Bloodborneis often hailed as one of the best games of the PS4 generation, so to see nothing else come out of the IP is, at times, concerning. Rumors have reared time again aboutBloodborneremasters or upgrades, PC ports, and even sequels, but nothing has come true. Indeed, aBloodborne 2is unlikely if only because FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki do not like doing sequels, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most demanded games out there.
Bloodborne 2may be unlikely, but if it ever happens, it should take a few notes fromElden Ring.Not all FromSoftware games have to be open-worldgoing forward, but perhapsBloodborne2 would be worthy of the expansion. After all, Yharnam was already quite expansive, so building out the world more would not be too much. It would also allow for the best features ofElden Ringand the best features ofBloodborneto come together quite nicely.
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Elden Ring’s Open-World Features in Bloodborne 2
Of course,Bloodborne 2would need to take its gothic Victorian setting and adapt it closely toElden Ring’s features. Perhaps Yharnam could be revisited, but other locations could be equally expanded. There could be plenty of countryside to explore, built on with adding new locations and perhaps even new cities. It would be interesting to see the amount of detail put intothe Healing Church and Yharnamspread out across an entire landscape.
Things like Stakes of Marika would need to appear of course, and becauseElden Ringis quite giving with Sites of Grace,Bloodborne 2lanterns should be as viable. Just like Elden Ring has the main two flasks and the Flask of Wondrous Physick, new Blood Vials would help with this a lot, making sure exploration, safety nets, and spawn points aren’t too strict.Elden Ring’s open-world is also rewarding in and of itself to explore, which is admittedly a trademark of all Souls games, andBloodborne 2would do well to adopt this style. To make it more approachable, a mount like Torrent would be great for thenewBloodbornehunter, and it would even make the “hunt” feel more legit. It could be that certain Old Gods or something even required more hunt or chase-like options that would really expand on aBloodborne 2open world.
In truth, while it would be this simple, usingElden Ring’s open-world approachof exploration, challenges, and rewards be a baseline forBloodborne 2would certainly be welcome. There could be territories akin to Caelid, which are endearing but dangerous; worldbuilding elements like the capital of Leyndell changing that could bringBloodborne 2to life, with perhaps a new city similar to Yharnam; and tons of other options, like completely secret areas, scattered puzzles like the secret medallion, and more that make the open-world functional.
Elden Ring Dungeons, Legacy Dungeons, and Bloodborne 2 Chalice Dungeons
One big deviation inBloodbornewas Chalice Dungeons, which were localized in the Hunter’s Dream. However, to bring the expanded world ofBloodborneto life, it would be great to see more general dungeons and legacy dungeons worked into Chalice Dungeon requirements—as if there were three types around the game world.
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Perhaps Chalice Dungeons and their rituals would be localized to certain graveyards or gravestones that can only be unlocked when the rest of a certain sub-region was explored, and these rituals would create new depths for those dungeons, expanding them into Chalice Dungeons or simply unlocking. Now, of course, there are somebig differences in Legacy Dungeons and Chalice Dungeons, but somehow combining the depth of a Chalice Dungeon with the design of a Legacy Dungeon, scattering these throughout the world, would make for some interesting encounters.
Elden Ring’s Build Variety and Bloodborne’s Build Depth Make for a Perfect Sequel
IfBloodborne 2were to essentially adoptElden Ring’s open-world formula and design, it would be best if it marriedBloodborne’s build depth withElden Ring’s build variety. While there are certain dominating builds inElden Ring, there is a ton of variety in how to approach builds. Sure, Rivers of Blood is great for a bleed build, but there are options on how to make it unique. Dex, Str, Faith, Magic, and all the other sub builds have a ton of options, if not necessarily a lot of depth.
Meanwhile,Bloodborne’s build variety is perhaps a little less appealing, but the depth there to each weapon is amazing. This is because of how offhand weapons andtrick weapons makeBloodbornestand out from other games, so to combine the two inBloodborne 2would be great. Every state, Str, Dex, Faith, Bloodtinge, Arcane, and so on could all be key components for a variety of builds, with each one supported with a ton of different and interesting weapons. It could be as simple as an offhand pistol tricking into a short staff for magic or something as elaborate as a colossal weapon tricking into a giant railgun that could take the depth and variety concept and push them even further.
Bloodborne 2may never happen, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. Enough lessons fromElden Ringcombined with the unique qualities ofBloodbornewould make a sequel fans would never forget.
Elden Ringis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.Bloodborneis available on PS4.
