I Was Wrong About Bloodborne
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ต.ค. 2024
- Guys I messed up i actually DO like blood nightmare!! hahahaha im just quirky like that OMG im so sowwwyy!!!!! ^_^ xo
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Lenny finally accepted Bloodborne as a documentary about the horrors of London and the UK
Yup
Bloodbrexit
Maybe he use to not like it because he lived it
True and real
@MrTerrorzone2012 naaaa, he's northern. There's nothing up here but fields and the elderly
Lenny doesn't like the Bloodborne setting because he's British and it's basically his everyday life.
Old yarnam is basically Britain yeah.
Weellll at leeasht oaauurr shhkeewls areeent a fiiriiing raaange
@@Getahelmet1go home you're drunk again dad!
@Ursuchahoyo read this while driving and nearly fell off me Kangaroo
@@Getahelmet1how’s that knife crime treating you? search “britain school stabbings” and have fun with your reality check …. 🙄
What I love about the setting and lore of bloodborne is that it’s not about a dead world with gods gone insane or drop their duties and you having to deal with it, it’s about a world being assault by unknown entities and you have to hold them off. Like dark souls and elden ring crazy stuff happened thousands of years ago but in bloodborne, it’s happening right now
That's probably the truest thing you could say about the setting difference. Like, important things DID happen in Bloodborne's past, but that's not the most important part of the story.
For Dark Souls, Demon Souls and Elden Ring, you are playing the ending, the "Climax". You are the resolution, be it dark or solemn or even vaguely hopeful. In Bloodborne you are in the "Rising Action" part of the story. You watch things actively get worse and worse, moreso than they probably ever have been before. It's not a world of shambling husks and ruined gods; it's a world that is actively screaming and flailing and only getting worse as you watch on.
The only part that may place you in a position of "resolution" is the Nightmare where you fight the hunters of the past and face the culmination of their crimes in the form of the Orphan. Maybe one or two of the endings may feel this way depending on your perspective, but other than that you don't feel like you've settled any of the chaos at all. Even where Dark Souls might hopelessly repeat cycles of fire and dark, the endless chaos of Bloodborne feels a lot more like a threat and makes you not want to think back on the implications of its world out of fear and repulsion rather than hope and sadness.
Hold them off? I always join them.
Oooooo so mind blowing …Its happening right now !?!? Game of the year hands down masterpiece
@@wavyassassin8017I detect sarcasm, but actually think about how that impacts the story. You are more involved in Bloodborne than the other games, and we're only comparing Bloodborne to other souls games, not every other game in existence. Rather than being a resurrected person with some fighting skill, you are just a guy with a blood disease. Upon getting "treatment" you are forced into a world completely different from reality. Horrific monsters and warped flesh!
@@ghoulishgoober3122 other than DS3 you're also just a guy, with the only notable thing being your undead status, which isn't any better than a blood disease in regards to how impressive you are.
That torch only run you did some yrs ago really did a number on you.
Happy to see that you're finally having fun.
Bloodborne’s themes are in literally every aspect of the game, which elevates it if you’re a fan (like me), but I can see why that exact same thing makes people who don’t like the setting bounce off it.
It's funny I've seen this a ton with Sekiro, FromSoft fans who love all their games but don't like the whole samurai, deflect stuff. I for one loved it since a kid and it's my perfect game. But if you don't care for that stuff then I even recommend not playing it and understand why a lot of FromSoft fans never finished the game
I just like the real life analogs all these Fromsoft titles they must love anthropology and social development theirs a lot of innocuous details referencing real life history and cultures stuff you'd have to be really in the know to correlate, how appropriately esoteric.
@@MrTerrorzone2012Sekiro personally is my favorite combat system they've ever made. And Bloodborne is my favorite aesthetically. But for every 1 of me there are 12 that feel the exact opposite.
@@nebulousblack5764 To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Fromsoft. The worldbuilding is extremely subtle, and without a solid grasp of anthropology and social development most of the plots will go over a typical viewer's head. etc, etc
This discourse actually reminds me a lot about how some people felt about Sekiro, which is my favorite Fromsoft game, but it's also the one that deviates the most from what Souls fans are used to.
We did it, guys. We bullied him into compliance.
Bully From Software into believing that the world spins faster than at 30fps.
I like to think of weapon transformations as equivalent to two-handing, rather than weapon switching. Now, in Dark Souls 1, the standard axe has (basically) 2 moves. R1 to slash with the same repeated animation, and R2 to slam downwards. Even if you two-hand, it's the same. Whereas the Hunter Axe has a four-hit R1 chain, a charged and uncharged R2, that thrusting transformation attack and the slamming one, another four-hit R1 chain, those sweeping L2s, a pretty standard two-handed R2, and the big charged-up spin move.
This was a really long-winded way of saying that the variety of moves you are provided per weapon you choose to upgrade and equip is absolutely incredible in this game, even compared to the weapon movesets in Elden Ring sevenish years later.
Exactly, what I love about weapon transformations is the sheer variety of attack animations I have at my disposal at any moment (you forgot to mention the backstep, sprint and dash/roll attacks). It takes time to get used to them and learn which situation is better for each one, but once you do you just go with the flow and it's so satisfying.
Agree. Additionally you potentially get a different damage Type or Bonus Like serrated. And all of that for the weight of one weapon instead of Two. Which ist a huge Bonus, especially If you Like to use heavy weapons.
I always thought the less weapons is bad argument a bit strange. There are way less weapons, but they seem way more focused. Kind of like the whole game. Less extensive, but more refined.
@@alfonshasel1995 Yes, definitely! I always loved the way the sword on Kirkhammer has such a high Righteous modifier that it outclasses the hammer form in damage, but only against Vilebloods. It adds so much to the dynamic beyond light form/heavy form. And the sword has Thrust and the hammer has Blunt (I'll stop because now I'm just rambling about my favorite weapon xD)
@@user-bw4jm1bv1i I agree. And if you think of the Barbed Straight Sword as a Broadsword with a bleed infusion, and apply that to all weapons in Dark Souls with identical movesets, you'll realize the amount of weapons isn't even that disparate.
Appreciate all that you do, lad. I was okay with your previous opinion too, because it was your opinion. But I'm glad that you gave it another chance. It was fun seeing this on stream, too. It's not for everyone just like Dark Souls isn't for everyone, and that's okay. You did good, lad! :D
"It's totally ok to not like Lovecraftian eldritch cosmic horror," I say through gritted teeth while a single tear rolls down my cheek.
As someone who loves this game to death, that is absolutely fair, sometimes you just cant get into something for one reason or another and that is perfectly fine, you said it best when you like this game as much as you possibly can, and no one can ask more than that (well shouldn't ask more than that)
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Oolkoo
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That’s the beauty of this game. Even if the setting and aesthetic doesn’t appeal, you can believe the tense and tight combat and boss encounters will still draw you in
The setting sucked me in ..combat is so bare idk what people are talking about when they mention the combat…Its slow and literally just a gun parry with light and heavy attacks …THATS LITERALLY IT
While I do like the Gothic Horror look, they didn't do a good job making every area unique. You can do a lot with Gothic Horror, but Fromsoft went so basic with it. The monsters are the only thing they did good with the genre. As for the combat I do enjoy it which sucks. I tried to play it recently and I couldn't dhake the feeling of skipping everything else in the game and rishing to the bosses as they were the only thing that excited me.
@@GreenWolf2kagreed, most bb fanboys havent actually read any lovecraft and stoker, if they did, they would they theres far more to lovecraftian gothic atmosphere than just the basic stuff in bb.
@@wavyassassin8017 Its complex for a souls game much more so than Elden Ring or Dark Souls.
I think orphan holds up because he changes the pace of the game. You have to play so hyper aggressive against every other boss but orphan phase 1 is a very reactionary fight, and once you master the pacing, phase 2 changes it back. That’s at least what I find difficult and what I love about the fight
Glad you finally came around and understand why those of us who do love it, do. Truly amazing lovecraft experiences like bloodborne are decently rare, even more so when the game came out.
So combine that with badass gameplay and its an instant classic.
tbf back in the ps1 days gothic stuff was numerous, but just like asian style games it kinda died down since then, while asian themed games are going through a resurgence since the last few years.
If the game isnt good to him then he’s gotta like the music. I mean who doesnt like Living Failures and Lady Marias music
In regards to weapon switching vs trick weapons you need to keep in mind that in Bloodborne you can have two weapons equipped just like in Dark Souls. Meaning that if we accept the argument that trick weapons are the same as having two weapons equipped to choose from, well in Bloodborne you then have four weapons to choose from at any given time.
well not really, having 2 weapons gives u a huge stamina regen penalty, especially if its 2 heavy weapons, not to mention the game is the worst when it comes to upgrade materials. the negatives outweighs the positives by alot. i still think alot of weapons have 1 side of the transformation be laughably better than the other side, this especially applies to heavy weapons, other than the parry theres literally no reason to stick to the small sword rather than the ludwigs big bonk blade for example, same with hammer, same with pizza cutter, same with saw cleavers untransformed etc etc theres a reason why this game is the most viable to spam R1 in depending on the weapon.
@@flamingmanure as a PSA, while a leftover hidden weight mechanic did exist in bloodborne for a couple of months after release, it got patched out fairly quickly in patch 1.04 and no such stamina penalties have existed for the overwhelming majority of the game's lifespan
I was confused that he didn't mention having two main weapons equipped. That means you basically get to carry around four weapons at once without having to worry about encumbrance. If you count your secondary slots, then you get to carry six weapons at once.
Then keep in mind in dark souls you can simply hold 4+ weapons at once to choose from at any given time.
@@jarlbalgruuf2415
Good luck being able to roll with all that shit equipped.
Listening to the setting critique felt like reading a yelp review for an for a BBQ place written by a vegetarian
A point I have about trick weapons. It’s a way for players (who care about this kind of thing) to develop a deeper understanding of the tools they are using. The same philosophy applies in games like Devil May Cry: get given a tool and learn to use it to its fullest. From Soft dipped their toes in to the pool with BB. I’d love to see them dive on in with a game that has a more fluid combat feel.
Yep. I loved to switch depending on what enemies I was fighting.
And it didn't have carry weight of two titanite requirement mucking it up.
well you get to try AC6 at the end of the week…🤷♂️
Yeah, and similar to DMC games: a majority of the players who play will just equip Rebellion and EYAAAAAAH! their way through the game.
@@muhash14that's not what your supposed to do... joking I never saw the appeal of doing one move the entire game id rather die abunch than only spam one move
Once the old one catches you in their embrace, it's impossible to let go
You mean... the Great One?
BLOOD BLOOD NIGHTMARE NIGHTMARE BLOOD OF THE HUNTER'S NIGHTMARE
You forgot curse
Seems like Lenny finally remembered to put his brain in
He sure took his time
But I enjoy Lenny when he forgets his brain, he's funny
Sp you don't have a brain if you don't like bloodborne?
@@shatteredakuma yes
27:02
Bloodborne was my first FromSoftware game that I played at the start of October during lockdown, and I fell in love with it after dismissing it and the Souls Series for so long. I wanted a challenge and left with an experience. I took to its eldritch horror and gothic look because it was so foreign to me, and it was something new and interesting. It's not a game for everyone, but it was the game for me!
The only thing that matters about the trick weapons is that it makes the weapon design so cool and it just FEELS cool and unique even if it's technically not that different from just switching weapons. It's fun and adds a layer of expressiveness like not everything has to be about pure viability
Yea carrying an extra weapon in a souls game isn't a thing that most people do. Trick weapons are cool
With trick weapons, I don't really disagree with what you say about it just being the same as using two weapons and swapping between them in other games, but I think the main thing for me is that by presenting the trick weapons as an idea of two playstyles in one weapon. The presentation of mixing up your approach, and since it is basically just 2 weapons you can replicate the idea in the other souls games of having multiple options if that's what you want. And I think that's pretty cool, and also I think Bloodborne does just feed into the slightly edgy side of things so the weapon itself transforming is kind of a rule of cool thing and seeing the way they all transform is pretty cool
I also think it gives the weapons more of an identity than if they were 2 different weapons
Trick weapons I find are more intuitive and flexible compared to switching between weapons if that makes sense. It also leads to some creative concepts for weapons with different modes, like the Kirkhammer.
Honestly rule of cool is the only rebuttal you need. "Well why have trick weapons that can switch their moveset on the fly when you can just have two separate weapons?" "Because it's cool."
Switching between weapons in other games isn’t even the same. It’s like saying switching weapons in GOW is the same as in Dark Souls. In Dark Souls you rarely have use for other weapons. Weapons weren’t meant to be used together. While in Bloodborne the game is designed in a way to suit and encourage weapon switching
Some of the transform attacks were usable.. I remember the saw spear unfold attack was a good R1 spam combo finisher because it had a lot of reach and did more damage
Playing Bloodborne over and over again prompted me to buy and read all of Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle stories.
Bloodborne made me actually enjoy reading ! That's how much it broke me !
The big difference to me between switching weapons in a Souls game and Trick weapons is that it's an additional option you have at any given time. You can do a transform attack off of most actions, even a dash. It's another element to the combat in the game that encourages aggression, being able to change the weapon you're using by attacking. When looked at in isolation, and in practical use how many people do use the system, it's got very little that separates it from just changing your weapon like a Souls game. But almost every system in Bloodborne that it shares with Souls games has little tweaks to encourage an aggressive, visceral playstyle that the other games don't have.
So true. Bloodborne is dark souls but every mechanic is made for you to be aggresive instead of calculating, thats what makes it different from dark souls. Rally, quickstep, transformation attacks, parrying, all rewarding for hitting the enemy instead of retreating. In bloodborne you have to be faster and more violent than the other to win, unlike dark souls.
I switch weapons a lot during a fight because the weapons I like the most have important trick forms. Especially the reiterpolash which basically changes the entire situation and playstyle between forms while both being very useful
4:13
Im crying at the missed opportunity for a "Bear, Seek, Seek, Lest" joke xD
Trick weapon system actually allows you to carry 4 weapons withoit going to menu. This is extremely good for the ease of exploring
I've heard a lot of complaints about DS2 that 90% of the bosses are just "dude in armour." And you basically fight all "dudes in armour" the same way.
Bloodborne goes a different way. Beasts and people in the first half. Then it suddenly becomes cosmic horror halfway through the Forbidden Woods.
Those horrors look different, they move differently and you fight them differently.
That's why I like the setting. It's not just the traditional medieval fantasy with some dudes, some beasts and the occasional dragon.
Time for some more ZeroLenny content 🍿🍿🍿
might change my mind when i get to DS3 and ER but i think Bloodborne really is the most fun and replayable soulsborne from them all. Specially if you get into the labyrinth dungeons, by the time i got to start NG+ i was overleveled for 2 game cycles.
ER is best in terms of replayability for builds, but the fucking thing is so long i kinda end up dreading spending minimum 20 hours playing through the game (as in 20hrs im speed running this shit)
@@shibe2042 that's what i personally mean by most replayble, not that i didn't had fun with ds1/ds2 or haven't tried other builds but i sigh at the thought of replaying them from the start, sekiro comes close but the combat is so intense that it drains me as much. Bloodborne, if i feel like it i can start and finish in a day, feeling fresh and hyped up through the whole thing bc of how short it is
Same I was fucking shit up till I got to ng7 orphan of kos shit was almost impossible
Bloodborne is the most replayable? I'm sorry but that's just objectively wrong, I still love the game but it does not have many weapons nor many builds, I never even used the magic stuff since it just seemed so damn rare and so mid to late game. And other than the magic the builds are really just hack and slash.
@@Valentin_126 i meant that i can start a new game wherever i want and finish it in a day without losing momentum. I don't need to start a new game to make new builds i can just farm them and the trick weapons add so much fun and variety that i didn't mind at all the less number of weapons, actually prefered like that. Can't disagree on magic, despite carying me in certain bosses
Glad to see you enjoying Bloodborne, now you can join us in waiting for a PC port that will be announced any day now!
Yup, the announcement's comin' any minute!
@KingClockwork Yeah, guys, just give Sony a couple days, weeks, months and/or years, they will soon release it on PC eventually...
28:07 Moon Presence do be floatin down however 🤨
I like the setting cause I don't think theres a lot of Eldritch horror games out there. Much less any with high paced combat. So when I played Bloodborne for the first time, all I see is everything oozing that kinda vibe and made me wanna learn more about what the fck is actually going around me.
I also recently started enjoying Bloodborne as a game. Originally I didn’t like the aesthetic, gameplay, or even the lore but now im on my 6th arcane play through and things are feeling a lot funner!
HELL YEAH BURN THEM!
One thing to mention about switching weapons is that your weapon slots effectively go from 2 weapons to 4 if you include the d-pad weapon switching. The most Dark Souls ever gives you in the series is 3.
I think it's totally valid to appreciate a game like this and acknowledge its strengths, while also not wanting to play it ever again! I know I have games I've played (DS2, GRIME, most of the Supergiant catalogue) that I think were fantasitc experiences with quantifiable aspects that made them enjoyable to play and finish, but also have natures or things about them that didn't work for me that made me totally satisfied with only having beaten them once or twice with no intent to return. Bloodborne is just unfortunate in that it happens to have a VERY vocal community of people that are just so ravenously, dogmatically dedicated to it and DO want to play it over and over (a group I'd say I belong to more than I don't), that they can easily warp this perception and start demeaning and harassing outsiders for having it, directly or otherwise. Don't feel bad for feeling the way you feel about this dumb old game, especially after having made such a good, open-minded, carefully considered critique of it!
While I don't feel that way about Bloodborne, I actually relate hard regarding my feelings on Elden Ring, and I think the community's attitude towards that game and how they handle critiscism thrown at it only made things worse.
I love hearing Lenny talk about anything. He always has a strong opinion about stuff and talkes about it so nuanced
One thing about the trick weapons I often don’t see people talk about is the way it offers a player variety they might otherwise not go with.
When I play most souls games, i pick a weapon type/playstyle for a playthrough (strong beefy boy, speedy dual wield situation etc). I find people will rarely go with a big hammer and fast sword (like Lenny used as an example). The trick weapons provide weapon archetype combos most players wouldn’t normally gravitate towards.
Add into that all the other benefits such as the weapons having far larger pool of attacks and combo variations, 2 upgrades for the price of 1 etc etc it really does make for a great weapon system that allows the player to experiment more so than it’s fellow souls games.
My friend told me that they havent ever died to Orphan of Kos, I still dont fully belive them.
Your point about Orphan of Kos being one of the hardest bosses in Souls holds water. I saw a streamer beat Orphan for the first time and her inbox was absolutely Flooded. Demilypyro, for the curious
Seems he’s finally down with Bloodborne.
Wait, down? Like, floating down?! *Camera pan out of a insane asylum room*
I mained the Kirkhammer as well, and I most often weapon switched to the sword to take advantage of the rally mechanic. It's much easier to land some hits and get health back
A wise man once said "if you played bloodborne and you still live in england, you missed the point"
As a huge Bloodborne fan, I totally respect the hell out of your commentary of the game. Like you have said, the fans like myself become so enamored with the environment, there is a lot to be missed if we didn't look for it on a base level for the average gamer. Well put Lenny! Keep up the great content!
We got him boys. The Lenny redemption arc.
“No time for intros” says Lenny after an intro that perfectly encapsulates the soul of bloodborne, what a humble man
Quick note on the Trick Weapon section, In ds1 you can have 2 weapons (Sword and hammer in your example) In BB you can have 2 trick weapons equipped (Sword+Hammer, 1 handed axe+2handed axe for example) so you essentially get 4 weapons for the price of 2. A lot of them also have 2 handed forms which disable use of your left hand weapon but have really cool attacks. The hunters axe is a weapon I've used a lot and swapping mid combat when enemies are closing in then charging your R2 for a sweet spin attack is super gratifying. Love Dark Souls, but there just isn't anything quite that cool combat wise IMO
trick weapons give you the benefit of having technically 4 weapons to switch between (depends on the weapons you choose) instead of the 2 in the other games. combining that with bloodborne's lack of equip load makes it the only game in the series where i experimented with most of its weapons, everytime i got a new weapon i was curious to try it out. meanwhile in the other games im like 'cool another greatsword i dont care about'. i think this is helped by the fact that the designs are alot more interesting thanks to the creative liberty given by the idea of trick weapons
This was actively a complaint someone I knew had about Elden Ring, he was so upset that there were no interesting greatswords, which ngl he was just allergic to respecing into anything that wasn't pure strength, which pretty much limited his options to "Greatsword"
That comment towards the end, about fans getting off to people coming back and enjoying the game in the future is so true! Early on my first year of college, I was playing out in the common room with some friends, and this guy walks past and yells "I fucking hate this game!" and had a laugh. Several months later, we're all friends with him watching him kill Kos & Gehrman for the first time. We call it his character arc for our college adventure.
This feels like a way more good-faith way of saying how you feel about your game compared to the last video,it’s still funny to watch bloodborne fans seethe when someone doesn’t like the game, which is obviously perfectly fine, I honestly dropped the game on my first run then came back years later and really liked it, since then it’s become my favourite fromsoft game even. But still, it’s nice to see you come back and talk about it again, because even though the opinions are pretty much the same I feel like you articulated them far better here rather than last time where you just kinda spent the whole video mocking world and saying it’s cringe over and over.
Agreed, Bloodborne might be MY favorite, but I wouldn't even call it a masterpiece with all its flaws. Its kind of astounding they had no contingency plan for players running out of Blood Vials. Why on earth did they tie fast travel to the Hunters Dream. Why didn't they make OTHER consumable items auto-refill like blood vials and bullets? Why weren't the starting classes given ANYTHING unique equipment wise, not even a starting gift??
This makes the beginning of every playthrough so samey and boring.
Why are the chalice dungeons such a grind to get through.
Why Micolash?.... just... _why?_
That being said, my biggest gripe with the last review was how he kept repeating how "edgy" the game is... which is rich honestly, because hes the last person who should be accusing anyone else of being "Too Edgy".
@sasaki999pro Lenny definitely isn't edgy lol. He's pretty wholesome in all honesty.
The thing about trick weapons for me is having expanded options in the middle of combat, whether I use them or not. It’s just nice to know they’re there. Although I do switch somewhat frequently in combat, but not for maxing dps. I just like the fluidity and expanded moveset.
I think the problem with your trick weapon argument is that Bloodborne in general just has less equipment, so each weapon and its transformation feels more unique and serves a specific purpose. Not all of the transformations are "big slow unga bunga Kirkhammer big damage". The Hunter Axe's transformation is great for crowd control, the Whirligig Saw goes from a blunt weapon to amazing persistent damage, the arcane weapons give you like... better magic or something(Idk i didn't play an arcane build). It's not as simple of a dichotomy as "fast DEX weapon, slow STR weapon" like you might get in Dark Souls or Elden Ring
It's even simpler than dark souls or elden ring, it's all just "this weapon is even edgier than the last"
I like weapon switching based on a few factors. Mid boss fight, I like to stick to the faster version of a weapon when my openings are small, and when I have a bigger opening, I like doing the weapon transform into more attacks. I also like the fact that for the third version of the beast cleaver, the weapon transform attack moves you forward and back.
I always compared trick weapons to one or twohanding a weapon in Dark Souls, since you can still change weapons in bloodborne. With weapons like Ludwigs Holy Blade and the Hunters Axe its even more similar.
And almost everyone doesnt change the one or two handed either.
I dont even think its so edgy as you describe it, I dislike edgy stuff myself, but i love this setting.
When i think about stuff thats too edgy for me, i think of these edgy animes like tokyo ghoul or death note, they even have the 'cute' emo boys.
Great Video :)
he didn't care about the lore so he just looks at the imagery at surface level. At least he admits but you can do the same with dark souls
I am also talking about the visuals and not the lore, im mainly for the gameplay here.
And yes you could argue the same things about DS, like he said in the vid.
I’m sure the eyeball lumpy failed god really appreciated you calling him cool for like 3 minutes
Altered Beast's 2nd boss would've received infinite adoration.
Insight 💯
Objectively, the worst part about Bloodborne is that it's trapped on the PlayStation. I would love to see a PC release and all the crazy mods people could come up with
Fr, it's the game that awoke my love for fromsoft and I can't even play it... Same with demon's souls
Trick weapons are so cool in part because of equip load and scaling existing in DS. I CAN equip a Broadsword and a Spear in DS, but I need the stats to carry both or I get a bad roll and god I hope they both scale off Dex. F**k me if I want to use a Rapier and Hammer.
In BB I equip the Saw Spear and whenever I run into an enemy I want to stay away from I change to Spear form and zone it, then switch back for punishes. No worrying about equip load, it all scales off the same stats.
In fact I did an Arcane run and slapped a Fire gem on the Saw Spear. The entire game I used the Tonnitrus and Fire Saw Spear together. Both equipped at the same time and switching instantly based on damage vulnerablity and range whenever I wanted. Even between dodges I could test damage types on my first try without backing off at all. It makes combat feel much more fluid.
I essentially had 3 weapons equipped at once and the game didn't punish me in any way, even encouraging me by giving me more damage against bosses for having access to both damage types.
Highly recommend an Arcane playthrough, loads of fun.
I love bloodborne because of the man made horrors beyond my comprehension
on your point about trick weapons effectively only serving to switch between a light and a heavy, which is best done out of combat, it seems like FromSoft and Mike Zachy also realised this when they were making the Old Hunters DLC. There, each new weapon feels like it does more when it transforms than just switch between light and heavy.
boom hammer- you "transform" it by priming it to explode, so when you hit with it, the hammer creates a spurt of fire or something, but only for one hit. making it similar to an infinite use pine resin.
amygdalan arm- switch between big bonk stick and a weird living scythe, where transforming gives you added range and sweeping attacks. perfect for dealing with large groups.
beasthunter saif- untransformed state has a lot of forward movement on the attacks, favouring combat against single, agile enemies. whilst the transformed state is a bit slower, but has wide sweeps for big slow enemies, or large groups of small enemies.
whirligig saw- 10/10 cool factor, no other notes
moonlight sword- my favourite weapon. switch between a slow greatsword with great thrusting attacks (good against kin type enemies) to a big glowing arcane sword, which is deceptively fast, and has ranged elements to the transformations. when you transform the sword mid combat, it creates arcane explosions and waves that allow you to resolve combos into useful damage output even when the enemy has skittered out of range (which happens pretty frequently in bloodborne). honestly i highly recommend an arcane playthrough of bloodborne just for this sword, but also the hunter tools are really cool too and open up a lot of extra bits for the players toolkit.
rakuyo- another super cool weapon, transform attacks add to this weapons already really diverse moveset, which incentivises different combos which incorporate transforming the weapon. may not be the most powerful, but with all its flourishes and spins and whatnot, it feels super good to use
simon's bow- curved sword or bow, one of the biggest transformations in terms of usage change. you can use the transformation attack to fire off a quick arrow as part of the combo, allowing you to "chain" combos from dead enemies onto either retreating or distant enemies. useful in places like the fishing hamlet, where there are lots of spread out enemies on different elevations
kos parasite- the most fun weapon imo, though really only useful for NG+ or super lategame. the tentacles, modified rolls and quicksteps, vomit attacks, as well as the big supernova special come together to create this really goofy but enjoyable weapon which, again, uses transformation attacks to add range and versatility
bloodletter- good for pvp ig lmao
i think thats all the DLC weapons off the top of my head? hope this illustrates the idea that the devs likely agree with you on your point that the basegame weapons don't really encourage you to transform mid combat.
really enjoy and appreciate this video- as a self-confessed bloodborne enjoyer, its always great to hear about people's honest opinions, even when they conflict with my own. your points on the setting in particular were really eye opening for me- as someone who really enjoys this aesthetic and lovecraftian material in general, its sometimes easy to forget that its not everyones cup of tea :)) thank you Zero Lennies
One of the hallmarks of the eldritch horror genre is that you have moments of normalcy interspersed with the weirdness and gore. Bloodbounre does the absolute minimum with the hunter's dream by giving you a safe haven, but the place is still extremely otherworldly and weird. I can understand not liking the setting, because typically it wouldn't be this in your face all the time. There's no place in the entire game that just looks or feels normal.
I mean in lovecraftian horror it’s usually not in your face at first then escalated til it’s the whole focus. Which is exactly how BB works
@@cosmiclikesminecraft In BB things escalate incredibly quickly. Sure, the clinic you wake up in is relatively normal, but that's following a cutscene with a blood werewolf and little grey messenger beings fingering your entire body. The streets of Yharnam are slightly more "normal" but there's already plenty of weird stuff and it only gets weirder.
@@Bloodfencer1990 But it's not Eldritch. It's Gothic. The point of the game is not that it goes from "Normal" to "Eldritch", but that it goes from Gothic to Eldritch. The game starts as a standard Werewolf and Vampire story, only to realize there's something way mroe fucked up going on.
I'm probably in the minority, but the way I used the trick weapons was completely different than you described.
I learned with the saw cleaver from default you can r1, r1, l1, r2 (maybe charge) for a very fast full stamina combo with optimal damage and horizontal hitboxes.
Or you could from default r2(charge), l1, r1, r1 for optimal damage and vertical hitboxes.
So once I level stamina to 15, I use these as my default combos for the saw cleaver whereas with the other trick weapons and the different stamina usage/levels there are different combos.
Without going into detail, there's a combo on the kirkhammer for breaking beast bones with a lot of overhead slams that doesn't need to transform, but the majority of combos I do against normal enemies start with a sword and end the combo with a transform. The only time I'll switch styles for combat is if I'm 1v1 in hammer, and accidentally pull too many enemies ill swap to the sword so it's easier to dodge and move quickly, or if I've cleared out all the small creatures with the sword I will swap to the hammer to deal with the boss because it's more damage per hit and blunt has better properties vs most bosses
I understand, you dont like bloodborne because you arent into eldritch stuff, but you love it for other things, nobody is forcing you to love this game. But honestly this is my favorite game because I am into this stuff I love how immersive it is and it's atmosphere, I love the lore and the nightmarish bosses, I love the trick weapons, but nothing is perfect because we have the worst boss aka micholash host of the nightmare. I even love the chalice dungeons because of the unique enemys and the gameplay loop with it. There's a youtuber named Stank Media who made a really good video about it.
It’s a really true to the source material and had atmosphere for days
@@kni9ght you mean nights
Bloodborne is one of the most thematically consistent souls games made, and its all cosmic horror all the time. You can really tell the separate design teams were all on the same page about the vibe they wanted this game to have. Most resources are clearly harvested from creatures you dont understand, weapons are all props from a secret society, runes are words from god like beings that pity your weakness: its all very consistently relevant.
what bb fanboys call consistency, i call creatively lacking and unvaried.
@@AhmadAlmillino one who has actually played Bloodborne would call it "creatively lacking." The story of Bloodborne is like Inception, Edge of Tomorrow, and a series of Lovecraft stories all jammed together. It's easily FromSoftware's best story. Not to mention the world design and enemies are great, and the atmosphere of all the areas is so well done and fits well with the entire story.
You have to be stupid
The crucial part of trick weapons is the transformation attacks, they create the greatest attack combos in fromsoft history, dodging in getting 2 hits switching to 2nd form with a big attack, getting maybe 1-2 more hits switching back to first form with a massive swing or backing off and regular switching for the speed it creates an extra layer of choice to combat, I’ll say that most of my weapon switching came mid fight either taking the risk on a big switch attack swing or regular switching for speed after I got my combo out
I will continue my opinion that you don't like the setting because it reminds you of the UK and then you get depressed.
I have a love/hate relationship with BB. The lore is absolutely brilliant and it's immensely satisfying to beat down bosses but the gun parry system makes my arthritic hands scream in agony at the thought of another playthrough.
you could just not parry. i spend entire playthrouyghs never parrying a boss. i personally have pretty slow reflexes due to a few medical issues, so I just don't rely on parrying as it's very hit and miss whether i'll stun them or get insta killed for missing and getting blasted in the face lol
Run an arcane build and use the flame sprayer.
Game becomes more like you're just a guy doing his nightly rounds of pest control.
Im going to summarize the games for you:
Demon souls: souls, souls, demons, souls, grass, souls
Dark Souls: lords, lords, souls, curse, lords, undead, souls, souls
Bloodborne: blood, nightmare, nightmare, blood, eyes, blood, blood, beasts, blood
Sekiro: dragon, immortality, dragon, shinobi, dragon, dragon heir, immortality
Elden Ring: runes, maidens, runes, demigods, demigods, tree, gold, gold, grace
Armored core: pew pew, boom, pew, ratatatata, pew pew
I have a similar gripe with this video as the previous one. You make a lot of good minor points that made me think harder about the combat design but youre so focused on the setting because that's your most important issue. But as funny as BLOOD BLOOD NIGHTMARE BLOOD is, no amount of saying "the setting is not to my taste" in different ways will make that an actual criticism. Its completely valid for you to not like it, but that doesn't make it a flaw.
15:11 some of the weapons do function as if they were 2 independent weapons, at least two function as guns, some function as buffs and other things. It is also extremely important context that bloodborne came out before Dark Souls 3. Ergo trick weapons became weapon arts, not the other way around.
Sorry Lenny I love you but way too much waffling at the start. It's not for u but u know it's cool, that shouldn't take 15 minutes. Really do love you bro but just look at how to edit your script
Blud is wafflin on
I think the trick weapon thing is a combination of a lot of factors rather than any 1 thing. If it were to be put down to one thing for me, it would be it looks cool, and therefore feels fun, especially using the transform combo. But as you’ve said; you get effectively 2 upgrades instead of 1, so you’re going to be playing with both and are more LIKELY to switch up your play style depending on the enemy, as opposed to how in dark souls you’ll just use the one. In the other games, to switch between 2 weapons, you’re either going to have to sacrifice equip load for not much benefit, or you have to go into the menu every time you want to swap, which is just a pain, and honestly to me never feel worth it. Outside a fog gate, sure, but when something’s chasing me? Not a chance, especially if making that change again means I have to change other things for the sake of equip load. It means that at basically no cost, you have a much bigger pool of moves and strategies you ca. apply in a way that feels fluid, natural and fun, for new or old players alike. So yeah, there’s nothing “crazy” or particularly game changing about it, but it just gives a better game experience with the weapons in my opinion, especially since (for the most part) every weapon is good enough that any player can use them as their main weapon for the whole game unlike how in dark souls you can pick up a lot of weapons that basically suck (idk something like the whip). So while there aren’t many, it’s a fantastic selection
- A trick weapons enjoyer
Complains about a game that has a setting that isn't for everyone
Loves Dark Souls
LOGIC 100 :')
When it comes to the trick weapons, I feel like one thing nobody is bringing up is that since the trick weapons are 2 weapons in 1, you get to freely hold 4 different weapons all at the same time with no penalty. I love that sm
bloodborne was my very first souls game. even then, I also found myself enjoying it a lot more on repeat playthroughs. It has a lot of quirks that take time to grow on you (or take time for you to learn how to tolerate).
What I love about the trick weapon, mainly talking about Ludwig's holy blade, is you can always punish with ease from both weapons. The light weapon you use the pistol, and with the heavy sword, besides hitting like a truck, you can use the augur to get easy guard breaks for ripostes. Being allowed to always play aggressive but focus in on an enemy type and not hinder your tactics is phenomenal
The eldritch horror never spoke to me until i got through my 2nd playthrough i mainly loved the game because it was werewolves and and just beastly creatures i didnt start liking the Cthulhu esc bosses then but i always enjoyed fighting them now i just love everything about this game, I have over 500 hours put into it proudly and im still working on getting 100% for the DLC but im happy that this was my first ever platinum and that playstation actually records when you get trophies. I can always look back to the days when i was in highschool when life was easier and enjoy killing some beasties while at it whenever i boot this game up. Glad that you changed your mind on things my dude.
Trick weapons - what about the stake driver? I used it throughout my Gordon Ramsey play through and since it’s charged R2 changes it’s form I would be forced to combo the transformation back into another R2 unless I wanted slash damage from the long version. So it has two transformation attacks and forces a different play style compared to other weapons. Maybe adding another transform attack to all weapons could fix this in the future
He's starting to believe
I'm so glad lenny and his estranged uncle made up.
Another difference between DS weapon switching and BB trick weapons, is that if you want to run two different weapons in DS, like your example of the sword and hamme, you need to modify your build for it. You'd need the carry weight to carry both weapons, and the stats to use both weapons. While with BB trick weapons, you have two weapons for the price of one, with no need to change up your build to accommodate both.
I know how you feel, for me the Monster hunter series has everything I can possibly think of what I want in a action RPG, but for some reason I cant get into it. the only thing I can think of why for this would be the information overload. I try every few months to get into playing the game but I feel like I haven't scratched surface of the mechanics of the games and get bored after an hour or so. Monster hunter is series I want to get into but just cant.
Oh man the Brain of Mensis is REALLY fuckin cool!
It does float down
On trick weapons, the mode switch depends on the weapon in question. I use primarily what I consider one of the most impactful mode switches, the Threaded Cane. The switching and switch attacks both come into play when having to do crowd control, with the cane mode to chunk down a single isolated enemy quickly before slashing at a near-by crowd with the whip mode, or using the extended long whip poke transformation that is longer range than any other attack from either mode.
The real issue is that the entire game can't be a mixed test of isolated enemies alongside crowd control, so the main benefit of switching mid combat rarely has its chance to shine, especially as the game goes longer and more about one-on-one encounters.
It's nice to see people admit they changed their mind. Most people are too stubborn or embarassed to do that. I actually change my mind on things all the time. Games I didn't give a chance originally or watching movies and either hating or loving them then watching a whole bunch of stuff and reviews that helps me see it in a different way. Sometimes making me dislike something I liked, sometimes affirming my dislike, other times causing me to like something more or even change my mind on whether I disliked it or not. It can also just be fun seeing other people tear something apart, especially if I hated it myself. My friend is constantly telling me that I'm just letting other people make my opinion for me, like how everyone hates critics because they say bad things about something you like. He refuses to watch reviews or critiques on anything. I don't see it that way though, I'm fully able to make my own decisions on my likes and dislikes. Infact one of the critics I watch frequently typically has the opposite opinion to me but it's interesting to see their point of view, even if I usually don't agree with it.
15:33, to your credit, in my first play through of blood born I did not switch my weapon all too often. I mostly just stuck to the short sword version of the kerk hammer or the holy blade. So I will give you that, but I feel that the way you describe peoples weapon switching is tied to an experience in bloodbornes combat. To preface, I am not saying that you are an experienced a Bloodborne‘s combat; but, I have shown many people the game and seen that exact same thing that your describing. But by there 2nd-3rd playthrough, they almost somehow magically pick up switching mid-combat among other things.
I want to give my own two cents about the trick weapons. I always carry a DMC kind of mentality with me into most everything I play, where I like making my own combos, and keeping things flashy and stylish for just my own enjoyment. Which is why I can say that I completely love it. The slightly more in depth movesets for each form, and the fact that on top of two forms, I can have a second weapon with its own two forms at my disposal with just another press of a button, give me a lot of options for what I can do within each encounter, as well as how I can prepare. For example, switching to the blades of mercy when a big attack is coming so I can hit with that roll+R2 when I dodge through it.
Not really the most normal use case but one of the things that makes me glad we have options, that lets everyone play how they feel. I don't think the game was designed for my style, but it does still allow for it.
Not trying to make any particular point, because I do know that I'm not going about my game the most practical way.
Bb is mid play sopffo
@@litt420 I have both games.
I like switching in combat during combos based on how the enemies are either closing or creating distance from me.
Which...I feel is the reason it's there.
For the sake of pvp, to keep things frenetic and fluid.
But yeah. Go ahead. Have your own beliefs.
This is kind of doing exactly what you said at the end of the segment, but personally, my favourite way i've played bloodborne is directly contrasting what you said regarding weapon switching, and specifically the Chikage.
I'm sure a lot of people do just use it in the transformed mode, for the extra damage and mitigate the self-damage by healing, but to me the fun of using it is transforming when i'm able to get a few good hits in, then transforming back to take the least self-damage. But for a majority of the other weapons in the game I rarely do transform the weapon mid combo.
But the Chikage is one where I think its a small expression of player skill in getting the most out of the weapon, while reducing the downsides as much as possible.
Great video Lenny, can't wait for the next one in a year where you announce Bloodborne is your favourite fromsoft game.
i think the reason trick weapons are cool is because you dont have to change your build to have 2 weapons that play differently. the kirkhammer for example. you get a fast dex-like sword that can transform into a huge str hammer. you have all of that scaling purely with JUST strength. the blood gems (while way too grindy imo) do give you way more variety to your builds as well without having to make an entire build around going down that path. transform attacks also add another layer to combos in this game, which is something i love over dark souls combat because it actually encourages you to think about effective use of your weapon instead of just falling into the R1 spam and the occasional R2. the saw cleaver has an incredible combo in with you transform several times in the combo to keep up the stagger and get more damage and range on it, and it feels satisfying to get that full 5 hit combo off when its executed properly.
I can kinda agree about the trick weapons. I think they're cool in design, being more fantastical weapons than real ones, but functionally the only thing trick weapons have over tapping right to change weapons is that you're getting 2 for 1 value out of weapon upgrades, which isn't a huge deal. And pretty much, the trick weapon system is like a proto weapon art system they used in later games, as some weapons like Boom Hammer and Tonitrus merely enchant themselves rather than change form. And it's true, I really just choose one form of a weapon and stick to it for the most part. Amygdala arm in transformed state because it deals far more damage because its R2 has a cool combo to it dealing Arcane damage too. Kos Parasite in transformed state because why bother using untransformed?
I wish the chalice dungeons would make a come back with more polish just for virtually endless content and pvp grounds. I doubt it'll be added to elden ring, but with the assets they have they could easily do something with it.
Funny enough, I got the full package version of each souls game so they came preloaded with dlc, with the exception of elden ring. PS4 being region-free enables anyone to import the UK's GOTY edition of Bloodborne if they wanna buy the game for a reasonable full-package experience. I think Orphan of Kos stands out because unlike other games, bloodborne has a more limited selection of playable options. So you can't do something like go get havel's armor and just poise everything, adding to the challenge being a more narrow experience that expects you to improve with what few tools you have at your disposal than to find a dominant strategy.
My personal gripe with bloodborne is that it's only about 1/3 the size of any other souls game. It felt like it was finally getting started when it suddenly ended, which was a bit disappointing. I'm also not a fan of being 1-or-2 shot by everything in the game, but that extends to DS3 as well.
Y'know lenny, this is a very good and complete re-review of the game. I totally agree with you on many points. Especially that of the setting. It doesn't help that the game does nothing (or very minimal) to explain any of the story, you just have gruesome blood in front of you and you have to kill god.
The one part that feels misunderstood is that of the weapon switching.
Whilst I agree switching mid-combat does feel clunky at times, I also think that the switching was never meant to be a complete change of your fighting style mid-combo in between the legs of your enemy. More so another move or two to your combo before resting and re-engaging. You do, in fact, have to take a break after switching because that often comes in towards the end of your stamina bar.
Take the Holy Moonlight Sword for example, I normally begin with it untransformed since it has a disgustingly long-range stab with R2. I start with that, move in with 1-2 L1's then perform my switch attack to now use the magic side. At this point, I am pretty low on the stamina, so I usually back off. However, I now have my magic side which I can engage with an R2 long range hit, do a few L1's, then do the giga-staggering switch attack back to base-form.
Another example is the chikage (which I see you use a lot). Again same thing, one two L1's followed by a switch attack and some more L1's before backing off. Engage with a few light attacks then switch back. This is especially necessary with the chikage since you don't want to lose too much health from it, and you can charge the switch attack to deal insane damage.
I think you really used the wrong weapon, the kirkhammer, to demonstrate this since it's probably the weapon with the greatest change in playstyle with switching forms. Its tiny, quick sword compared to the gigantic, burly hammer just isn't a fair comparison. That one is genuinely a quick few attacks, disengage, switch, rethink.
Most of the other weapons have similar "weights" to them in both forms. The HMS does the same level of staggering and its swings take the same amount of time regardless of the forms. Only the magic side offers you ranged magic, whilst the normal side offers you a very long stab (on top of the much needed enemy stagger). The chikage moves the same in both forms as well. The saw-spear moves a little slower in extended form, but offers you a bit more range. Same with the hunter axe etc. They all have a predictable change, with a useful effect.
What I'm trying to say is that the switching between weapons (seemingly) was always meant as an addition to your combo. Which you would then use for extra damage before backing off and resting a bit. But in that time, you wouldn't switch forms. You'd remain in the switched form to re-engage (albeit slightly differently) and combo again with the switch. Though both forms can have different effects that may be situational, both should be and are applicable in the vast majority of scenarios. You never truly disengage to switch your weapon or whatever, just to regain stamina to continue the combo-ing.
And that's what bloodborne is: a high-paced high-risk high-reward action-rpg that focuses on tight, precise movement and extended, smooth combos between both forms of each weapon. You never disengage, just reposition and rest in between the enemy's attacks. And I think most players are able to figure this out on their own. Maybe not to a deep enough level where they can use each weapon optimally, but to just enough where most weapons can become viable in their hands, and they can learn any weapon.
On the weapon switch mechanic: I personally like it because it gives me options. Mid-combo or before combat, doesn't matter - the option is always there. Before I played DS1 and Bloodborne, I played Monster Hunter and mained Switch Axe. What I love about the switch axe, is that I can decide mid-combo "the monster went away a little further? Gonna pull out a wider swing" and other stuff like that and fluidly do it. I'd almost call it a bit of "creative expression" because you can just do it or not do it, developing a bit of a style. I like DS1 combat as well, but for different reasons - patience and positioning. I don't like DS3 (or Elden Ring for that matter) combat because it's as fast as Bloodborne, arguably faster, but without the options or the fluid style of Bloodborne's trick weapons. Yeah, you can kinda switch weapons mid-combat but does it look cool or is it practical? Not really, no.
I totally agree about the chalices though. I only really dove deep into them when I went for Platinum but I enjoyed most of it - except for the hunting of incredients, because these aren't things you just find lying around like you'd expect for the endless generating of random dungeons - no, they are an actual grind potentially and they are the reason why I usually don't bother diving too deep on new playthroughs. They also only make sense to fully do if you're planning on NG+ with that character, which I actually rarely do (I like fresh chars more), but that can actually be counted as a plus, since it gives another incentive to *do* NG+
Mainly on the trick weapon's and their trick attacks: Yeah, it's fair to say that not many people use them for the majority of weapons due to the attacks sometimes missing or being too slow to catch an enemy and you get hit out of the attack animation instead. With that said, there are weapons in the game that utilize their trick attacks really well, such as the Beasthunter Saif, the Saif's trick attacks act as dodges that also have a hitbox and allow for some great combos and can get you out of stick situations that a regular dodge cannot.
I'm not sure how to feel about the trick weapon swaps. Personally, I use ALL of them no matter the weapon. Bloodborne's gameplay is MADE to reward keeping on your enemy, keeping up your health regain from hits. In fact, my favourite weapon is the Beast Hunter Saif, actually able to evade and rush forwards for a single hit if you have the skill to do so with it's transformation attacks. I really enjoy the ability to have another choice for closing that gap Bloodborne asks for.
The thing about becoming a fan of a thing is that you've already penetrated the first layers of the thing to appreciate the really good stuff in it. In fact, those first few layers might be so easy for you to get through that you barely comprehend that you got through said layers to begin with. You might begin to resent people who can't enjoy the thing the way you do, figuring that those layers being a barrier to their enjoyment must be an excuse! Clearly, they're just not trying hard enough! But that's not the case.
Like, for me, I don't like "generic" fantasy settings. If it has elves and dwarves and fairies and magic then I just can't get invested in that world like many others can. If it has a really unique twist then _maybe_ I can start to care. But it's a shame because plenty of things use that kind of setting without any further twists to tell fantastic stories! Lord of the Rings is the most baseline for modern fantasy you can get, and yeah it's pretty cool! D&D is also a neat game that focusses mainly on "generic" fantasy stuff until you get much deeper into it and get Mindflayers and other interesting, abominable shit. But I for one can't appreciate these things in the same way so many others can because I just don't have that same love for the setting. It just doesn't gel with me the same.
So yeah, I understand this feeling. Sometimes a barrier to complete enjoyment is truly impenetrable, no matter how fairly you manage to look at the thing otherwise. Pushing yourself any further to like it would only build resentment again. Thanks for giving BB a fair go!
My biggest problem with Bloodbourne is that i have no Ps4.
I mainly use threaded cane and use different weapon styles all the time I focus on one enemy and when more show up I use the whip sweep switch up and then kill the pack
The overarching concept is neat: "THIS is why you don't mess with beings beyond your comprehension - they'll retaliate in ways beyond your comprehension."
Also, I have a counter to your "trick weapons aren't that different to just switching weapons in DS" thing which *isn't* "i personally switch them all the time". I'm honestly kinda surprised this isn't a major argument.
In bloodborne, you don't have *two* weapons you can switch between a little more fluidly than the ones in Dark Souls. You have FOUR!
Like, seriously, this is a huge deal! In Dark Souls, maybe you have a longsword with good DPS for most situations, and then a dagger or rapier for when you get a riposte, OR a spear for good long range damage when you don't want to get close, OR a hammer for high single-attack damage and good stagger. But what you don't have is all of those at the same time. Meanwhile, in bloodborne, I have the beasthunter saif, which has huge DPS against a single target and fantastic mobility to boot, the transformed beasthunter with a huge arc of damage for squishy swarms of multiple enemies, the beastcutter for big single attack damage and great stagger, and the transformed beastcutter for decent damage output significantly out of my normal range, all at the same time!
Like, every weapon in bloodborne is already balanced around "how do these two different forms synergise with each other. And yeah, I get that in some ways, that limits freedom, because in Dark Souls it's on *you* to find which two weapons synergise. But you still get that freedom in bloodborne, it's just that now you're essentially deciding how a predefined set of two synergetic weapons synergise with *another* set of two synergetic weapons.
My first playthrough of Bloodborne my final two weapons were the burial blade and the holy moonlight sword. Despite being pretty bad at PVP, I got a couple of kills just based on the fact that nobody really expected me to switch from a "high dex dependent quick attacking weapon with great reach" to a "slow, high DPS weapon with a fast moving projectile". None of the other games can offer something quite like that.
"Babe wake up new ZeroLenny dropped."
Just kidding it was more like "babe wake up and help me feed the twin preemies."