The long-awaited Elden Ring is the next iteration of FromSoftware’s line of role-playing games, and the inspiration it takes from the developer’s previous games is quite evident - Bloodborne in particular, if Elden Ring's recent launch trailer is anything to go by. While 2009’s Demon’s Souls originated many of the mechanics that have appeared in FromSoftware’s games in the intervening years, it was Dark Souls that truly inspired over a decade of successors. If its two sequels or the existence of an entire Soulslike genre aren’t proof of that, fans’ attitudes towards the game should be. Dark Souls' main claim to fame is its difficulty, a challenge that for some players can make Soulslikes scary and even off-putting. For players who enjoy this struggle, however, these games offer an immensely satisfying gameplay experience where mastery is its own reward, and Bloodborne added a number of thematic and artistic twists that seem to have inspired Elden Ring, at least in part.
The Dark Souls series and its siblings have, of course, undergone changes in the past decade. Some commonalities are always present - an emphasis on deliberate actions in combat, dramatic boss fights with terrifying monsters and skillful combatants, and zones full of enemies that respawn whenever the player dies. But beyond the basics, each game has its own identity, leaning into specific mechanics and themes, and stories. Every game’s design draws on previous iterations to some extent, but Elden Ring invokes a particular predecessor in certain gameplay elements and thematic choices - Bloodborne.
Despite presenting a distinctly unique setting steeped in gothic and cosmic horror, 2015’s Bloodborne is clearly descended from the previous Souls games. Playing Bloodborne feels notably different than Dark Souls, however, owing primarily to several seemingly subtle mechanical changes that largely manifest in how Bloodborne treats aggression in combat. Unlike in Dark Souls, where players can guard behind shields and seek to avoid danger, combat in Bloodborne highly rewards aggression; through the Rally mechanic, players can heal a portion of health lost after taking damage by quickly striking an enemy after being hit themselves. Rather than retreating from danger, Bloodborne encourages players to stay in the fight (the game also does away with shields entirely). Combined with the game’s firearms used to stagger enemies out of attack animations, these mechanics make Bloodborne fast, fluid, and aggressive, in addition to all of its uniquely gothic art design and themes of otherworldly horror.
Elden Ring Shares Bloodborne's Aggressive Gameplay & Obsession With The Stars
While Elden Ring introduces some system changes and brings back others, gameplay is likely to occupy its own unique place amongst FromSoftware’s previous games. Regardless, comparisons can be drawn, and Elden Ring looks like it will share Bloodborne’s push for aggressive combat. While the Rally mechanic appears to be missing, the Guard Counter mechanic allows players to quickly switch from blocking an incoming attack to launching a counterattack of their own. Parry and riposte moves are hardly new fare for Souls games, though some players opt to ignore parrying due to the limitations of blocking and the sometimes difficult timing. Guard Countering in Elden Ring seems far more viable and may (counterintuitively) encourage greater offense when using shields.
Elden Ring also allows for a variety of ways to attack your foes. Improved jumping allows for combat applications such as jump attacks, which can better break guarding enemies, and a mechanic similar to Dark Souls 3’s Weapon Arts changes the properties of different weapons. All in all, combat is sure to allow for significant tests of skill and mastery, with Elden Ring also including punishingly difficult optional bosses.
Elden Ring's setting also looks to be drawing from Bloodborne, despite its more dark fantasy aesthetic. Astronomical magic and both otherworldly creatures and body horror appear to be major elements - far more so than Dark Souls - and fans should stop watching Elden Ring trailers if they want to avoid seeing too much of the disturbing eldritch imagery that's sure to make Bloodborne fans feel right at home. After waiting almost three years since its announcement, players will be eager to get their hands on FromSoftware’s next title. Elden Ring is poised to continue the legacy of its predecessors, and build on the more aggressive playstyles and artfully creepy atmosphere favored by Bloodborne.