Bloodborne's most-hated feature is actually one of its greatest triumphs, and one that is worth reexamining

How Bloodborne's Unappreciated Chalice Dungeons Paved The Way For Elden Ring

Bloodborne's most-hated feature is actually one of its greatest triumphs, and one that is worth reexamining

However, far from just a vestigial part of the game, Bloodborne's Chalice Dungeons are surprisingly refined when viewed from a broader perspective. For those of us who have played our favorite Lovecraftian action game dozens of times, these randomized bits of content have the potential to surprise and challenge you. Some of Bloodborne's best and most memorable boss fights require you to delve into the Chalice Dungeons, including Watchdog of the Old Lords, Bloodletting Beast, Abhorrent Beast, and, of course, the Pthumerian Queen. Those who delight in the game's lore will find much to dig into down here, from the item descriptions of uncommon drops to unseen interactions between lesser-known enemies.

The mobs that you find in the higher-level dungeons are also quite tough at times, and they're capable of tearing even quite experienced players apart, especially if you aren't careful about pulling them one by one. Foes that never put up even a remote challenge in the base game can become mighty killers in a dice-rolled dungeon, and you might even run into rare variants that few have ever seen, including bosses roaming around as regular enemies. When you add in the optional Fetid, Rotten, Cursed, and Sinister Rites, which dial up the challenge even further--especially Cursed, since it halves your health--these labyrinths have the potential to push you to your limit.

One of the key reasons that Chalice Dungeons remain underappreciated even today is that it can be difficult to understand how to get the most out of them without consulting online guides. The key thing to know is that the base dungeons you must complete to get to the Pthumerian Queen are static, and generally do not feature the copious rewards that you can get from Depth 5 Chalices, which are the hardest in the game. In order to get that loot, you must obtain the Root Chalices from completing the static content and use them to randomly generate new dungeons.

Root Chalice Dungeons contain the best loot in Bloodborne, including Lost and Uncanny versions of weapons (which are often needed for optimal builds), top-line Caryll Runes, powerful Blood Gems, and high-end ore for upgrading weapons, including the all-important Blood Rock. All of these add up to big differences in your character's power level. You can also use the "glyph codes" generated by the Bloodborne community to enter instances that are guaranteed to drop the loot you need, but where's the fun in that? These challenging bits of content require every bit of skill and finesse that you've gathered from your time as a Hunter, and if they get too intense, they offer an opportunity to co-op with your friends--a rarity in the game.

Bloodborne is sometimes dinged by fans for not offering enough content or replayability when compared to the Souls series. If you're willing to change your perspective and adopt a dungeon-diving attitude, Bloodborne's Chalice Dungeons offer reams of content to dig through: enough to rival even Elden Ring. It's curious that From Software has yet to revisit this system in the 10 years since the game's release, but given that the upcoming Elden Ring: Nightreign has adopted a roguelike structure, perhaps it's the unlikely progeny of Bloodborne's most underappreciated system.

So the next time you revisit Bloodborne and you groan at the thought of revisiting the Chalice Dungeons, consider giving them a chance. Why not pour a few hours into these random seeds for a chance to create your most powerful build ever? While they can't compare to the game's actual levels, they're an interesting experiment that provide that extra drip feed of content for a game that still hasn't received the sequel it so richly deserves. Until then, these dice-rolled corridors are the best we've got.

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This story originally appeared on: GameSpot - Author:UK GAG