Bloodborne PS4 Guide: 13 Essential Tips To Know Before Starting

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Bloodborne joins PlayStation Plus as a free title for March 2018, welcoming newcomers to From Software’s gothic horror masterpiece. As a spiritual successor to the Souls series, this action-RPG maintains similar difficulty curves while introducing revolutionary combat mechanics. The crucial distinction lies in Bloodborne’s emphasis on aggressive positioning and rapid retaliation rather than the methodical, shield-based defense of its predecessors.

Veteran Souls players should avoid skipping tutorial content entirely. The visceral attack mechanic requires precise timing that differs significantly from parrying in Dark Souls. Even experienced players may struggle to consistently execute these high-damage techniques without proper understanding of the timing windows. The regain system, which allows health recovery through counterattacks, transforms combat pacing completely from the Souls formula.

This guide provides essential knowledge for both series newcomers and returning hunters, detailing advanced mechanics and tactical approaches that will dramatically improve your survival chances during the treacherous opening hours. For comprehensive gameplay coverage, consult our Complete Guide to master fundamental systems.

Current community revitalization makes this the perfect time to experience Bloodborne. Multiplayer activity surges during PlayStation Plus releases, ensuring abundant co-op assistance and PvP encounters. If you seek deeper analysis of the game’s design, our full review explores the intricate world-building and combat refinement that defines this acclaimed title.

Upon reaching the Hunter’s Dream following your initial demise, you’ll select from Bloodborne’s three signature starting weapons. Each combination includes a primary melee implement and complementary firearm, establishing your foundational combat approach for the coming challenges.

Confronting Yharnam’s monstrous inhabitants demands careful weapon consideration. Your choice significantly impacts early-game survival probability and combat effectiveness against various enemy types.

• Saw Cleaver — This versatile weapon provides exceptional balance between speed and power. Its transformed state extends reach for safer spacing, while the compact mode enables rapid successive strikes. Ideal for players seeking adaptable combat options without specialization commitment. The serrated edge deals bonus damage against beast-type enemies, a crucial advantage in early areas.
• Hunter Axe — Emphasizing raw destructive power, this heavy axe compensates for slower animation speed with substantial damage output. The two-handed transformed mode features a sweeping charged R2 attack that can stagger multiple opponents simultaneously, creating valuable breathing room in overwhelming situations.
• Threaded Cane — This elegant weapon trades direct damage for exceptional crowd control capabilities. The whip form maintains impressive range while covering wide arcs, perfect for managing groups of weaker enemies. Its thrusting attacks in cane form are effective against specific enemy vulnerabilities. For detailed weapon progression, see our Weapons Unlock guide for advanced customization.

Common beginner mistakes include overcommitting to slow weapon attacks without understanding enemy attack patterns, or underestimating the importance of weapon transformation mid-combat. Advanced players should practice quick transformation attacks (L1 during combos) for unexpected damage bursts.

Bloodborne’s combat system rewards precision and aggression simultaneously. Mastering the visceral attack requires shooting enemies during their attack animations, creating a staggered state that enables a devastating close-range riposte. Practice timing against slower enemies like brick trolls to develop muscle memory for this essential technique.

The regain mechanic encourages continuous engagement rather than retreat. When damaged, a portion of lost health appears orange on your health bar – attacking enemies quickly during this window recovers the temporary health. This system fundamentally changes resource management from the estus flask approach of Dark Souls.

Strategic positioning remains critical despite the aggressive combat emphasis. Environmental awareness often determines survival more than raw reaction speed. Use narrow corridors to funnel enemies and prevent encirclement, especially when facing Yharnam’s mobs of townsfolk.

Optimization tips include learning enemy attack tells for perfect dodges, managing stamina consumption to maintain evasion capability, and understanding which weapon forms work best against specific boss types. Your character build should complement your chosen weapon’s scaling attributes – consult our Class Guide for stat allocation strategies that maximize damage output.

Time estimates for mastering core mechanics: Basic combat proficiency requires 2-3 hours, consistent visceral attacks take 5-6 hours to master, and advanced techniques like transformation combos may take 8-10 hours to implement reliably during intense encounters.

Maintaining your arsenal in peak condition should become second nature rather than waiting for durability alerts. Weapon performance doesn’t simply fail completely but experiences progressive degradation with each successive impact. Regular maintenance at the Hunter’s Dream workshop requires minimal investment but delivers maximum combat effectiveness. Proactive weapon care prevents unexpected performance drops during critical encounters.

While transforming your Trick Weapon with L1 while stationary displays impressive animations, the real combat advantage emerges when you weave transformations directly into attack sequences. During offensive maneuvers, pressing L1 executes a transformation attack that seamlessly shifts your weapon between modes while maintaining assault momentum. This technique proves invaluable when enemy positioning changes abruptly, allowing continuous pressure without combat interruption.

Bloodborne incorporates precision counter mechanics reminiscent of high-speed action titles, offering brief windows to incapacitate foes for massive damage. Perfectly timed firearm discharges during enemy attack animations can stagger opponents, indicated by distinctive metallic audio cues. The timing varies between adversaries but typically aligns with their strike initiation phases. Notably, the second boss becomes vulnerable during specific movement patterns like forward rolls.

Stunned enemies remain incapacitated long enough for approximately six consecutive melee strikes before recovering. When positioned directly adjacent to a kneeling foe, you can perform a powerful visceral attack that typically eliminates standard enemies instantly and inflicts substantial damage on boss creatures.

The opening Yharnam district presents a complex, maze-like environment within a broader urban landscape. Initial exploration requires patience, but repeated navigation reveals the area’s condensed nature despite initial impressions of vastness. The world design philosophy aligns more closely with the original Dark Souls than its sequel, emphasizing interconnected pathways and hidden shortcuts. Encountering locked barriers almost guarantees accessible routes to their opposite sides, creating efficient connections between previously distant lantern checkpoints.

Each defeated enemy increases the numerical value displayed in the upper-right interface, representing blood echoes—Bloodborne’s equivalent to Dark Souls’ souls currency. Important note: you cannot utilize blood echoes for character progression until encountering the initial boss, the Cleric Beast.

The primary risk mechanism involves permanent loss of accumulated blood echoes upon death, though recovery remains possible through specific conditions. Retrieval requires returning to your death location and confronting the same enemy groups in that vicinity. Similar to Dark Souls, a visible bloodstain marks your demise point, but interaction mechanics differ—instead of collecting from the stain itself, you must defeat a nearby enemy possessing your lost resources. Identifying this specific adversary becomes straightforward as they exhibit distinctive glowing ocular features.

Pressing up on the D-pad enables creation of additional ammunition through blood conversion, consuming a health segment in the process. However, this health reduction qualifies for Bloodborne’s unique regain system—meaning immediate offensive action against nearby enemies can recover most expended vitality. Strategic blood bullet generation provides essentially free ammunition when timed correctly with aggressive playstyles.

This straightforward maneuver often goes overlooked by novice hunters. Simply press R1 for upward strikes or R2 for downward kicks while climbing. While NPC adversaries rarely pursue via ladders, these attacks become crucial during PVP conflicts over vertical positioning. Critical warning: exhausting stamina while positioned on ladders results in fatal falls.

Throughout your journey, you’ll face enemies capable of grappling you while inflicting substantial damage during immobilization. Rapidly alternating L2 and R2 inputs accelerates escape from these holds. Additionally, your recovery state differs significantly based on input—without button mashing, you’ll collapse to the ground requiring lengthy recovery, while proper input execution throws the enemy off and enables immediate counterattacking.

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