The upcoming Soulslike gameThymesiahas been garnering a lot of excitement from fans of games likeBloodbornelooking for a game to help scratch a similar itch. But whileBloodborneis full of conflict between mortals and aberrant gods that are nearly incomprehensible,Thymesiamay be setting up a world very different. The new action RPG might be creating a world, and threat, more similar to games likeResident EvilorCastlevaniawith its spin on the plague-ridden world.
The comparisonsbetweenThymesiaandBloodbornebegan almost immediately as fans ofBloodbornehave been patiently waiting and hoping for a PC port. The Gothic aesthetic and presence of some kind of plague infecting the denizens of both games may end being as far as that similarity goes however. While next to nothing is yet known about the story ofThymesia, some inferences can be made based on the gameplay trailers fans have seen so far. Those inferences may point toward a blend of quite a few games' styles of storytelling.
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Thymesia May Have a Very Different World Than Bloodborne
DespiteThymesia’sobvious parallels toBloodborne, their worlds are likely very different.Thymesiais probably looking to distinguish itselffrom the pack of Soulsborne games by embracing some of its elements that are more akin to more traditional fantasy worlds likeCastlevaniaand to an extentDevil May Cry. TheDMCcomparisons can be drawn not only by the fast-paced action, but by the tone of its world. The areas shown off so far are often wide open to facilitate the quicker speed of its combat, but bears the same overbearing atmosphere that make it clear that things are not well in the world ofThymesia, albeit minus the anime-style narrrative.
Bloodborne’sworld is slowly revealed to be a horrorscape infected by the presence of eldritch gods. ThisLovecraftian influence that’s present in other games likeElder Scrollsis hammered into players throughoutBloodborne, as their character is slowly drawn closer and closer to insanity by the Great Ones. Reality changes in-game based on the player’s Insight count, and even the most stalwart members of the Healing Church end up going mad and becoming grotesque abominations. While aestheticallyThymesiacarries a healthy dose of Lovecraft and Gothic literature at large, certain clues in its gameplay trailers could point towards a less eldritch approach.
Enemies shown inThymesiaso far definitely bear the signs of infection, with tendrils extruding from heads and rotten corpse-like enemies.Thymesia’sprotagonist Corvusalso evidently uses alchemy alongside his weaponry in a way to help purge the infection. But based on the overall lower level of deformity shown compared toBloodborneand the presence of multiple human enemies devoid of transformation there may be a less Lovecraftian force at work. The presence of super-powered humans that aren’t yet mutated could point toward a plague more similar to something from aResident Evilgame.
It’s possible thatThymesia’smajor threat is a plague that’s being propagated by human or superhuman means. The lower level of transformation in its enemies could imply that some people inThymesia’sworld are able to resist or even benefit from whatever plague exists. Certain people may have innate abilities that are exacerbated by the plague. This would fall in line with something likeResident Evil’shost of viruses and plagues that can be manipulated to grant enhanced abilities instead of horrible mutation. This approach would obviously vary wildly fromBloodborne.But in this it may be a smart moveaway fromBloodborneforThymesia.
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How Thymesia Can Stand Out From Soulsborne Games
Distinguishing itself from the other Soulslike games will be important forThymesia. Taking parts of what’s good from games likeBloodbornecan ultimately fall flat if the game ends up feeling like a poor emulation of other games' worlds. Simply retreading ground too similar toBloodbornewouldn’t be enough.Stylish combat inThymesiais one deviation fromDark Soulsthat feels more likeDMCandCastlevania. And those influences could also point towards where the story ofThymesiagoes if it doesn’t take the same approach thatBloodbornedid in creating its major threat.
While games likeDMCandCastlevaniastill very much feature the impact of gods' interference in the mortal world, those gods tend to be more recognizable. In those games humans become mutated or infected by various demons and other deities but without delving into the Lovecraftian ideas about madness and the “eldritch Truth.” This doesn’t make those games any less enjoyable for many fans, it’s just a different experience. WhileThymesiais obviously something to keep an eye on forBloodbornefans, taking elements from other stylish action games could help blend together into a unique package forThymesia.
Speculating based on the enemies in the trailer andThymesia’s apparent influences from action games outside the Soulsborne subgenre can lead to some promising conclusions. The presence of the humanoid enemies, like several human knights and a glimpse at a mysterious female boss, displaying paranormal abilities may point toward a threat that blends some of all of its predecessors. A deity or other paranormal force akin to Dracula inCastlevaniaor Mundus fromDMCthat is able to infect the world with aResident Evil-style plague could putThymesiain the distinct space it needs toavoid just being aBloodborneclone.
Games likeSekiroandBloodbornehave paved the way forThymesia. As such the new title will need to do a lot to make it feel both like a member of that group and its own unique experience. It seems likeThymesiamay be taking a narrative approach closer toCastlevaniaorResident Evilwith its lore. Embracing other influences outside the Soulsborne genre may be what makes or breaks the potential success ofThymesia.
It seems clear thatThymesiais taking a less cosmic approach to its horror thanBloodborne. But doing so may help it avoid overly-harsh comparisons from a fanbase that is incredibly dedicated.Thymesiahas some differences that may seem minor, but will ultimately decide whether the game is successful or not.
Thymesiais set to release on PC later this year.
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