Oh, Bloodborne, why you so moreish? It's a question we've asked ourselves on far too many occasions (usually while soaked in werewolf blood) - why are the danger-filled streets of Yharnam so damn addictive? So with extra content on the horizon in the form of a new Bloodborne expansion, Edge recently sat down with game director Hidetaka Miyazaki to discuss that all-important ingredient.
"I think being able to comprehend something contains an innate fun factor," he muses in the latest issue of Edge. "See, being able to comprehend something after putting in the required effort is conducive to a fun 'Yes, I get it now!' kind of effect. If you didn't have to work for it, the experience would be far less stimulating."
So unless you're the kind of person who likes to complete Bloodborne with a Rock Band guitar for that extra hit of sadistic challenge, getting hooked on From Software's brutal slashathon is all about getting your noggin around its brutal risk/reward combat. "This is the same logical framework powering such as difficulty level and sense of fulfillment," says Miyazaki. "To feel fulfilled, you must first have a goal that needs fulfilling. At the same time, it must actually be possible to fulfill said goal."
"In order to produce the satisfaction of comprehension, there first needs to be the process of comprehension. Furthermore, the overarching idea at hands needs to be something that is actually comprehensible."
While the veteran Japanese developer does do a decent job of dissecting the meaty moreishness of Bloodborne's dark heart, he does fully admit that not every one will 'get' his unique visions. "Though, I think I'm bound to catch a bit of flack about that last bit. It's hard to gauge where that sweet spot actually is, you know? Often, I hear my ideas are more incomprehensible than not. So I guess I've got a lot of homework to do."
The latest issue of Edge, with Guitar Hero Live on the cover, is out now. Buy a copy here or subscribe to future issues.
