Return to Yharnam to celebrate Bloodborne’s ninth anniversary

Bloodborne is the darling of FromSoftware’s already stunning stable. The 2015 gothic horror masterpiece placed players in the shoes of a foreigner looking for a cure in a cursed city. March 24 in Japan, or March 25 in North America, marks its ninth anniversary, and I can scarcely think of a better reason to return to the bloodied and ashen streets of Yharnam.

As intoxicating as the very blood for which it’s named

Developed by FromSoftware for Japan Studio, a former subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Bloodborne made its debut exclusively on the PlayStation 4. It stepped away from🥃 the medieval inspiration and into the Victorian era. Players were encouraged to move quickly as a dash replaced rolling and aggressive gameplay was a must to recover health. Shields gave way to guns and a great sense of dread from the unknown lurked behind a malleable perception of Yharnam and the world around it.

There have been a few games that have been definitive and formative for me. Bloodborne is the second game that has compelled me to acquire a console specifically for a game, with the first being Final Fantasy VIII for the original PlayStation. Despite not being a fan of either Demon’s Souls or Dark Souls, everything about Bloodborne called to me. The oppressive gothic atmosphere, the bombastic scor🍸e filled with powerful horns and haunting strings, the lore that required extensive teasing out, and the way it forced me to confront my fears to fully appreꦬciate it.

I was terrified of Bloodborne. Death came very easily, and every new area filled me with a renewed sense of paralyzing paranoia. However, I needed to know more about this disturbed world and the creatures that shaped it. From my regular visits to Gilbert tꩵo discovering the Amygdala, I was completely under the sway of the Old Blood. For every step of bravery I put forth, I was rewarded with another morsel of exquisite lore.

I could go on and on in espousing my love for this title, but I must refrain. Instead, I entreat you to experience it for yourself. Despite not being rereleased, remaওste🐟red, or ported, you can still celebrate Bloodborne‘s ninth anniversary by playing it on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, or PlayStation Plus. Go, and find out why a Hoonter must hunt — that’s pronounced as “hoont,” by the way.