The Duskbloods, FromSoftware’s unexpected Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, has sparked the fires of familiarity for many fans of the studio’s older work. Indeed, from the very first frames ofThe Duskbloods' reveal trailer, parallels were being drawn between it andBloodborne, FromSoftware’s 2015 PS4 exclusive, and one of the studio’s best releases in the eyes of many.
Naturally, some of the comparisons betweenThe DuskbloodsandBloodborneare a bit overblown—the former exhibits some clear differences from the latter, both in terms of gameplay and world-building—but one could be forgiven for assuming that the pair were spiritually linked. They both channel clear Gothic influence, hearkening back to the likes of Van Helsing and Nosferatu, althoughBloodbornetakes a Lovecraftian turn that is decidedly distinct from these progenitors, whileThe Duskbloodsappears to be leaning into vampiric lore. But however different the two ultimately are,The Duskbloodsshouldn’t be afraid of unavoidable comparisons to FromSoftware’s previous work.Bloodborneis considered one of the studio’s best games, after all.
Interestingly enough,Bloodbornewas also a console exclusive, just likeThe Duskbloods—yet another, albeit unexpected, parallel between the two titles.
Bloodborne Comparisons Are Inevitable, So The Duskbloods Should Roll With Them
The Duskbloods Should Subvert Bloodborne Expectations, but Not Totally Run From Them
For better or worse,The Duskbloodswill continue to drawBloodbornecomparisons ahead of, and likely even after, its release. This happened withLies of P, which many still consider something of aBloodborneclonedespite being notably dissimilar to the 2015 classic, so a Gothic soulslike game developed by FromSoft itself is even more likely to be seen as a spiritual successor. And although novelty and originality should always be praised (and expected, when it comes to FromSoftware games), being similar to an older work doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
TakeElden Ring, for instance: the 2022 best-seller has often been called “open-worldDark Souls,” and while this is a bit reductive, it’s also poignant. Despite a number of mechanical differences,Elden Ringdoes ultimately have a lot in common withDark Souls, with the same broad-strokes approach to combat, encounter design, gear economy, and boss design. One can even draw a clear line between olderDark Soulssystems and their equivalents inElden Ring, likeDark Souls 3’s weapon arts andElden Ring’s Ashes of War. In fact, it could be argued thatElden Ringis the culmination of everything that FromSoftware learned from working on theDark Soulstrilogy, perfecting the most important aspects of the seminal action-RPG franchise and dropping them into a masterfully designed open-world. Perhaps the same could be said aboutBloodborneandThe Duskbloods.
The Duskbloods Could Offer a Unique Bloodborne-Adjacent Experience
As previously mentioned,The Duskbloodswill be distinct fromBloodbornein a number of key ways. Even at this early stage, it’s clear that elements like the PvPvE structure ofDuskbloodswill be a departure from the mostlysingle-playerBloodborne, and while the Gothic influence is strong in this upcoming title, it looks to be leveraging steampunk concepts to a far greater degree. This is evident in the imagery of the reveal trailer, such as a fully-functioning train and a Rocketeer-like character who uses rocket propulsion in an iron suit.
Perhaps the ideal outcome would be forThe Duskbloodsto be unabashedlyBloodborne-esque, with similar dark themes and Gothic aesthetics, but with its own unique mechanical and lore aspects. In this way,Duskbloodscould be like theElden RingtoBloodborne’sDark Souls: a refined, unique spin on the broad-strokes stylistic elements of its progenitor. Like with most things in the world of gaming, audiences will just have to wait and see.
WHERE TO PLAY
Developed for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, The Duskbloods is a PvPvE title with online multiplayer at its core, where up to 8 players vie for supremacy among themselves and against challenging foes.
Play as the “Bloodsworn”; a group that has transcended human strength thanks to their special blood, and throw yourself into a violent fray for “First Blood” as the twilight of humanity approaches.
