I’ve had my fair share of FromSoftware games over the years, and while I absolutely love Elden Ring and think it may be the best FromSoftware title, my favourite is still Bloodborne.
I simply love the world, tone, slightly more linear nature, and faster combat mechanics, and return to it almost every year.
Directed by the legendary Hidetaka Miyazaki in partnership with Nintendo, The Duskbloods feels like a spiritual successor of sorts to Bloodborne, although the two games are not related in any way. But given the similar style and the same developer, I really needed no convincing.
Our time with The Duskbloods Network Test over the weekend felt more like a glorified tutorial, outlining the various modes and PvPvE elements of the game, and while I feel I need more time with it, I am certainly looking forward to playing this again.
Your Friends, Your Enemies
The Duskbloods is a PvPvE experience that sees you essentially exploring certain areas and fighting AI-controlled enemies, with real players nearby. It’s certainly one of the first of its kind for the genre, and while Elden Ring Nightreign is more of a cooperative game than a competitive one, it does echo some of the snappier and more direct pacing here.
After four brief tutorials outlining the mechanics and systems of the game, we got the chance to try the Dusk Battle mode, complete with six characters to play as. We only had access to one map, but if this is the sort of size and scale we’re getting across the board, I have little to complain about.
Each match is divided into four phases: three of which see you exploring the map, defeating enemies, and collecting what the game refers to as Virtue. Avoid collecting the least amount of Virtue, and you are granted access to the next round. The fourth and final round essentially sees the remaining three players duke it out for the win, and it’s a real highlight.
There are multiple ways to collect Virtue, like defeating tougher mini-bosses out in the open world, collecting them from certain areas around the map, or from Rituals, which in the second and third rounds, grant you extra Virtue when you defeat enemies in those particular areas. If you don’t collect enough, you are ‘culled’ and sent home packing.
But there’s more. Along the way, players can also request to team up with other players, either by inviting them to help defeat certain mini-bosses to share the Virtue, or by simply requesting an Alliance with an opponent, the likes of which last only as long as you both agree to team up.
There are even Sigil quests, which help you track down enemies or opponents of interest, which also yield their own specific Virtue rewards. But no matter how you get it, Virtue is all you need to progress to the next round.
The best thing about this mode, however, is that you can progress to the final round without tackling other player-controlled opponents. Of course, enemies can still be quite tough, and a certain amount of skill is required, as with any FromSoftware game, but it gives you a fighting chance nonetheless.
Upon learning that The Duskbloods would employ this final battle in the midst of a PvPvE mode, I had several questions. But it really works incredibly well, and the servers held up their end of the bargain too. For what it’s worth, I had no real issues with lag or matchmaking, which is so crucial in a game like this.
The gameplay loop here is short, sharp and concise, leaving me jumping back in for more. The Duskbloods is doing its own thing in the best way possible, and we can’t wait to see more.
Tricks of the Trade
The best thing about The Duskbloods, apart from its new and refreshing mode, is simply how good it feels to play. It’s more a blend of Elden Ring and Bloodborne, complete with faster pacing and the ability to combine a number of special attacks with standard combinations.
You also feel much faster and much more agile, with the ability to jump much higher and chain together three jumps to cross greater distances. You’ll have access to a light, heavy and ranged attack, with a standard blocking ability. Dodging is also just as essential, but The Duskbloods has changed the stamina bar to now only be drained by various moves like sprinting and dodging, meaning your attacks can be used as often as you like.
The six unique characters each have their own appearance and abilities, but I stuck with Albert, who used a standard sword, in conjunction with a small machine gun for ranged attacks. His special abilities involved blood- and light-based attacks, and given that’s how I played both Bloodborne and Elden Ring, it felt the most familiar.
Anyone who has played a FromSoftware game will probably feel right at home here, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Your character, also known as a Bloodsworn, will gain access to passive abilities and weapon affinities to help you level up with each passing round.
If you’re feeling up to it, you can proceed to a Ritual Site in the second and third rounds, which offer more powerful abilities, but also draw in other players at the same time.
Given you can still go about avoiding other players while gaining enough Virtue and levelling up your weapons and abilities, The Duskbloods nails this delicate balance between racing for the most Virtue and simply staying alive.
Thoughts So Far
Overall, I absolutely loved my time with The Duskbloods Network test over the weekend, and feel like it’s mechanically as strong and satisfying as any FromSoftware game, but only bolstered by this newer PvPvE multiplayer mode.
That being said, it still feels like there’s so much we don’t know, or at least have yet to discover, which might just be the best part.
Either way, Nintendo Switch 2 owners certainly have something to look forward to when The Duskbloods drops later this year.
Featured header image provided by the publisher.
