We may never get a sequel or remaster to FromSoftware’s 2015 gothic action game Bloodborne but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the tap has to run dry. Every couple of years over the past decade sees a new tidbit arise about Bloodborne, usually in the realm of cut content or ongoing secrets discovered by the community. This time, we’re treated to a hefty inside look at the alpha design maps for Bloodborne, before the game was polished with fancy textures or enemies. And apparently, Bloodborne began a little differently when FromSoftware initially put things together.
As known FromSoft sicko Lance McDonald details over the course of 27 minutes in a YouTube video, there are portions of the map that are inaccessible when the player begins a new adventure from Iosefka’s Clinic. Much later, the player can find a shortcut that will take an enormous loop back to the start of the game, where they can then open a locked door and explore more floors and rooftop areas. The shortcut is probably one of the most iconic moments in the entire game.
Originally, though, Bloodborne’s intro unfolded a little differently. The player could immediately walk out onto the rooftops, which at the time led to a building that didn’t make it into the final game. The way the game connected parts of the level also differed, as evidenced by the never-before-seen footage in the video that apparently took McDonald 18 months to assemble.
There are no bombshells here in terms of content that didn’t make it into the final game, but it’s worth a watch if you like Bloodborne. The video is a rare glimpse at what a game looks like during its earliest stages, when developers are still blocking out the experience in a big-picture way. It’s also a fascinating look at FromSoftware’s approach to level design. The Japanese studio is known for crafting dense worlds with winding routes and secret passages, but achieving that level of complexity is an ongoing process that requires revision.
Many of the elements visible at the earliest stages made it to the final game in some form, but the way these different pieces connect varies. FromSoftware evidently makes a level and then goes back and makes certain portions inaccessible as a way of building anticipation and wonder. It’s a trademark trick that’s evident across FromSoftware’s entire ouvre, and this video gives the viewer a sense of how the studio achieves that effect.
