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Bloodborne
Action RPGs Bloodborne looks almost unrecognizable in these "never-before-seen design planning maps and alpha layouts," showing FromSoftware's evolution of an iconic hidden shortcut
A screenshot of Orphan of Kos in its introductory cutscene in Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC.
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  1. Games
  2. Action Rpg
  3. Bloodborne

9 signs you're playing too much Bloodborne

Features
By Justin Towell published 15 April 2015

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Ah, welcome home, good hunter!

Ah, welcome home, good hunter!

Bloodborne, eh? What a game. I've personally finished it once and am halfway through my first NG+ experience. Still finding new things, still in absolute awe of its design. Still hurrying home after work, too, so that I can get back into its wonderful world. But I fully admit, that magical weekend when I went from level 60-something to 80-something and finished the game, I might have been playing it what some call 'excessively'.

And that's when I realised I was seeing the world differently. This happens to me sometimes, as I'm sure it does to you. Playing too much Tony Hawk back in the day made me view city streets as potential trick zones. Playing Oblivion made me see hallucinatory 'theft hands' over the contents of my parents' larder. Playing GTA made me look at parked cars as potential... OK, never mind that one. Bloodborne? Well, let's see if any of these sound familiar. If so, you might be playing a little too much...

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
It's too sunny to see Bloodborne but you still want to play it

It's too sunny to see Bloodborne but you still want to play it

It's a beautiful day and the sun is blazing down while fluffy clouds scud across the azure skies. But you're indoors, squinting at the screen, trying to see Bloodborne. You can just about make out that you've got 2x Fire Paper ready to rock. Maybe it's time you went outside? Nah, time to close the blinds, mate.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
You've started carrying Post-its with you

You've started carrying Post-its with you

There is always potential for a note. The pathway up to the old people's home, for example (reeks of elderly). The door to the men's toilets (see above). The bowling alley (time for rolling). You can leave helpful notes everywhere you go. And most people will consider them fine.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Large church interiors make you feel nervous

Large church interiors make you feel nervous

Surely an energy bar or three is about to appear at the bottom of your vision and something big and nasty is about to jump out. This also extends to not trusting any clergymen. You may also consider asking your local priest what his favourite song is, so you can have it in your phone. Just in case he tries to kill you.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Lanterns always mean there's someone worth talking to nearby

Lanterns always mean there's someone worth talking to nearby

If there's a door in your street that has a lantern like this one outside it, then you should be able to tap on their window. If they scold you and tell you to get lost, that's perfectly acceptable. Just keep tapping until they repeat themselves, then come back later when you have more information that may be of use to them.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
You expect someone to help you when you ring a bell

You expect someone to help you when you ring a bell

Obviously if you're really rich, you already have one of these. In which case... lend us a fiver, yeah?

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
You're suddenly terrified of lecture theatres

You're suddenly terrified of lecture theatres

You can study from home, right? Yeah. Much safer. Although you admit that regularly revisiting a lecture theater will give you better character in the long-run.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
All other games seem trivial

All other games seem trivial

Bloodborne's world is so well designed, its lore so absorbing and its graphics so convincing, it feels like a grown-up video game. It feels like it means something. Like you're actually inside a masterpiece work of gothic fiction. And then you load up any other game, in particular third or first-person actioners, and it's just not the same.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
You've started taking gold cups into the local cemetary

You've started taking gold cups into the local cemetary

If you've been thinking 'that sounds like me' all the way through this feature, that's OK. Up until now. If you have found yourself taking a golden chalice to a graveyard, filling it with ritual blood and all kinds of strange arcane objects (bloodshot eyes, for instance), hoping to be transported to a chalice dungeon, you have definitely been playing too much Bloodborne. And don't worry, you WILL find yourself in a dungeon-like cell. Probably minus a vacuous spider, but you never know.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
You can't walk anywhere populated without your right index finger twitching

You can't walk anywhere populated without your right index finger twitching

That man approaching on the same side of the street? He'll be in range of a charged R2 attack in about six seconds. WHOA didn't expect that lady to come out of that doorway just then. R1! R1! Ah, no, they're real people. Don't need to attack any of them. Got it. OH MY GOD THAT DOG SAW ME. Heal! heal! No, not 'heel'...

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
CATEGORIES
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Justin Towell
Justin Towell
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Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.

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Bloodborne
Bloodborne looks almost unrecognizable in these "never-before-seen design planning maps and alpha layouts," showing FromSoftware's evolution of an iconic hidden shortcut
A screenshot of Orphan of Kos in its introductory cutscene in Bloodborne's The Old Hunters DLC.
Bloodborne's notoriously difficult Orphan of Kos fight even gave Elden Ring legend Let Me Solo Her a run for his money, who agrees it's "definitely the hardest boss" in the action RPG
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree final boss Radahn stares into the camera, holding a sword in each hand.
With over 6,600 hours on PS5 alone, Elden Ring player claims to have more Malenia and Consort Radahn kills than nearly anyone – and has quietly been uploading videos for years
Elden Ring: Nightreign launch trailer
Elden Ring's legendary no-hit saxophone player is having a tough time with Nightreign, which he says is "one of the hardest games I've ever dooted"
Elden Ring Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign player beats the final boss solo using nothing but a bell, after presumably giving the guy tinnitus by ringing it so many times
Elden Ring Nightreign screenshot of three characters walking side by side
Elden Ring Nightreign wizard accidentally discovers 4-perk stack that turns the game into Vampire Survivors bullet heaven
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