Gamers have been calling for aBloodborneremaster for years now. For many, it remains the best gameFromSoftwarehas ever made, and one of the only games of its modern offerings yet to receive a significant remaster or remake. It’s also aPS4exclusive, meaning not only is it restricted to an older platform, but it remains hindered by technical issues that prevent it from being a true masterpiece. It doesn’t run or look great, and even playing onPS5isn’t ideal.
But as someone who played Bloodborne in the launch window with the least ideal conditions possible, I still came away utterly floored by everything it accomplished. It presents a world so dense in its atmosphere and so imaginative in its overall design that you may’t help but become enraptured by it. I remember walking to the gym with a close friend at university as we talked about top builds and how it compared to previous FromSoft games with its focus on ruthless aggression.
Bloodborne’s Original Form Is A Beautiful Time Capsule
And this was after playing through the campaign over the course of several weeks in halls as I toiled away on a half-assed 720p monitor and a non-existent internet connection. I had little means to patch the game’s earlier launch woes, so I had to suffer loading screens that lasted almost 40 seconds each and every time I died while fighting against bosses I couldn’t summon help, no matter how hard I tried. I rawdogged Bloodborne and loved every single second.
The PS4 version is also plagued by uneven frame pacing, performance drops, and a 1080p presentation with environments rotten with jagged edges and aliasing. It can be hard to look at when blown up on a modern 4K display, and aside from the automatic upscaling added on PS5 Pro, no official patches have been pushed to take advantage of new hardware.
A community has formed around emulating Bloodborne on PC to try and incorporate better visuals and performance, or using modding software to unlock the framerate on console to see how far it can be pushed. Instead of moving onto another game, people have stood by Bloodborne because it’sjust that good.A game so masterful that people are willing to place its flaws to the side. At the same time, though, desires for a remaster have never been more fervent.
Further fuel has been added to the remaster fire thanks to a recent conspiracy. As part of a recent live-action trailer, fans theorise that a PlayStation announcement might be made on December 3rd. On the same day, Bloodborne is undergoing online maintenance, so multiplayer will not be available for a short period of time. Both these things unfolding at the same time simply cannot be a coincidence, and fans believe a project to do with Bloodborne has to be announced. Maybe a PC version, a PS5 Pro patch, or even a full remaster. I’m in awe of their confidence,even if industry folks like Jeff Grubb have already told them not to get their hopes up.
If Bloodborne Ever Gets Remastered, I’ll Miss What It Used To Be
Don’t get my words twisted, I would adore a Bloodborne remaster complete with 4K image quality and 60 frames per second performance, not to mention the rush I’d receive having a chance to replay it with a fresh list of trophies. It still looks incredible today, with its art design shining through despite technical limitations. Now imagine what Bloodborne could look like if those roadblocks were removed. I’m getting giddy just thinking about it.
But it also reminds me ofDark Souls Remastered, which more than doubled performance on consoles and ironed out many of the awkward kinks that plagued the PS3 and Xbox 360. But I adored those original versions despite their screen tearing and erratic performance. I will never forget my first experience powering through Dark Souls and Bloodborne and how I let these shortcomings fade into the background because the act of playing them was magic.
If or when a remaster comes along, the original PS4 version will be labelled as inferior, like it was always a chore to play and the memories we formed while playing it weren’t even worth remembering. But they were, and we’d be foolish to say otherwise. Bloodborne’s comeback will be a double-edged sword. Part of me will be screaming its brilliance from the rooftops, while the other will mourn its original flawed state that will risk being forgotten.
Bloodborne
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Bloodborne is a PlayStation 4-exclusive title developed by Dark Souls and Elden Ring creator FromSoftware, and launched in 2015. A critically acclaimed action role-playing game, you must traverse the city of Yharnam seeking a cure for a mysterious illness.
