Blood borne will surely go down in history as one of the most bittersweet PlayStation games of all time. A dark fantasy RPG that many consider FromSoftware's magnum opus, Blood borne is inexplicably locked on PlayStation 4, despite rampant consumer demand for either a PC port, next-gen update or remaster/remake.
FromSoftware's particular brand of unsettling art design, music and world-building come together to make Blood borne a masterpiece of action-adventure storytelling. Set in a world decidedly separate from the likes of Dark souls and Fire Ringthe gothic, Lovecraftian nightmare is full of nuanced visual style: from the messy cobbled streets of Yharnam to the incomprehensible and grotesque lands of the Nightmare Frontier, Blood borne is a consistent, unforgettable and terrifying feast for the eyes. Its raw artistry can compete with almost any game coming out in the 2020s, but its poor framerate and low resolution are unfortunate warts holding it back, so Sony should take the opportunity to give it a much-needed facelift on the recently unveiled PS5 Pro.
PS5 Pro: Another Shot at Bloodborne
A Bloodborne Remaster is long overdue
Much ink has been spilled about the possibility of one Blood borne remake or remaster, to the point that the arguments get a little long in the tooth. Whether Sony, Blood bornes publisher, held back by licensing, technical or financial constraints, it seems Blood borne has been all but abandoned, puzzling fans who consider it some of FromSoftware's best work. Hoping for a good one Blood borne sequel falls short, especially given FromSoftware's apparent allergy to sequels, but the 2015 hit deserves some love.
Something similar to the Bluepoint remake of Demon's Souls is not necessary and would arguably be a bad route to take – again, Blood bornes art style holds up remarkably well. Rather, a solid, well-thought-out remaster of the game, offering a higher, more consistent frame rate, better resolution, and maybe even some neat visual effects like ray-tracing, would make it more palatable to modern audiences. The goal should be to elevate what the original already offers, not reinvent it or fix what isn't broken. Fortunately, the new features of the PS5 Pro were able to do exactly this.
Bloodborne and PSSR could be a match Made In Heaven
PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR for short, is Sony's answer to AI upscaling technology from GPU makers like NVIDIA and AMD. In theory, PSSR should help more games reach and maintain higher FPS without sacrificing image quality. Because 60FPS is a consistent requirement among Blood borne fans, Sony should take advantage of PSSR to get FromSoftware's cosmic horror game up to speed.
Through PSSR, Blood borne on the PS5 Pro could overcome its FPS struggles and hold its own against newer games, looking better and feeling smoother. Of course, this wouldn't be the ideal solution – the players have been asking for it Blood borne on PC for years — but it would be better than nothing. More importantly, such a decision can lead to further Blood borne content on the way.
A full-fledged one Blood borne 2 still seems like a pipe dream, but perhaps the powers that be would understand the full extent of it Blood borne community fervor if the game would get the PSSR treatment. In other words, revitalizing Blood borne with 60FPS and higher frame rates through PSSR upscaling could breathe new life into the game, draw in new fans and pave the way for the much sought after Blood borne PC port, or at least a proper PS5 remaster.
