she’s replaced with someone else.
The Doll is an aspect of The Dream, kind she may appear, she serves uncaring and unknowable masters. The Dream didn't collapse after you kill the Moon Presence after all
13:33
Scythe vs. Weed Whacker. The battle of the gardening implements... BEGIN!
I think that ending C is the best of them three. You have seen the horrors of the hunt and delved in it deeper and deeper, discovering fears even beyond your comprehension, losing people to the hunt, understanding what the Church, Mensis and every other institution was trying to do to the point of wanting to end the nightmare whatever it takes.
You consume the cords of three newborns, each even more deformed than the last, you free German, having to deal with the One who was pulling most of the strings and, when you finally defeat It, you become the same thing. The puppet master in a sick, twisted and misshaped theatre. It might take a couple of eons, it would take Yarnham, and possibly other civilizations after them like the Pthumerian, since more hunters won't join the hunt. But you could become the one who ends it all. It took you everyone and everything. But you can end the nightmare
"Look at all that blood where does it even come from?"
*Smashcuts to the moon*
Didn't know this was a lore video
i'd say the ending is good in the sense that you pretty much beat the impossible odds set against you and achieved your goal. You did what nobody in the healing church or mister eye guy could do, you've ascended.
edit: also, I like how the fight with gherman is basically two hunters trying to free the other from the dream, its so sad.
No this ending could be the worst we’ve become a great one bringing humanity into a new infancy yes but we aren’t human anymore after slaughtering everything we see over and over we kill one more god and then we become one after that whats next will we sit on a chair with popcorn waiting for outher humans to catch up? That’s not the hunter we know for all we know when we’re strong enough we go do what the moon presence did and slaughter more great ones why do I think this? Because if you had a choice to stop killing in blood-borne or for a whole Nother DLC or game filled to the brim with new enemies and bosses which one would you pick? Exactly if the hunter is like the player then the hunter will go out of its way to kill just for some enjoyment and with the power of a great one who knows how much new prey we can slaughter.
This is edgy as fuck sorry if I give you a paper cut but that’s just the truth but hey maybe I’m just overthinking things
@@imrunningoutofnames2413 we don't really know what the future will be for the hunter after all, a lot of things can happen with them being a great one. the hunter could just become the moon presence themselves and do the same thing as the last one did, or they could herald humanity into ascension like they did, or they could do nothing at all and mind their business. however, that's not the point im making. Y'know in dark souls no matter what you do it wont change anything. you either link the fire and prolonged the inevitable or just let it end already. whatever you do for humanity won't change or heal the damages that has already been done. but here in bloodborne, it really has nothing to do with humanity. Even if all of humanity finds the blood, it's not like it's your job to do anything about it, well you were but under the condition that you save yourself from the curse as well. The point im making is that you're on a journey to cure yourself under the condition that you work for the hunter's workshop and what better cure is it to become a great one? but i suppose it's subjective, the hunter is whoever is playing as them and you can look at the hunter in your own perspective and it wouldn't be wrong too. are they a killer or a survivor? sorry for the long rambling, im not sure if im making any sense.
Something that occurred to me was that there's a way to save Gehrman even without killing the moon presence, at least lore wise.
If the only way for Gehrman to be freed is to be replaced by someone else, then a hunter can kill him and take his place, and then when the next hunter comes along, they can do the same. That way, each new hunter would only have to stay for a short while, and then they'd be freed.
And eventually, someone could break the cycle by killing the moon presence or destroying the hunters dream. If it was begun, it can be ended.
@@neoselket562 the fuck? that’s literally the entire point. how did you just realize this
@@burneraccounthandle It's implied that you're making a huge sacrifice by killing Gehrman, like you'll be trapped in the hunter's dream for eternity as well, but you could just keep handing it off to each new hunter at a time rather than one hunter staying there for years.
I like to sculpt figures with clay. And your video never ceases to make me want to make bloodborne figures. So thank you very much, for always giving me inspiration on making figures of one of my favorite games of all time!
The "turn into an infant Great One" ending is considered the "good" ending because you (your character) manages to effectively escape the horrors of the "waking" world. This process obliterates everything that made you human, but hey, it's better then the other options, right?
not only that but as a great one, the hunter can also make his world a better place.
@David Reyes Seems a bit unrealistic, considering every other great one you meet hasn’t done anything to make the world a better place for humans.
I cannot figure out how to @ someone with a space.
@@dylanhettle5960 rom was holding back humanity from seeing the true horrors that lived among them, i'd argue she was trying to be altruistic.
@@DavidReyes-mq6wp Oh...then nvm. Guess that calls into question what would the hunter do if he wanted to make the world a better place.
While your body is no longer human, your memories remain very human.
Not only is moon presence Finnaly cast down and it's slaughter of infant great ones stopped but the new great one will look fondly upon the race that birthed it.
Can’t get good enough words to describe how good this was. I’m gonna be rewatching it for the next couple days tbh. Everything from the script to the sound mixing and video quality was astounding. you can rly tell the heaps of heart and soul that went into it. Dudes Rock 💀
Same, thanks yt recommendations
Git gud
A masterpiece for the depressing darkest moment of all. Gorgeous and disturbing like the moonlight.
20:35 Funny thing about the Church Dweller is that he drops an Formless Oedon rune when you kill him. I personally believe Oedon is speaking to you through him, and is frank at wanting to help the inhabitants of Yarnam. But considering the Great Old Ones all desire to have children, there's a very good chance that Oedon impregnated Arianna as a cloud (like Zeus sometimes did) or while using the Church Dweller as a body.
I don't think Oedon cares about helping people, but I agree he influences the chapel dweller as the rune he drops sort of proves. Oeden wants to bring people to the chapel so they can impregnate the inhabitants and bare a great one child. Adella drops the Oeden writhe rune, which looks eerily like the female reproductive organ (suggesting he attempted but her blood wasnt worthy). And Ariana (who has the Vileblood, like Queen Yharnham) actually does end up being impregnated and birthing a great one child.
And a small note, but Oedon is in the messages as a "concept."
Take that to mean what you will. Odeon was always and still is one of the biggest mysteries in Bloodborne, and your theories are worth discussing more.
Everyone who hangs out in the church gets an oedon rune. Oden Writhe induces/indicates that they could be/are impregnated, only seen with Ariana and Adelle, Formless Oedon drops from the male characters and the old lady.
@@watertommyz Shit like this is what makes From games lore stand out so much for me. Not even in item descriptions but in a note label. It's alluded to throughout the game as he's called formless and in/of the blood but the fact that they took time to make that distinction in the notes of all places shows such a great attention to detail.
And I agree Oedon is still the biggest mystery of the game for me. I like to think he's the Great One who has ascended furthest into literally becoming part of the physical world and existence itself. Oedon is literally now One with the blood.
I always saw Oedon as a parallel to Yog-Sothoth and the role he (it?) plays in The Dunwich Horror
"Completely alone, on this night of the hunt the status quo of Bloodborne's will not change, and you will either be spit out and left to die by it, or set to become a cog in it's machine."
This line, this speech from 18:14 to 18:56 is soul crushingly gorgeous. It completely highlights that feeling of beautiful, inevitable obliteration that permeates the entirety of Bloodborne's and I love it
It's also.... only one interpretation. I'd say becoming a cog in the machine would be a better description of succumbing to beasthood or obtaining too much knowledge and allowing madness to manifest. The "become a great one" ending is the best ending because, despite being an unknown ending, it's the only hope for humanity to transcend the nightmare. Who's to say that humanity needs to remain in order for hope to?
@@austinsharpe8157i think the great one ending is the best also because it means humanity can comprehend (high insight and you're not insane or crushed by this knowledge) cosmic horrors, even though it is very dangerous and hard, and fight back (like killing the Moon Presence) against unimaginable forces
@@joit905it is also a proof of humanity's endless potential. A nameless hunter, a meager, meaningless piece in the bigger scheme yet manage to slay all the great ones.
Theres nothing quite like the feeling of being killed by a body snatcher, and waking up with no lamp to the sound of the bass voice of "hail the nightmare". Something comes over me every time i listen to that, and that's way too often
Man that line of Gehrman where he begs to get out of the dream... hurst to hear honestly, I get goosebumps every time, it really feels like someone is in his personal hell worse than death itself and is shattered to the ground in immense pain... gosh darn its really really scary
We are already in the Moon Presences Dream, it's called Consciousness.
It was horrifying but it helped me make a choice. I choice to continue the hunt and free him
"You will either be spit out and left to die by it or set to become a cog in its machine." Man the writing for this is amazing. Great job.
this video is unbelievably beautiful and captures everything that i adore about bloodborne. i've been going through a lot of stuff lately, and i completely understand the weird catharsis that this game brings. genuinely, thank you for making this. this is a masterpiece.
"To him, you are the beast here and it's his sworn duty to cleanse you from the world." Damn...
I don't know why, but the moment I open the door to the forbidden woods and see the "already dead" gate keeper who asked for the password just gives me chills. This game nails the grand cosmic horror as well as the minor moments of discomfort and unease.
It's been like... 8 years? And this game is still talked about, soundtrack is still one of the best if not the best, and it's still beautiful and playable game. Such masterpiece
I know it sounds corny. But the two hunters fighting to free each other always brings some emotions for me. And when that choir hits. 10/10
Even in what seems to be fromsofts most hopeless game, I still see so much hope in the story. In the bleak world where there are beasts hunting the townsfolk and father's becoming monsters and murderers running loose, there are still people willing to reach out and help one another as we see through the safety of the chapel and the hunter's search for survivors to protect. Ludwig's glimpse of humanity overcoming his bestial transformation in his last moments to fight as a proud knight again. The Hunter refusing to run from the dream I read as a sacrifice to save Gherman from his nightmare. And even the transformation into a great one to me shows humanity's willingness to overcome their demons and break through our limitations to infinitely greater heights. I don't think it's possible for Miyazaki to create a truly hopeless world.
Damn, you sound like a person who lives in high amounts of copium
Even in the DLC we work to save those in the blood drunk nightmare by correcting the sins of the church
@@trmorris3994 That was always my favorite part of the DLC. Ultimately you are on a quest for truth, but in the wake of your discovery, you free all the trapped souls from the nightmare and end their suffering. No matter what ending you may choose, that deed alone has permanently saved so many.
This is one of my favorite videos. I’ve come back and watched it SO many times. Your passion and love for Bloodborne is infectious and wonderful and I’m very thankful for it haha
Bloodborne and Sekiro, IMO, are FromSoftware's most finest creations in their series. The creative truly shine and I will always remember them as top tier masterpieces.
While Sekiro isn't my favorite, I definitely consider it the most refined of From Software's games (haven't played Elden Ring yet). The enemy and boss quality in that game is consistently very high, and it has very little "meh" bosses.
@@SunlessSage I agree with you about Sekiro being refined, but having played Elden Ring myself I'd say that ER is the most refined RPG character build game Fromsoft has ever made. In my opinion the reason why Sekiro is so wonderfully tight and curated is because they didn't have to account for a multitude of stats and whatnot. It's why Sekiro isn't really my cup of tea, but damn do I deeply respect it for what it does.
John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
@@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269 Hey! I understand that you're trying to save our souls and all, but while I appreciate the gesture I think this approach has more of an opposite/negative effect. I think almost all non-religious people get slightly annoyed by getting notifications for this kind of comments that are completely unrelated to the discussion.
Have you tried posting comments like this on videos that have a religious or spiritual subject? I'm sure it would be a lot more appreciated there.
@@SunlessSage Im not a fan of Elden Ring too much, its a great game but it honestly feels the least balanced/fun for me. Theres sooooo much stuff that its impossible to balance, Ive done 3 runs so far (Arcane, Greatsword, Archer/Mage) and its been too easy each time. Bosses go down way too quickly. The demi-gods and very endgame stuff are the only dudes that feel like actual Fromsoft bosses, and even then theres so much stuff in the game you can easily find ways to trivialize them. Theres like 120+ bosses and I only really felt like 15 were good. Awesome first playthrough seeing all the stuff and exploring, but afterwords I feel like 90% of the game is filler and me waiting to get to something exciting. Each playthrough started to feel like a chore once I hit Altus Plateau, and only the big bosses were entertaining from that point on.
I think I VASTLY prefer more streamlined games like Sekiro or Bloodborne or Demon Souls. Where theres not as much stuff but its more polished. I got Elden Ring and Demon Souls on the same day and I think I've beaten Demon Souls like 15 times in that amount of time, I keep coming back to it. Its vastly shorter (Im averaging around 4-6 hours a playthrough) but I feel like I want to try literally every single build in the game before Im finished with it, whereas with Elden Ring I PvP maybe like a half hour a week and am mostly waiting for DLC.
I love open world games (really enjoying Forbidden West currently) but I think Elden Ring wouldve been better as a standard Soulsborne game instead of open world. Just my opinion though. First playthrough was really fun seeing everything for the first time, but afterwords it felt like a slog going through some parts.
Honestly, I think the Old Hunters is, surprisingly, the part of the narrative which evokes a modicum of hope in an otherwise bleak main storyline as you describe so poignantly in this video. By breaking the cycle of the Curse of Kos, freeing the Orphan from its suffering, and coming to terms with the tragic and horrific past of the hunters and their original sin of sorts, you genuinely feel like you achieved something meaningful. Bloodborne is already a work of art in the main game, but I always felt like The Old Hunters elevated it even further into masterpiece status, it made everything feel complete and was arguably the best video game content From has ever created, even above anything in the Dark Souls trilogy or Elden Ring for me.
Also, I can relate with you in Bloodborne helping me through a rather difficult part of my life. The game's mesmeric, warped beauty and intricate lore, aesthetics, and Lovecraftian thematic brilliance all came together so well and really helped me feel attached and inspired by something in an otherwise uncertain period of my life. I'm glad you and so many other people feel the same. Great video, really enjoyed it!
Such a good comment. I love hearing other people saying what this game mean for them and how important and good it is. It feels so wholesome.
Also we only see a small part of the world and unlike Dark Souls or Elden Ring, the world is still alive, its very probable the world will bounce back and even forget about all of this... for the next cycle involving great ones to begin again probably, but still! XD
@@Acesahn What are you talking about, the world of Dark Souls has long died to hell by the time the game starts. And there is no good ending. Everything will literally turn into fucking ashes. The whole world can still be saved.
@@LuM4rex I said UNLIKE Dark Souls the world is Bloodbourne is still alive.
Hehe medicum lol
Every time I replay blood borne, oh my god Gehrmans boss fight gives me goosebumps, it’s like every time I experience it like I did the first time. This is the only game I can personally say, has endless replay ability and it inspires so much of my writing. The dark stories, none ever having a good ending. The immense emotion that washes over you with every realization, the impressive, terrifying and saddening presence of all the characters. It’s so beautifully horrifying.
Bloodborne is the kind of a friend who knows, things will not be ok, but will stand by your side with the saw cleaver in hand, helping you to keep pushing through and persevere.
It actually makes me tear up when I think about how I'll never be able to experience this game again completely blind with no prior knowledge or expectations.
John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!!!!!!!
I know that feeling.
Mine is made worse because I got lost at one point and had to research where I was supposed to go, the bloody guide spoiled the location of the Abandon Workshop.
I will NEVER get to feel what it's like to discover it on your own.
@@insertnamehere001 oh my gosh nooo! I'm sorry that happened 😭
On another note, do you see that other reply just quoting the bible? What's up with that? 😅
@@impartialthrone2097 lol yeah, I think that guy saw the title of the video 'without hope' and decided he needed to help people.
Too damn true I'd love to just erase it from my memory but leave a note to myself telling me to play it. That first experience was everything.
You can really tell when someone cares about their subject matter. This essay is top notch, man. Hope I get to play it one day.
The secret ending of Bloodborne is also considered a good ending because the goal the ultimate goal for Byrgenwerth and the Healing Church and even the School of Mensis was to actually ascend humanity to the same level as the great ones even at the expense of sacrificing their own humanity and its also the ending that apparently puts a stop to the hunters never ending night of the horrors since the hunt purpose is fulfilled.
It also is our hunters goal. In the beginning the game says “A hand-written scrawl reading ‘Seek paleblood to transcend the hunt’ “ however the official translation says it’s in YOUR hand writing meaning we came there for that express purpose. Kind of makes our character seem almost malevolent in their ambition.
14:27 I think the Infant great one ending is the true ending and the good ending. After all the struggle and strife I like to think atleast, that not all of the hunters humanity is gone, and maybe when you become a great one, you arent as disconnected from humans as others, and you can truly do something good for them.
To put it simply it is confirmed to be the true ending and it states in the PS4 trophies that you've become an infant great one taking taking the next big step for humanity I think that means that a human becoming a true great one not a half baked one is meant to be their escape from The nightmare
That's how I see it too, a Human gaining the power of a Great One is the only thing that can possibly change things for the better.
Yeah if I remember what my brother told me (Cause he actually cared about the lore) the true ending was the only one that fully broke the cycle of the Hunt
"You will be either be spit out and left to die by it or set to become a cog in it's machine"
I always choose the Infant Great One ending for my character since it makes the most sense after the struggles she went through. After the hunt, you can't really return to other people, you are and always will be more than human - even if you don't remember it. Also, given that our character was ill, quite possible close to death in the real world which is why they even went to Yharnam, I don't see Gehrman's mercy not really as mercy. Given I view Yharnam as some victorian era town, medicine wasn't all to great to say the last. Quite possible, in the real world the horrors and pain would only continue. And I don't really feel comfortable with having my character taking Gehrman's place, a prisoner after all these fights she took to survive. I've come to see my Bloodborne character as someone who would do anything to survive, even if it means to throw away your humanity. And while I personally wouldn't go that far, I find that really admirable. I guess, I love Bloodborne so much because it feels... honest. Yes, things are terribly bleak and you face horrors, even in your real life, but you will find ways to survive.
The Protagonist is cured of his ailment by the old blood, as it cures every disease.
@@Pedro_Le_Chefit may cure the disease, but it kickstarts horrors beyond comprehension.
The only time I’ve been actually brought to tear by a Fromsoft game is when I stumbled across Gehrman having his sad little dream monologue. Broke my heart. I’m glad a video has finally got to his tragedy in a real way
I think this is my most watched video on RUclips. The presentation, music choice and emotions all make this my favorite video that I almost memorized it. Great job!
"THE SPIDER'S THREAD" by Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, first published 1918:
One day, the Buddha was strolling alone along the edge of a lotus pond in Paradise. The blooming lotus flowers in the pond were each pure white like jewels, and the place was filled with the indescribably wondrous fragrance continually emitted from each flower's golden center. It was morning in Paradise.
After a time, the Buddha paused at the edge of the pond and from between the lotus leaves that covered it saw a glimpse of the state of things below. Now this celestial pond just happened to lie directly over Hell, and peering through that crystal-clear water was like looking through a magnifying glass at the Sanzu River and the Needle Mountain.
Buddha saw there, in the depths of Hell, a single man writhing along with the other sinners. This man was named Kandata, and he had been a notorious thief who had performed murder and arson and other acts of evil. In his past, however, he had performed just one good deed: one day, when walking through the deep forest, he saw a spider crawling along the road. At first he raised his foot to crush it, but suddenly he changed his mind and stopped, saying, "No, small though it may be, a spider, too, has life. It would be a pity to meaninglessly end it," and so he did not kill it.
Looking down upon the captives in Hell the Buddha recalled this kind act that Kandata had performed, and thought to use his good deed as a way to save him from his fate. Looking aside, there on a jade-colored lotus leaf he saw a single spider, spinning out a web of silver thread. The Buddha carefully took the spider's thread into his hand and lowered it straight down between the jewel-like white lotuses into the depths of Hell.
Kandata was floating and sinking along with the other sinners in the River of Blood at the bottom of Hell. It was pitch black no matter which way he looked, and the occasional glimpse of light that he could see in the darkness would turn out to be just the glint of the terrible Needle Mountain. How lonely he must have felt! All about him was the silence of the grave, the only occasional sound being a faint sigh from one of the damned. Those who were so evil as to be sent to this place were exhausted by its various torments, and left without even the strength to cry out. Even the great thief Kandata could only squirm like a dying frog as he choked in the River of Blood.
But one day, raising up his head and glancing at the sky above the lake, in the empty darkness Kandata saw a silver spider's thread being lowered from the ceiling so far, far away. The thread seemed almost afraid to be seen, emitting a frail, constant light as it came down to just above Kandata's head. Seeing this, Kandata couldn't help but clap his hands in joy. If he were to cling to this thread and climb up it, he may be able to climb out of Hell! Perhaps he could even climb all the way to Paradise! Then he would never be chased up the Needle Mountain, nor drowned in the River of Blood ever again.
Thinking so, he firmly grasped the spider's thread with both hands and began to climb the thread, higher and higher. Having once been a great thief, he was used to tasks such as this. But the distance between Hell and Paradise is tens of thousands of miles, and so it would seem that no amount of effort would make this an easy journey. After climbing for some time Kandata tired, he couldn't climb any higher. Having no other recourse, he hung there from the thread, resting, and while doing so he looked down below.
He saw that he had made a good deal of progress. The River of Blood that he had been trapped in was now hidden in the darkness below, and he had even climbed higher than the dimly glowing Needle Mountain. If he could keep up this pace, perhaps he could escape from Hell after all. Kandata grasped the thread with both hands and laughingly spoke in a voice that he hadn't used in the many years since he had come here, "I've done it! I've done it!"
Looking down, however, what did he see but an endless queue of sinners, intently following him up the thread like a line of ants! Seeing this, surprise and fear kept Kandata hanging there for a time with mouth open and eyes blinking like a fool. How could this slender spider's thread, which should break even under just his weight alone, support the weight of all these other people? If the thread were to snap, all of his effort would be wasted and he would fall back into Hell with the others! That just would not do. But even as he thought these thoughts, hundreds more, thousands more of the damned came crawling up from the Lake of Blood, forming a line and scurrying up the thread. If he didn't do something fast, surely the thread would snap and he would fall back down.
Kandata shouted, "Hey! You sinners! Who said you could climb up my thread? This is my salvation, not yours! Get off! Get off!"
Though the thread had been fine until just then, with these words it snapped right where Kandata held it. Poor Kandata fell headfirst through the air, spinning like a top, right down through the darkness. The severed end of the spider's silver thread hung there, suspended from heaven, shining with its pale light in that moonless, starless sky.
The Buddha stood in Paradise at the edge of the lotus pond, silently watching these events. After Kandata sank like a stone to the bottom of the River of Blood, he sadly shook his head and continued his stroll. He must have been surprised that even after Kandata had suffered such severe punishment his lack of compassion would lead him right back into Hell.
Yet the lotus blossoms in the lotus ponds of Paradise care nothing about such matters. Their jewel-like white flowers waved about the feet of the Buddha, and each flower's golden center continuously filled the place with their indescribably wondrous fragrance. It was almost noon in Paradise.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
And that's why the Hunter's Nightmare looks the way it does, with Yharnam's needle-like spires and steeples and flowing river of blood. It's what Ludwig is referring to when he asks if you've seen the thread of light; just a hair, a fleeting thing, that he clung to, steeped as he was in the stench of blood and beasts. It's what the Caryll Rune "Guidance," of which there are two -- one held by Ludwig in the Research Hall's basement, and the other held by a crow at the very top of the Research Hall tower -- represents. And it is why there are Nightmare Apostles, Spiders, in The Nightmare of Mensis. (Incidentally, Ludwig also pulls double-duty as a stand-in for Mezu, the Horse-faced Oni guarding the gates of Hell.)
Great comment!👍
Damn great story mate
"Bloodborne is like a friend to me, the kind of friend that makes you sure things are gonna be okay."
that caught me off guard. I've been playing this masterpiece for quite sometime and I always deeply thought about my relation with the game, but I was never able to share my love by just using words... but... those words described everything.
Thank you very much for this video fellow hunter, and may the good blood guide thee.
This is basically my favorite video now.
I've noticed an incredibly strong correlation between people suffering from depression and adoring FromSoft games, myself included.
I think it's that feeling of euphoria when you persevere in these games, even when the real world keeps beating you. These games have most likely saved my life multiple times over, even if that makes zero logical sense. I may struggle to make myself eat or do laundry, but I can still bludgeon an Eldritch horror to death and I guess that counts for something.
I absolutely agree that Bloodborne is still their finest work to date.
I've been playing since Demon's Souls and I have been in the same boat until Elden Ring. Something seems off, when I completed the game I didn't feel like I had accomplished as much - then I played and beat Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy and felt that catharsis again.
Bloodborne never fails to get that blood pumping though, pardon the pun.
Huh, it’s the exact opposite for me, as in these games only put me down further and don’t help me
@@legitplayin6977 There's usually a "click" moment where you finally understand the game mechanics and then you're invested.
The first time I played BB I hated it, spent 4 hours trying to just find the first boss and then got stomped by him until I learned the parry. And this was after playing DemS DarS1 DarS2.
Different strokes for different folks though
@@czardeaner7713 well maybe, but I’ve tried Ds1, Ds2 and Elden ring and it hasn’t “clicked” yet, but I do love Sekiro though
It's the video game equivalent of an anti depressant. Which is crazy when you realise how dark FS games get. I found that Elden Ring has helped me to escape the real world for a few hours at a time, chasing the loot, killing bosses and exploring dungeons is my way of forgetting the bad stuff for a while and making it easier to face after a break from reality.
This was hands down incredible. Thank you
The way you manage tone and feel throughout is wonderful. I've watched this a few times now and it never fails to engage me emotionally.
I haven't been so hot lately, and I've found myself playing Bloodborne again, and binging passionately made vidoes on Bloodborne like yours, and this vid has moved me the most. Thanks.
These 20 minutes felt like 5,i was absolutely enchanted by this video
Please,make more in this style
hmm, today i will experience catharsis
Love Gasscoigne's theme
As many definetly pointed it out- the music describes the fight perfectly.
Besides that, from lore I know of- Father Gasscoigne is a fellow outsider, just like the character you play as. Yes, he lived in Yharnam for a bit longer than you, but it still took just this little for him to turn to bloodlust
Art style-wise:
Elden Ring: Heaven
Dark Souls: Purgatory
Bloodborne: Hell
A cool thing about Ludwig is that in his fight, he is classified as a beast and takes extra damage from serrated weapons, but once he enters he sword phase, he is no longer classified that way and serrated weapons no longer have a buff against him. Pretty cool that they added that little bit of lore into the game mechanics.
I cant get enough of this video
Man
I cant
I watch it like twice a week , i just love it so much , the way you telling the story that i know very well make me feel i just herd it , same feeling every time i watch this video
This is pure love
I cant express the feeling this is the best i can do
Thank You for making this video
One day we may get Bloodborne on PC and I can finally be able to enjoy this masterpiece
if youve played elden ring, just know before going in and playing bb that it has issues. they are all masterpieces to me but depending on what aspects we discuss bb can have some glaring shortcomings. other than that its a fantastic game. as far as im concerned elden ring is the best masterpiece between them.
Just buy ps4 it's cheap, bb also my first ps4 games
Worth every penny i probably robbing sony and fromsoftware
Elusive deal.
No need to say anything else
If you live in a civilized country you can play it on psnow or even if a friend of your has a console you could use ps remote play like i did, so they could stream for you.
Maybe when PS4s stop making Sony money, but that might still be a ways off
17:11 I wasn't expecting to hear music from Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs!
It's one of my favourite games as well as bloodborne so a combo of both was a welcome suprise.
Neither did I but it made this video down right beautiful.
Neither did i
gehram the first hunter's theme literally gave me goosbumps along with that violin
7 years later and quality creators still care and love this game. A near masterpiece.
You mean absolute masterpiece
@@richanec2854 I meant to say that at first, but not every game is perfect in my eyes. Bloodborne was nearly there though. ❤
@@cchristianjeremy i respect your opinion tho. Everyones got their Own Taste in stuff
@@richanec2854 thanks man, I've played almost all of the FromSoft games (I still have DS3 and S:SDT to finish, love it both as well) and even platinumed Elden Ring weeks ago, but Bloodborne will always be my number 1.
Love this video. Also as to why many folks see transformation ending as "the good ending", is due to the game's deep deep deeeep roots in Lovecraft literature, most of the horrible bizarre creatures that aren't in line with the Van Helsing hammer horror esq seeming era, are stuff straight from Lovecraft's expansive multiverse. At the end of the day, everyone is trapped in the nightmare that you yourself are trapped in as well. Defeating the true end game boss gives an opportunity to free everyone from that nightmare, even if it is just letting them finally rest in a peaceful death... everyone except for yourself of course which now your only companion is the doll as everyone else is gone, free in one way or another from the dream as your humanity inevitably drains away.
Often times the very very rare occasion Lovecraft's works had a "happy ending" was when one or more people gave up literally everything to ensure the world kept spinning, even if it was only for a little while longer.
i dont know if this is weird but i've rewatched this videos more times than i can count, it's genuinely so good. both in terms of editing and putting things into words that i couldn't. bloodborne is my favourite fromsoft game, if not my absolute favourite game of all time. hearing other people talk about it so passionately is great. honestly this video made me appreciate bloodborne more than i already did, which i didnt even know was possible.
have you ever considered making lore videos about bb? it's so difficult to find any content on it, plus i could listen to you talk about this game all day lol
the absolute amazing detail where ludwig takes extra damage as a beast from a certain weapon/s,, but once he stands up right and holds his old blade, he no longer does, because u are no longer fighting a beast, but a man,, a very grotesque one, but a man nonetheless...
I've only ever seen bits of streamers playing this game, I thought it was just some generic kill-the-bosses hard game. I had no clue it had this much personality to it. Never understood how so many people call it their favorite game ever. Now I realize just what I've been sleeping on. This was a great video
No offence, but why were you making any judgements on a game you haddnt played to begin with?
@@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502 Because I'm a stupid dumb idiot
@@dylqn55 That's the smartest thing anyone can say.
@@dylqn55 :(
@@dylqn55 you weren't stupid bro, you just didn't have enough eyes
God I can't stop coming back to this
My favourite thing about Bloodborne's music is that it makes you feel a very specific emotion. It's the feeling of facing a horrendous monster, as you slowly but surely become one yourself, and Gascoigne's music perfectly encapsulates this.
oh gehrman, i remember fighting him at the first time with tears in my eyes, sobbing like 5 years old kid. what a game :(
But by god he deserved his mercy
@@koontz1154 true and thats what makes me sad. like fight a battle i dont wanna do.
Gehrman: *It always comes down to the hunter to clean these sorts of messes..*
@@koontz1154 Carful how you say his name dude
John 3:16
New International Version
16 For God so loved(A) the world that he gave(B) his one and only Son,(C) that whoever believes(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(E) 🙏!!
This is one of the best edited and written videos I've ever seen, fantastic job dude I can't stop watching because it captures my feelings so well
A lot of people say that Ludwig's 2nd phase, even though he regained his sanity, he still "follows his duty to cleanse you" as said in the video. I think it's more along the lines of how a noble warrior wishes to die. They don't want to die like some kind of animal, or die in some kind of pathetic way, Viking style. Ludwig continues to fight because he wishes to die and be set free from his cursed shackles, and would rather die a hunter of The Church than a mindless beast. Die as the predator, not as the prey.
This is my favorite video essay type video. The music, the tones, vocal tone, the footage. The actual substance and points. I watch this pretty much every day.
I really think your Bloodborne video here is my favorite. It makes me feel the same way. 8 years in and still in the Dream.
This is quality. Jesus Christ
Maybe i'm missing something, but i don't see videos like this on your channel. Too bad, considering you made this one just Perfect. Your voice, editing, the script - i am already in love with this game, before i could get a chance to play it.
Keep up the good work
P.S. Thank you for introducing Ludwig's OST to me, it's just phenomenal
This is the first video I found for this channel, and I was so disappointed to see that it was a one time thing. It's spectacular.
@@beatthegreat7020 100%
@@beatthegreat7020 Hopefully, he'll make more like it in the future
I will never get tired of love letters to this absolute treasure of a game.
This was the most well written video essay I’ve ever watched. I just got into blood-borne recently, and I love that video game creators are able to tell stories that resonate with the players. I also agree with what you said: a well written video game, that challenges you and connect with you on the mental level is like a dear old friend.
My favorite game of all time. The story is so fuckin rich. There’s so many layers the more you dig into it. Old Hunters left me speechless. Ludwig and Maria. The feels at the end of those fights and the lore we get along the path. The research hall was so fuckin good. The tragedy and trauma these characters face. It’s all perfect. The gameplay is incredible but the story just gets me. Great video.
My favorite part is that the story wraps up perfectly. Literally every plot point, every hint, every story line gets wrapped up, resolved or explained in one way or another. Its insanely mysterious, but by the end it all makes sense.
I always like to think when you wake up to the real world it's not actually the real world but the same nightmare playing out again without your character knowing, and you as the player are stuck in a unending dream of pain and despair
Bro you nailed it. Thos really hits hard on how i feel about thos masterpiece of a game. I also really get caught up in the sheer enormity of the city and how it is built upon other cities from hundreds of years past.
Bloodborne will allways be "The Masterpiece" of From Software. My favourite one as well.
“It will spit you out and leave you to die or set you up to become a cog it it’s machine” is such a raw line that it’s hard to believe it comes from a RUclips video of a guy talking about his favorite game, not only that but it’s fits bloodbornea feel of hopelessness perfectly. Love the video
Dude no wonder that alien was just chilling there 😂 I was like wtf???
Having watched RTGame's playthrough of Bloodborne. I have seen the alternative for where Ludwig ends up. Horse instincts taking over as his neighs and horse sounds bleed into his human voice, coalescing together in a way we were never meant to hear. It was truly horrifying to witness, but inescapably perfect.
There’s something comforting being in a world where there’s only ever despair. I think it’s the consistency that’s attractive. You don’t have to get your hopes up for nothing since there’s no hope to begin with.
Bloodborne helped me get through the darkeat time in my life. I feel you on that brother