Is Bloodborne: The Old Hunters Worth Buying?

Released on November 24, 2015, The Old Hunters was the first and only expansion for Bloodborne. According to Sony, the content was originally planned as two separate DLC packs but was combined into a single, substantial release. The expansion introduces new challenges, locations, and a greatly expanded arsenal for players to discover.

How to Access The Old Hunters

Like many elements in Bloodborne, accessing the expansion’s content is not straightforward. To begin the journey into the new areas, players must first progress to a specific point in the main story. After defeating the boss Vicar Amelia and examining the skull in the Grand Cathedral, the time of day will shift to night.

Upon returning to the Hunter’s Dream, a group of Messengers will appear near the Plain Doll and provide the Eye of a Blood-Drunk Hunter. With this item in possession, travel to the Cathedral Ward lamp. From there, take the left exit into the small area with tombstones. Standing next to a specific dead body near a tree will trigger an event, and the player will be transported to the DLC’s first area, The Hunter’s Nightmare.

New Locations and Enemies

The Old Hunters features three main new locations, each with a distinct atmosphere. The Hunter’s Nightmare reuses some assets from Yharnam but reconfigures them with unique twists. The Research Hall is a standout area, presenting a complex, vertical maze filled with unsettling enemies. The final major location is the Fishing Hamlet, a small village that leads into dark, dangerous caves.

These areas are populated with a diverse cast of new enemies. Players will encounter behemoths wielding cannons in The Hunter’s Nightmare, zombie-like patients with enlarged heads in the Research Hall, and large, aggressive fishmen in the Fishing Hamlet. These new threats are often mixed with familiar foes, creating difficult and unpredictable encounters.

Challenging Bosses and Expanded Arsenal

A common point of discussion regarding the base game was the variable difficulty of its boss battles. The Old Hunters addresses this with several memorable and challenging encounters. Three of the main bosses, plus one optional one, feature multiple phases and complex attack patterns that demand mastery of the game’s mechanics. These fights are particularly punishing on New Game Plus playthroughs. While one boss encounter is less mechanically complex, it offers a significant visual spectacle.

The expansion also rectifies a frequent criticism of the base game: the limited number of primary weapons. Eleven new weapons were added, including the Amygdalan Arm, Holy Moonlight Sword, Simon’s Bowblade, and the Whirligig Saw. This significantly increases build variety. In addition to weapons, the DLC introduced new armor sets, firearms like the Gatling Gun, and hunter tools such as the Blacksky Eye.