The way Sony has handled the Bloodborne IP has been a great source of frustration for many. The FromSoftware-developed 2015 action RPG is widely considered to be one of the greatest games not only of its generation, but of all time, so obviously, a sequel remains in heavy demand. Those demands, however, have gone unheard for seven years- what’s more, it doesn’t even look like we’ll get a remaster, or a PC port, or hell, even a 60 FPS patch. Thankfully, the Soulslike subgenre has taken off immensely over the years, and indies have stepped up to fill the void that’s been left behind by Bloodborne. If you have a hankering for more Bloodborne, OverBorder Studio’s upcoming Soulslike action RPG Thymesia is looking like a game that may very well satisfy some of that hunger- and here, we’re going to talk about why.
THE SETTING
Bloodborne’s setting, the city of Yharnam, is a massive part of what makes the game as unforgettable of an experience as it is, and similarly, it looks like Thymesia’s own setting is also going to be a crucial part of the experience. The Kingdom of Hermes not only looks a great deal like Yharnam (more on that in a bit), it even has a similar story, where advancements in a certain field saw the kingdom flourishing for a period of time, only for those very advancements to turn out to be the cause of a sudden and catastrophic downfall. Alchemy was once Hermes’ greatest tool and seen as an answer to most (if not all) ailments, but the price, as it turned out, was too steep, and now deadly plagues sweep the land. The once-great kingdom is seeing its streets stalked by deadly monsters, and the few that have survived have locked themselves in.
SIMILAR AESTHETIC
Bloodborne’s gothic horror aesthetic is another big part of its identity, and that, too, seems to be an area where Thymesia is taking cues from FromSoftware’s masterpiece. We’ve already spoken about the similarities between the two games where the backstories of their settings are concerned, and that is, of course, going to result in very similar environments with some frequency. Thymesia’s gothic vibe of a once-great kingdom that’s now crumbling because of its own miscalculated advancements has a great deal in common with Yharnam. Of course, we’re not expecting a hundred percent overlap, but the similarities are undeniable nonetheless.
SIMILAR STORYTELLING STYLE
This, of course, can be said about pretty much every Soulslike game (or close enough, at least). Since its inception with Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls, thanks to FromSoftware’s pioneering work, this is a genre that has adopted a very specific style of storytelling, one that is more passive than direct, one that encourages players to dig into their environments, tidbits of lore, and other similar things rather than simply providing all the answers upfront. As a Bloodborne-inspired Soulslike game, it’s not surprising in the least that Thymesia also seems to be adopting that style. Implementing that style is easier said than done, of course, so here’s hoping OverBorder Studio has a good grasp on the concept. Speaking of which…
LORE
This might not necessarily be similar to Bloodborne, but it’s quite relevant to our previous point. Thymesia will see players stepping into the shoes of an amnesiac protagonist, and piecing together the past by finding more of your memories will be how you unlock the mysteries of the past. An amnesiac protagonist isn’t exactly the most original, nor is the idea of finding bits and pieces of your memories throughout the game, but when pulled off correctly, it can be a powerful storytelling tool. If it encourages players to dig into the game deeply and engage with its world and lore in a more direct fashion, it should prove to be a solid and well realized concept.
MULTIPLE ENDINGS
Here’s another area where Thymesia seems to be taking a leaf out of Bloodborne’s book- or really, most of FromSoftware’s Soulslike games. Based on how you play, explore, and engage with the game, you’ll end up with one of several endings in the game. How many endings the game has exactly remains to be seen, but we do know that which one you get will be based on whether or not you acquire specific items throughout your playthrough and which of protagonist Corvus’ memories you unlock and witness. Again, that sounds like a great way of encourage players to engage with the game on a deeper level and explore more thoroughly, so we’re optimistic about how the whole memories thing is being handled.
PLAGUE SYSTEM
This is one of the biggest things that seems to be setting Thymesia apart from others in the Soulslike genre, or Bloodborne, which very much seems like its direct inspiration. The whole premise and setting revolve around the concept of plagues and diseases in this game, and as it turns out, that’s going to bleed into the gameplay as well. Players will be able to beat special enemies and bosses and steal the plagues infesting their bodies and use them against them in the form of weapons, like scythes and claws and what have you. That sounds like an incredibly novel concept, and we’re more than a little curious to see how it plays out.
FAST-PACED COMBAT
One of the biggest things that sets Bloodborne apart from the Souls games is how faster its combat is compared to those games, and how it encourages its players to be much more aggressive and demands that you remain on the front foot. Thymesia looks like it’s going to take things even further. From what we’ve seen, it actually looks closer to Sekiro than Bloodborne in this area. With a combination of frantic ranged and melee attacks, dodges, parries, and what have you, it certainly seems like Thymesia is going to ramp up the intensity with the pace of its combat.
CHALLENGING FOES
This is another area where Thymesia is looking like a mouthwatering prospect. What we’ve seen of the game so far certainly seems to suggest that enemy variety is going to be one of its strengths. From the grunts to the more special foes and bosses that use diseases as weapons against you, it looks like OverBorder Studio’s upcoming action RPG will throw more than a few challenging foes your way and demand that you emerge victorious against them. The way these enemies move and behave is also likely going to be another factor contributing to the fast-paced nature of the combat. Of course, maintaining impressive variety and quality for enemies throughout the entirety of the experience is easier said than done, and especially in a game such as this one, it can be a significant factor, so we’re hoping Thymesia won’t disappoint here.
FOCUSED ON BUILD VARIETY
Fans of the Dark Souls games will often tell you that for all of its many strengths, the one aspect of Bloodborne that’s a little disappointing is how it forces players to play in a very significant way. While the Souls games are focused on build variety and letting players make the kind of character they want to make, Bloodborne is a much more focused experience. If you want a Bloodborne-esque experience that embraces build variety though, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly the sort of game Thymesia looks like it’s going to be. OverBorder Studio has, on multiple occasions, driven home the fact that its game is going to let players play the way they want to play and build the kind of character they want to build, and the idea of having that sort of flexibility is exciting as always.
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