For once in a good long while, I have positive news to report on the progress of a game challenge: I have made some!

Last Monday I started in on Bloodborne (with sensei Grunts in my corner, watching me via Share Play on the PS4). I was more intimidated than I’ve ever been on any game, and somehow, I made some progress. I leveled up to 25 (and I was proud of that in and of itself!), and I beat the Cleric Beast (the first boss in the game) on my first try! Words can not express how proud of myself I was when I took him down and didn’t even use half of my Blood Vials to heal. I sort of couldn’t believe I did it.

Now allow me to interject here that I absolutely credit anything positive I’ve accomplished in Bloodborne to Grunts. He has been providing the perfect balance of encouragement and guidance while also allowing me to explore the game. The experience wouldn’t be the same without him. For that, I am eternally grateful. Thanks, Grunts!

In our second play session we had a bit of a rough start, but that was more due to the PlayStation network than anything. Neither of us could start a party, therefore we also couldn’t start Share Play. Though our gaming session was delayed by a few hours, once we got started, we took right off.

And by took right off, I mean, I tanked a bit in the first hour.

I’m not sure if it was because I was already worried about the next boss fight or what, but I immediately found myself getting killed by lower level enemies. I had to take a minute, get my bearings, and get back in there. The reason why? Father Gascoigne.

Father Gascoigne is the second boss you fight in the game, and many say he is the hardest boss in the game. He has three modes he fights in: first short range, then long range, then an alternate form.

I knew this was going to be a challenge, so I tried to brace myself.

The first time I went into battle, I ate crap. I got a few lucky hits on him, but he was nowhere near defeated. The next few tries were decent. The fourth time I got him to his final form and wow that guy can cross the map fast. He took me down in one hit.

Ouch.

The fifth time I fought him, I finally started using the environment to my advantage (and getting the timing down on the music box) and I got him down to about a fifth of his health and then I died because I got stuck on the geometry of some gravestones and couldn’t escape to heal in time.

It might be an understatement to say I was a bit frustrated.

This was nearing the end of our play session and I really wanted to make progress. I asked Grunts if he would join my game so we could take him down together (even though I felt, and still feel a bit, cheap about that), so he did, and we went in to battle.

We worked in tandem where one of us would attack while the other would distract, and in short time, we had him down to a sliver of health. I got too greedy (something I know better than to do), went in for more hits, and guess what? Father Gascoigne turned to me and just said, NOPE. He killed me super fast and that was that.

The ironic part? As I died (which kicks your summoned co-op partner out, incidentally), it said, “Prey Slaughtered” which meant Gascoigne died, but because I died, it didn’t count and we had to do it again.

Oops.

As I said, I know better than to get greedy in a boss fight so when we teamed up for the second time, I played it smart(er). We still made quick work of him, but this time I made it through with much health and a solid victory under my belt.

Allow me to say here, I felt very torn about asking for Grunts help to beat Father G. I know the game has the summoning system built in for a reason, but I do feel that if given a bit more time, I could have beat him on my own. I know it’s a valid method for progression, and I can’t say how much I appreciated Grunts help (please note: help means he likely did most of the work), but I do wish I had been able to clear Father G on my own. Hopefully the next bosses I come up against I am able to beat on my own.

We shall see.

And with that, I have another Bloodborne session with Grunts to prepare for. Who knows what today will bring?

More Lovecraftian horror enemies and a beautiful Victorian world. And great company.

Sounds good to me.

October: you’re shaping up just fine.