Why No Gothic Horror Game Lives up to Bloodborne

Why No Gothic Horror Game Lives up to Bloodborne

Contents

Bloodborne is a masterpiece for a lot reasons, but what many don’t realize is that it’s also gaming’s best example of gothic horror.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Why No Gothic Horror Game Lives up to Bloodborne

The gothic horror aesthetic has been popular for a long time. Game players, movie watchers, and even tabletop RPG groups have loved exploring dilapidated mansions filled with ghosts, abominations, and generally terrifying vibes for decades on end. Novelists have enjoyed using different takes on the setting for a couple centuries. While it may not be the most mainstream of settings in the modern era, it’s still a well-established blend of tone and terror, and a genre with a widely-recognized oppressive yet romantic style. With such a definitive look, it’s a surprise that more games haven’t tried to do gothic horror justice.

Certainly, many video games have adopted gothic horror aesthetics for one reason or another. Castlevania is a prime example, using many takes on a single gothic setting to fuel its monster-slaying action. It helps that the sophistication and tastes of a vampiric antagonist lend themselves well to the grandiose atmospheres that often dominate the central building of a gothic horror story. Other games, like MediEvil, Ghouls & Ghosts, Dark Souls, and other such fantasy horror games tend to gravitate towards the gothic horror look. However, none of them nail the gothic horror genre as a whole quite like FromSoftware’s Bloodborne did. Indeed, it’s unlikely a game quite so faithfully gothic will come out anytime soon.

Bloodborne Is The Model Gothic Horror Game

Why No Gothic Horror Game Lives up to Bloodborne

Much of why Bloodborne is the most successful gothic horror game is because it is the most faithful gothic horror game. Experiencing its story and setting is like reading a list of tropes common to gothic horror. Bloodborne seems like it could have been written by one of the famous gothic horror writers of the 20th century, exhibiting a casual mastery of the setting in a way none of its gothic brethren ever manage. It pours elements of the genre into every nook and cranny of Yharnam and its characters, even the protagonist. Believe it or not, the player’s silent create-a-character fulfills a number of tropes common in “male gothic horror” protagonists. They are quick-witted and capable, survive many circumstances that should result in their death, have vague supernatural abilities that allow them to accomplish inconceivable feats, and, of course, they are constantly surrounded by shocking amounts of blood and gore. A Hunter is the distilled essence of a gothic action-horror protagonist.

See also  Birds of Prey Ewan McGregors Black Mask Is The DCEUs Best Villain Yet

They are not the only ones who fit the mold. Bloodborne’s tone, themes, and supporting cast fit those of a gothic horror story perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that it’s easier to mention that only the “older, foolish woman” role has arguably been omitted than it is to list off every way Bloodborne otherwise conforms. Still, it’s impressive to see just how well it conforms. The Healing Church is portrayed as sinister, foolish, and impotent in crucial moments, accurate to how clergy are depicted in just about every gothic story that does not have a priest as the protagonist. The Great Ones, and their initially unseen actions, mirror the common fear of the unknown permeating gothic horror. Ruffians are plentiful, the outlook is bleak enough to make the awe-inspiring sublime elements stand out, and there is even an element of psychological overlay as the player gains Insight and the world visibly decays.

Bloodborne’s Yharnam Is The Ideal Gothic Setting

Why No Gothic Horror Game Lives up to Bloodborne

There cannot be a discussion on gothic horror without bringing up the setting. The location of a good gothic horror story is often said to mirror the rest of its elements. Castles, abbeys, monasteries, other religious sites, and sometimes the country surrounding and caves lying beneath said buildings are all common sights in gothic horror. They bring to mind grandeur with their sheer size and many details, but also ruin and decay due to their often tarnished nature. They call to mind the past, of mysteries and acts woven into the stone and dirt a long time ago. These places are the ideal mix of noble blood and just plain blood for a horror story to take place. Applying a typical adventuring format to the much more threatening night is just the cherry on top.

Bloodborne goes above and beyond the regular gothic calling by including almost every gothic setting that has ever been used, and throwing in a few of its own. From the winding, maze-like streets of Yharnam populated by odd statues and coffins, to the snake-infested depths of the Forbidden Woods, and from the bleak and twisted barrens of the Nightmare Frontier to the degrading beauty of the Astral Clocktower, every single area is united in its goal of producing a whole aesthetic. It could well be said that Bloodborne is an argument for the true versatility of the gothic horror genre, and a study in how well it meshes with cosmic horror.

See also  Why Star Trek The Original Series Was Cancelled After Season 3

Other Games Just Don’t Measure Up To Bloodborne’s Gothic Horror

Bloodborne’s all-encompassing approach to gothic horror makes it the ideal gothic horror story. Considering the classical elements regarding the setting, the “male” elements involving its horrific violence and action, and the “female” elements that involve terror and themes of horrific pregnancy and miscarriage, as well as unmasking Bloodborne’s supernatural scares (as much as the Great Ones can be in this case) as the game progresses, the game really has everything. This may not seem to be in stark contrast to other gothic horror games, but unfortunately, it’s actually quite severe. They get a lot of things right, especially in regards to gothic architecture, but there’s no competing with Bloodborne’s perfect storm.

The greatest example of this comes from the most obvious rival: Castlevania, arguably one of Bloodborne’s main inspirations. It has often been said that if one goes through Bloodborne with a whip weapon, especially the vampire-focused Cainhurst Castle (which concludes with an elaborate reference to Death and Dracula), that it feels like FromSoftware has designed a 3D Castlevania more faithful to the series’ heyday than any official 3D Castlevania. What ultimately gives Bloodborne the win in the realm of gothic horror is how the two franchises use fear, and how Castlevania, unfortunately, usually doesn’t. Entrenched in pulp monster-fighting stories, Castlevania has an overabundance of “male” gothic horror focused on overcoming physical threats and gruesome horrors. Bloodborne tempers this with terror, built up by vague discussions of its world and many small details scattered throughout. These two names to know in action-horror definitely compete, but ultimately, as with any other comparison in the realm of gothic horror, Bloodborne will come up on top.

Bloodborne is available now on PS4.

#bloodborne-gothic-horror-game/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>#bloodborne-gothic-horror-game/

Movies -