STACK #126 Apr 2016

GAMES

FEATURE

visit www.stack.net.au

Borne to Kill The Hunt Begins

Bloodborne is going to be one of the most difficult games of 2015. It's to be expected, of course. It comes from the studio who brought you Demon's Souls and Dark Souls , a series renowned for its punishing yet rewarding gameplay. Bloodborne is a spiritual successor to these titles, but sets out to break the muscle-memory that Souls fans have learned, while challenging even the most hardcore gamer. YouTube uploaderVaatiVidya has written five tips for us to help you cope.

anonymous player to join you in the hunt. Bosses will become stronger once you summon, but in most cases, two players are better than one. With the ability to divide an enemy's attention, you should be able to use teamwork to cover each other. Be warned though... once help is summoned, invaders will find it easier to intrude upon your world. 5. If you ever find yourself stuck, don't be afraid to search for help! The difficulty of the Souls games forces many players online, so you will always be able to find resources or players to assist you. I've actually heard about this awesome YouTube channel called "VaatiVidya" who is designing a guide series... ;)

1. It's not just about avoiding hits, it's about what you do after you get hit. Bloodborne introduces a "Regain" mechanic, where you have a brief moment after taking damage to regain health you may have lost. Once hit, players are faced with a tough choice: "Do I play aggressively to regain my health and risk further damage, or do I play it safe and be okay with the health that I've lost?" In my experience, the right answer is almost always to go for it. Healing potions are limited, so you'll need to be an aggressive player to succeed in the long-term. If you're scared, remember: enemies in Bloodborne often stagger after being hit, so if you have the chance to combo together a counter attack, you should take it. 2. The two main consumables in the game are Quicksilver Bullets and BloodVials . You can carry 20 of each, and they are dropped by enemies you kill as you progress through a level. On your first few runs through a stage, you'll find that enemies drop more of these than you can carry. However, be warned. The more you attempt the same level, the less enemies will drop. If you ever find yourself with 20 Blood

Vials or Quicksilver Bullets, it's advisable to stash a bunch of them in your storage in the Hunter's Dream hub. This way, when you encounter a difficult stretch, you can fall back on your stash to help you get through it. 3. Every enemy has a weakness! Once you find it, exploit it. For example, some enemies are vulnerable after a certain attack, so bait it out and punish it. Some have very predictable, slow attacks.. so shoot them with L2 just before they strike you to initiate a parry/riposte. Some bosses even

There's nothing quite like the feeling of overcoming hardship. Enjoy. It's a bloody good time.

have weak spots, like their head or a limb. It may take you a lot of deaths to discover an enemy's weakness, but aim to learn something new every time you die. 4. In Bloodborne, you can summon help! By ringing your "Bell of Dream Summoning", you put out the call for an

• Bloodborne is out now!

APRIL 2015 JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.com.au

068