Summary
Elden Ringis by far the most popular game FromSoftware has released to date, but it follows in the footsteps of a long history of other finely crafted, brutally difficult games. One of these games isBloodborne, a title thatElden Ringpulls great inspiration from. Specifically,Elden Ringdraws, at least in part, from one ofBloodborne’s most iconic boss battles.
AlthoughBloodborneisn’t perfect when it comes to bosses, it is one of FromSoftware’s best in terms of engaging, creative, and multifaceted fights. One such fight is the showdown with Lady Maria in the Hunter’s Nightmare DLC, a brutal encounter that players have to clear before gaining access to the Fishing Hamlet, one ofBloodborne’sbest areas. Though they may be years apart and exist in entirely different universes, the face-off with Lady Maria is somewhat prototypical of the Malenia boss battle inElden Ring.
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Bloodborne’s Lady Maria Set the Stage for Malenia’s Brutal Battle
The context for the battle with Lady Maria couldn’t be more different from that of Malenia. A disillusioned hunter who was trapped in the Hunter’s Dream after the atrocities committed at the Fishing Hamlet, Maria is wracked with guilt and despises hunters. She thus uses her considerable skill and anger to beone of the best bosses inBloodborne. Malenia, on the other hand, is part of a royal bloodline and cursed with the Scarlet Rot. She commits herself to protecting her brother Miquella, who is affected by a different curse.
Despite these differences, a closer look at the encounters with each of these figures will reveal some key similarities. Both bosses place a heavy focus on melee attacks, specifically swords, which they can wield with dizzying precision and skill. Specifically, they both use swords to unleash quick and devastating attacks, many of which can result in bleed damage. Malenia and Maria are not hulking, physically dominant forces, but instead use finesse and speed to their advantage, outmaneuvering and outwitting the player more than simply overpowering them. This sets them apart from other Soulsborne bosses likeBloodborne’s The One Reborn, whose gargantuan size makes for an intimidating sight, but can also work against them in many ways.
Lady Maria differs from Malenia when it comes to ranged attacks, as the former will utilize her firearms during the first phase of the fight. However, the similarities between the two become even more apparent once the second phase of Maria’s fight begins, as she starts to eschew her guns in favor of blood damage attacks, which are lightning-quick and issue trails of dangerous blood-infused energy that extend the range and duration of each swing of the blade. This style of attack is repeated by Malenia, whose iconic Waterfowl Dance sends quick shockwaves that can damage players from afar. These types of attacks can surprise anyone used to fightingbeast-style enemies in Soulsborne games, as they are difficult to predict and avoid.
Aside from the fights themselves, Malenia and Maria are also similar when it comes to their positioning in their respective games. They both serve as optional late-game challenges who close out distinct, complex zones, since beating Lady Maria is required to beat the DLC, but not the base game. They are also relatively minor characters with rich backstories that pertain to more significant characters in the greater story.
In many ways,Elden Ringis the accumulation of all the Soulsborne games. The most obvious comparison toElden RingisDark Souls, but it is also clearly inspired byBloodborne. WithBloodborneinspiring games likeLies of P, it will be interesting to see just how FromSoftware’s gothicDark Soulsspin-off winds up changing the gaming landscape in the years to come.
Elden Ringis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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