One of the most important game styles that emerged in recent years has been the Souls genre. Amongst the extensive list of games that were developed in the last decade, Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, Mortal Shell, Sekiro, Elden Ring, are some of the most anticipated games that have won some of the most important awards in the game industry. In this blog I will analyze one of the most beloved games of the genre, Bloodborne (2015), using Tzvetan Todorov narrative theory of equilibrium (1971). Todorov theory of equilibrium is composed by five phases: Equilibrium, disruption of the equilibrium, recognition of the disruption, an attempt to repair the damage, and the new equilibrium. This theory provides a framework for understanding traditional narrative with a clear equilibrium and resolution which Lovecraftian storytelling (1981) challenges by introducing unknown elements and uncertainty.
In order to understand Bloodborne’s narrative, it is important to recognize the connection between the game and the Lovecraftian theme that the director Hidetaka Miyazaki was inspired by when developing the game. The theme of cosmic horror is central to the game’s narrative. The Lovecraftian cosmic horror theme can be resumed by the following characteristics: The lack of a hero presence, the existence of cosmic beings that defy human understanding, the feeling of isolation and despair generated by exploring the environment, the sickness and madness created by the presence of such powerful ancient beings knows as the Great Old Ones (Wilson, 2016).
In Bloodborne, the main character of the game is a customizable character, rather than a defined hero, who arrives at Yharnam searching for the cure for an illness that was spreading throughout the city. Once the character reaches the city, he or she gets tasked to go on the hunt after getting a contract and receiving a blood transfusion. The transfusion sets the character in a trance state of hallucination from which the player wakes up after the character customization screen. This preamble is important for setting the tone of the character and introducing the player to the gothic world of Yharnam. In Todorov theory, this is the equilibrium phase, the city’s state of normality before the beginning of the hunt/game.
The disruption of the equilibrium can be seen as the spreading of the disease. The slow decline of the city into a nightmarish state where the citizens started living in a sort of alternate reality, mutating into beasts because of the nearby presence of the Great Old Ones and the blood administration. The night of the hunt hence begins, marking the shift of the city to an abnormal state. The protagonist will have to investigate the city and interact with non-playable characters to uncover the mysteries behind the plague. The challenging environment and enemies will undoubtedly kill the hunter, triggering a cut scene that will bring the player back to the hunter’s dream. The character’s death is now a fundamental aspect of the game rather than a consequence. On this topic, Miyazaki stated during an interview with the New Yorker (2022) that videogame death is an opportunity to create a memory, or a punch line:” When I’m playing these games, I think, This is the way I’d want to die—in a way that is amusing or interesting, or that creates a story I can share,” he said. “Death and rebirth, trying and overcoming—we want that cycle to be enjoyable. In life, death is a horrible thing. In play, it can be something else.” In Bloodborne, the first death will lead the player to the Hunter’s Dream, where it is possible to equip, upgrade, repair weapons, level up, and travel to the multiple locations of the game-space.
The recognition phase can be seen as the journey of the protagonist, the hunter, who uncovers the mysteries of the city’s cosmic horrors. World exploration is central to the game’s narrative. This is one of the most interesting aspects of Bloodborne‘s gameplay and one of the main aspects alongside character design, that delivers the feeling of isolation and despair. The protagonist is left wondering through the city without head-up display (HUD) guidance, uncovering the truth behind the illness by exploring the environment in a semi open world, facing death as a main mechanic of the game. Without a clear linear path, the player will face powerful cosmic beings that will force them to explore the world to find a way forward. The use of verticality and hidden paths that link the interconnected levels of the game, give a sense of loneliness and despair. In this world, it is not enough to get rid of the enemies, the player needs to explore and find the way forward to proceed.
The attempt to repair the damage phase is the hunter’s hunt, the hunter’s quest to repair and heal the city from the illness. Although mystery will remain even after the ending(s) of the game, in classic Lovecraftian fashion, the hunter has tried to make sense of the world around them and restore it back to normality. As the story unfolds, the protagonist will discover cosmic beings too ancient and powerful to be understood or even seen by humanity.
Todorov’s new equilibrium phase will depend on the hunter’s ending. Depending on the player’s choices, the game will provide different endings that will either wake the hunter from the dream or make them survive. The ending of the game is open to interpretation and leaves the player’s imagination to fill in the gaps.
In conclusion, Todorov’s equilibrium theory can be used to highlight how Miyazaki’s storytelling differs from the traditional linear narrative. It provides a simple structured framework that can help to understand certain aspects that make a video game unique. It can help to see how various narrative elements such as the Lovecraftian theme central to Bloodborne can be integrated into a game.
References:
Bloodborne (2015) Playstation 4 [Game], Sony Computer Entertainment
Hidetaka Miyazaki (2022) Hidetaka Miyazaki sees death as a feature, not a bug. Simon Parkin. The New Yorker. 25 Feb. Available at: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/hidetaka-miyazaki-sees-death-as-a-feature-not-a-bug [Accessed 7 Jan 2024]
Todorov, T. (1971) ‘The 2 principles of Narrative,‘ Diacritics, 1(1), p. 37. https://doi.org/10.2307/464558.
Todorov, T. and Weinstein, A. (1969) ‘Structural analysis of narrative,’ Novel: A Forum on Fiction, 3(1), p. 70. https://doi.org/10.2307/1345003.
Wilson, E. (2016) The Republic of Cthulhu: Lovecraft, the Weird Tale, and Conspiracy Theory, Punctum Books. https://doi.org/10.21983/p3.0155.1.00.
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