Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is a brutal, thrilling and surprisingly long and deep addition to an already stellar game. It’s every bit as difficult, horrific and satisfying as the main game, if not more so. If there’s anything missing from Bloodborne, The Old Hunters undoubtedly fills in the gaps.
One of those gaps that some people have mentioned is the scarcity of weapons. Bloodborne has plenty of weapons, but you can only find what some would call the ‘best’ closer to the end of a playthrough. The Old Hunters solves this problem by throwing several new weapons at the player soon after he or she enters it. You’re likely to see an NPC Hunter using an aforementioned weapon before you find it yourself, which is an intriguing and terrifying experience. I was initially disappointed with the weapons as most in the first area of the game are strength-based–an unfortunate discovery for my skill/bloodtinge character. However, I implore you to keep looking, as there are plenty of awesome skill based weapons farther into the DLC. That being said, I’ve since created a strength build and The Old Hunters offers what I think are by far the best strength weapons to be found in the entire game. Regardless of build, every player should be pleased by what The Old Hunters offers in terms of an updated arsenal.
The Old Hunters is a nightmare. There are two reasons I say that. First, the place you go to is literally called The Hunter’s Nightmare. In terms of the story, it’s where the Hunters of Yharnam end up when they become blood drunk–essentially being dragged into an endless hunt. Second, the DLC will be a nightmare for you to advance through. It is vicious and unforgiving. However, it never feels too difficult until you get to New Game +, which is when things really ramp up. With every death I knew that I could overcome each challenge with one more try. Or two. Or three. Things do indeed elevate in difficulty the farther you venture into the harsh, chaotic nightmare. Though perhaps I should say, “as you descend,” because The Old Hunters gets progressively more sadistic and bizarre in each successive area. Every section of the DLC is undeniably beautiful in its own dark, horrific way. Crawling through The Old Hunters is undeniably worth the struggle, as the pay off in terms of lore and boss encounters is incredible.
The bosses are, with a couple exceptions, the best among the entirety of Bloodborne. They challenge every skill you possess and soloing them grants some serious bragging rights. What’s more, they’re not two-dimensional bosses thrown in for a challenge (again, minus an exception). Most of the bosses, if you follow the game’s lore, are tragic figures in the Bloodborne mythos. Once you realize their significance, it’s rather heartbreaking to take them down. Unfortunately, all of that is lost while fighting them. However, one boss (my personal favorite) is the only one in a Souls game I’ve not wanted to finish off. To me, that’s significant in a game full of nightmarish creatures that want to end your existence.
If you enjoyed Bloodborne’s base game then I have no doubt you’ll love The Old Hunters. It has everything–weapons, lore, challenge and unforgettable boss encounters. It hits all the right marks in just the right way. I’m going to give it a 5/5, just like the main game.
(Side note: to access The Old Hunters you must have defeated Vicar Amelia and picked up the Eye of a Blood Drunk Hunter in the Hunter’s Dream. Then you need to be snatched up by the Lesser Amygdala outside the Cathedral Ward lamp, which will give a short cutscene and send you to The Hunter’s Nightmare. Happy hunting.)
The ArDIGulate 