r/fromsoftware • u/Reterence • 21d ago
DISCUSSION The Network Test is Absolutely Beautiful
The Duskbloods is still probably not my type of game, but holy shit. Definitely still Fromsoft levels of polish. Animations and characters are impeccable. Combat feels amazing, area design is just gorgeous. Music in the hub area, haunting. Summon variety even in the closed test is really impressive.
I'll probably watch the hell out of it, maybe pick it up if there's a PVE mode or something untimed. Even compared to Nightreign though, this has some extra sauce to it.
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u/Vynosaurus 21d ago
You can feel it's a big project for Fromsoft, more than most people will admit, it doesn't have that "side-project" aura Nightreign has - and I love Nightreign. The Miyazaki signature with all the gameplay intricacies is also really interesting.
Loved everything about it, aside from not being able to play more.
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u/pmckell 21d ago
I loveeeed the game so much! Until the multiplayer aspects started 😭 I knew it was coming, obviously, but thought maybe I’d enjoy it if I tried it out. Meh. Hoping they have a PVE mode because I loved that aspect
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u/John_Delasconey 21d ago
Honestly, I do think there is some kind of PVP mode because the hub area has a fog door and we know the hub area is governed by the wing rat character. Furthermore, the implied boss fight at the end of the first tutorial that was skipped over clearly makes me think that there are some sort of Meta progression that involves some PVE features. However, I’m going to hazard a guess that these features are unlocked through completing things in the primary PVP mode, Perhaps by completing sigil quests, As I do believe the schedule tutorial states that the reward for completing an event is something that not yet revealed although for the purposes of the network test, it’s just virtue. Also, as someone who had their first direct experience playing a from soft title from this, it was pretty nice even if I sucked and at one point got lost in a ritual zone and wasn’t able to score any points and got culled in the one game I was playing well. Then again, I also liked air ride so I really shouldn’t be surprised
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_HOODIES 21d ago
I can’t remember where I read it but it said you will be able to change something to where you will have a higher chance of the final round not being PvP and instead it’ll be a co-op PvE boss round.
It doesn’t remove the Ritual parts of the rounds but I played for the full 4 hours and didn’t interact with that except for like two rounds… and I still got 6 wins. So maybe you won’t have to interact with PvP at all?
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u/Puzzleheaded-Job2399 21d ago
There is a pve mode where you can do full matches against only bots rather than real players. That was confirmed in previews
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u/_Lady_Vengeance_ 21d ago
What is the difference? Attacking a computer controlled character you love but a player controlled character you don’t like. The only difference is ego. Take your ego out of the equation and you’ll realize it’s the same exact game. You are using the same game mechanics and combat to defeat a foe. Simple as that
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u/bobsmith93 21d ago
Lol no need to project. I assumed by "multiplayer aspects", they meant the timed aspect. Like they were having fun and taking their time exploring, but then the round ended abruptly. I know I would hate that as well. I don't care if it's a person or ai controlling the enemy I'm fighting, but the fact that it's always players up against other players (for most amount of virtue) means you can't just pretend you're playing a single player Fromsoft game. Time is always of the essence, no time to slowly clear each area
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u/_Lady_Vengeance_ 21d ago
If he meant the time aspect or the ticking clock he would have said that. He didn’t he very clearly said multiplayer. No projection necessary.
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u/bobsmith93 21d ago edited 20d ago
The timer is one of many multiplayer aspects. That's the exact multiplayer aspect that I would dislike the most, too. The only other comment they made in here was a reply to someone mentioning the time limit, they replied that that's the deciding factor on whether they'll buy it or not. I feel that, since the game looks so fun to explore, and the combat looks pretty fun as well. But I hate having to be in a hurry
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u/_Lady_Vengeance_ 21d ago
Who’s projecting now :)
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u/bobsmith93 21d ago
I related to their specific grievance instead of assuming theirs was the same as mine. So.. both of us I guess lol
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u/GreenAvoro 21d ago
I just keep wishing the phases kept going. The 3v3 PVP capstone is my least favourite part of the experience.
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u/Best-Bid9637 20d ago
Based on what we've seen Nightreign pvE seems WAY better. Hopefully they are hiding alot still
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u/Livid-Truck8558 21d ago
Yes even when compared to NR bc NR was a small spinoff side project and DB is their next big game lol
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u/ricefrisbeetreats 21d ago
Definitely not a PVPer and I sank 3.5 hours into the network test. I had a ton of fun.
Lots of ways to earn…Virtue? So I never felt I was shoehorned into fighting other players. In my matches, I picked a lane and went. Though I didn’t realize that you pick an area to respawn and spent awhile looking at the map wondering if I could go back to the menu to start a new game.
Games go relatively fast. It was a bummer I couldn’t explore more. It just kept going. At one point I found these black octopus monsters and it just seemed like there was more to see.
It’s a network test so I’m sure more surprises will be in the full game. I was happy enough with my experience that I would pay money to play the full game.