When talking about FromSoftware, it's hard not to think about how much the Japanese studio has influenced the world of video games. Even before the term "Soulslike" entered the vocabulary of millions of gamers, the software house had already begun building the foundations of its style with King's Field, before leaving an indelible mark with Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring.
In short, over the years FromSoftware has left many traces… despite someone, at the time of King's Field IV, suggesting to proceed «without leaving any TRACE».
With The Duskbloods, however, Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team have decided to take a different path. The new project, scheduled for release exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2, retains the studio's signature dark atmosphere, but incorporates it into a highly multiplayer experience built around PvPvE for up to eight players.
FromSoftware organized a Network Test split into five sessions between August 21st and 24th. We participated in the one on Saturday, August 22nd, from 8:00 PM to midnight, giving us a first idea of what to expect.
A rebirth in the blood
Our first encounter with The Duskbloods occurs through a short cutscene. One of the characters lies seemingly lifeless in a chair, while a mysterious female figure performs some sort of ritual that seemingly brings him back to life, but at the cost of her own existence.
Vampires? Immortality? Blood? It's difficult to give a precise answer for now, but a few minutes are enough to understand that FromSoftware hasn't abandoned its love for dark atmospheres and unsettling characters.
Once the sequence is over, we're catapulted into the tutorial, where we learn the main mechanics: movement, attacks, abilities, combos, dodges, and parries. Just as we're starting to get familiar with the controls, however, a message informs us that the introductory content planned for the Network Test ends there.
We are then transported to the main hub, where we can choose between the six available Bloodsworn and face further tutorials dedicated to the PvP, PvE and cooperative components.
The FromSoftware stamp is there, and it shows.
Once you're truly immersed in the experience, FromSoftware's style is immediately recognizable. Gothic structures, cathedrals, and dark environments are broken up by much brighter colors, like fiery red, creating a world that's both fascinating and disturbing.
For most of the test, we used Albert, the same Bloodsworn character from the opening sequence, capable of alternating between melee attacks and firearms. In the final minutes, we also tried Layla, and despite the limited time available, it was enough to understand how much each character can change the way you play. Albert, for example, has the Blood Blade, while Layla can transform into a swarm of insects to quickly move from one point to another.
The combat system also requires a few minutes of initial adaptation. Many actions are handled by the controller's shoulder pads: on one side, ranged attacks, on the other, melee attacks, plus parries, dodges, abilities, and items. Coordinating everything isn't immediate at first, but once you've mastered the controls, combat quickly becomes natural and satisfying.
The biggest surprise, however, comes from the player's mobility. Bloodsworn can chain together up to three jumps, even charging the first one to reach greater heights. Rooftops and buildings thus become an integral part of their movement, offering significantly more freedom and verticality than FromSoftware has accustomed us to in the past.
Cooperate… or fight
The PvPvE structure is the heart of The Duskbloods. As we explore the world, we encounter computer-controlled enemies, some capable of eliminating us in a flash, but we can also receive requests for cooperation to face particularly powerful opponents with other players.
Of course, the other Bloodsworn aren't always our allies. One of the modes we tested involved several phases of power-ups and progressive eliminations, until only four players remained. The last survivors were then transported to an arena for the final showdown, with a maximum of two lives available.
It's in PvP matches that the combat system really shows its potential. Dodges, melee weapons, ranged attacks, and abilities make battles fast and dynamic. In our first match, we even managed to take second place—not bad for a first-time player.
It is also possible to obtain AI-controlled allies, capable of following us, fighting and using their own abilities.
Switch 2 passes its first test
One of the aspects that most intrigued us was naturally to find out how The Duskbloods would perform on Nintendo Switch 2.
During the Network Test, the response was decidedly positive. We played exclusively in docked mode without encountering any slowdowns, stutters, or noticeable pop-in. The fluidity remained consistent even during the most intense battles, and the graphics never gave us the feeling of being faced with an experience diminished compared to what we're used to seeing on other current-generation consoles.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to test the portable mode, but the online portion also passed this first test: no noticeable lag or disconnections during our matches, including clashes against other players.