The Duskbloods immediately evokes an open-world design reminiscent of Elden Ring intertwined with the aesthetics of Bloodborne. However, the game’s designation as a multiplayer PvPvE experience quickly highlights its distinctiveness. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki and the team at FromSoftware are undoubtedly expanding upon Bloodborne’s grim universe, interwoven with powerful blood themes through their new elements of “Bloodsworn” and “First Blood.”
“We aimed to capture the romantic elements we found compelling in ideas such as vampires and their connection to blood, reinterpreting these themes in the form of the Bloodsworn,” Miyazaki discusses in a recent official interview with Nintendo. The name The Duskbloods directly references the characters known as the Bloodsworn.
“In The Duskbloods, the Bloodsworn vie for a prize known as ‘First Blood,'” Miyazaki elaborates. “As humanity nears its end, First Blood emerges during a cataclysmic event termed the ‘Twilight of Humanity.’ The Bloodsworn are called to this Twilight across various times and locations, striving to seize First Blood.”
The quest to gather First Blood, which bears resemblance to the Blood Vials in Bloodborne, appears to be the central objective of each encounter. It seems this “blood” motif permeates the entire gameplay.
“In this context, blood carries a more conceptual meaning, steering away from just tangible representations of injury,” Miyazaki conveys, showcasing his signature enigmatic style. “Blood embodies a central theme of the game – the stories it harbors, the strength it transfers, the destinies it weaves, and the signifier of those who have transcended their human limitations.”
If the Victorian Gothic visuals weren’t already a hint, it is becoming increasingly evident that The Duskbloods follows in the legacy of Bloodborne. I find myself surprised that the trailer didn’t include a “fear the First Blood” tagline. While The Duskbloods is designed to diverge from Bloodborne structurally, the essence of the 2015 release still resonates for the Switch 2.
Hidetaka Miyazaki expresses The Duskbloods concerns shared by some fans of Elden Ring and Dark Souls: “I personally am not much of a PvP person, and I wanted to create something that would be satisfying even for players like me.”