I’ve avoided Soulsborne games for as long as possible. I’m not the type of person who loves a challenge and I get gamer rage very easily, so I convinced myself that watching various Let’s Players handle them was enough for me. But since moving in with my partner, we’ve been working our way through a number of your typical co-op games. I think our success must have filled us with a bigger-than-usual dose of hubris the day that we decided we were going to beat Bloodborne together. Both of us having already dabbled in only the first Dark Souls, Bloodborne felt like the perfect place to start. Afterall, what could be more romantic than a gothic Victorian setting full to the brim with Lovecraftian horrors?
Although Bloodborne does technically have online co-op, we only have one console / tv, leaving us with the less conventional but time-honoured tradition of ‘passing the pad’. The original plan was to swap the controller after every death, but believe me when I say it became apparent within less than 20 minutes that this wasn’t feasible. Instead, we decided to swap after an area of the map was completed (or a boss was defeated). Several hours and a few tantrums later, I can say with confidence that playing Bloodborne like a couch co-op game by passing the pad back and forth is an excellent introduction to souls-type games for inexperienced players. Here’s 4 (major spoiler free) reasons why:
1. The Pain is Shared
Screaming at the television in rage doesn’t feel great, frankly. But watching someone else scream at the television is much more fun. When we’re with someone else, the agony of dying to a boss who had a only slither of health left before destroying you is easier to brush off. On top of sharing the agony of failure, you’ll also get to share the spoils of victory – to enjoy watching each other succeed, and also experience all the cool bits of story together. Seeing the arrival of a blood moon (and all the monstrosities that come along with it) was a particular highlight for us. We also opted to share the decision making responsibilities, from story decisions to which weapons to buy and equip, though we agreed that the player currently in control should have final say. This made the stakes feel so much higher, knowing my decision could impact my co-op partner down the line, and added an extra layer of tension (as if it wasn’t tense enough!). Ultimately, playing Bloodborne cooperatively was a bonding experience. It reminded me of all the times growing up that I would watch my older brother play video games, and just like the games of my childhood we now have a shared connection with this game, creating fond – if quite bloody – memories.
2. Passing the Controller Provided a Much Needed Breather
Based on our experiences dabbling in Dark Souls (and a few brief attempts at going solo in Bloodborne years previously), the biggest turn off was finally finishing a big section and then feeling emotionally drained. Inevitably, the game would be switched off and then avoided like a plague of beasts. Trading off the controls meant that by the time one of us got through an area, the other person was itching to have a go. There’s something contagious about watching other people play Bloodborne, isn’t there? Then, the person who’s just finished off a boss gets to space out and admire the beauty of Yharnam, without being torn apart by its inhabitants or losing any momentum. Sometimes, we traded off a little earlier, like when the player was getting quite obviously tilted – hitting that stage where you seem to be getting worse and worse with every run. Occasionally it takes another pair of eyes (or hands) just to get you past that one stupid bit that is so easy, you know you shouldn’t be dying to it, but for whatever reason you just cannot dodge a certain attack. Playing co-op this way stopped the game entering that dreaded zone of frustration where the game stops being fun. The only drawback is that obviously you experience only half of the game hands on. Admittedly, I was sad to miss out on the great halls of Cainhurst Castle, and my partner was sad he didn’t get to challenge the witches of Hemwick Charnel Lane, but we felt the breathing room was worth it.
3. You Become Each Other‘s Cheerleader
It’s always nice having someone on the sidelines to cheer you on and encourage you to the finish line. Often, just talking through the problem and offering tips is enough of a motivator. You do, however, have to be very careful not to enter into a tone of backseat gaming, but for the most part our tips were more reminders of things we’d forgotten (“oh yeah, we have bolt paper don’t we?”) or just a quick “oh god, you need to heal!” This also helped erase that dread of booting up the game to face an awfully hard boss, as the game became more like a social event and we were generally itching to play every weekend or after work. Gradually, the game became something to look forward to, rather than just a massive time sink that I was dreading, and personally helped me overcome that self doubt of thinking ‘Bloodborne is only for people who are amazing at games’.
4. Help Will Always Be Given (To Those Who Ask For It)
Having the person who isn’t playing on standby to check guides and walkthroughs is… very helpful. Particularly for boss fights where you need to switch tactics mid-way. Also, it was super atmospheric to have someone explaining lore as we went through each wretched tombstone portal, and certainly helpful if you are going for certain endings, or need someone to guide your way toward the platinum trophy. It was a great way to avoid breaking immersion for the person playing, stopping us from wandering endlessly in circles – which I could see myself doing if I played solo, seeing as how there aren’t any maps and it’s terribly easy to get lost. Additionally, it stopped the person who was playing from getting big moments spoiled for them, which usually feels inevitable when using guides for games nowadays – but not with this method!
Overall, sharing the Bloodborne experience through a makeshift co-op adventure was memorable, and certainly enhanced our enjoyment of the game. In fact, we couldn’t believe how quickly we got through it, and I have to admit, it’s a much different beast than watching someone else play it on YouTube. Actually, it was slightly annoying that we had both seen a lot of gameplay already from our favourite YouTubers, as there were many reveals that we were already aware of. Which means, we are now even more stoked to try this with a different game that both of us haven’t seen much of – as it stands, it’s looking likely to be either Elden Ring or Demon’s Souls.
Which one do you think we should tackle first? Have you played any conventionally single player games in this very unconventional, makeshift co-op style? Let me know below!
