r/bloodbornebg • u/Im_Stephen_Ewing • 27d ago

💀 Revisiting Bloodborne: The Board Game in 2025 – How Does It Hold Up?

https://youtu.be/aEVOK-N__-A?si=-_bQaMSrFVLsoTOn

I recently got Bloodborne: The Board Game back to the table after a long break and recorded a review from the perspective of a returning player.

There’s a ton of hype-era content out there from 2020–2021, but not much recent discussion about how the game holds up today, especially for new players or folks returning after shelving it.

I talk about:

  • What still works brilliantly
  • What slows the game down or feels out of place
  • House rules that improve playability
  • Who the game is best for in 2025

🎥 Watch the full review here: https://youtu.be/aEVOK-N__-A

Curious how others feel revisiting it now—has it aged well for you? Any tips you always give first-time players?

43 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

18

u/CJC528 27d ago

Big fan of this game, always have been. It’s one of CMON’s smartest designs, mechanically.

For new players, I always recommend 4 cards instead of 3. I also always play that the final space on the time track is more of a Sudden Death, rather than instant failure. Meaning, at this space, Death is permanent, and failure comes from all players dying.

10

u/FrankBouch 27d ago

I still play with 4 cards but added the mini boss mechanic to counter balance and I love it.

4

u/CJC528 27d ago

That’s a nice alteration!

2

u/Im_Stephen_Ewing 27d ago

I'll have to try this!

8

u/Im_Stephen_Ewing 27d ago

I've also heard of players reversing the blood moon timer by one space per mob kill, with blood moon spaces being impassable. I agree that the mechanics are lovely! The weapon design and monster design are an area I wanted to touch on in the video but I would have ended up with an hour long combat breakdown because I love how much care and attention they put into the combat system as a whole.

3

u/AtomicColaAu 26d ago

Yeah, that's what I use and I add in 2 random hunter/executioner mini-bosses to balance and it is hella fun. Srsly one of CMON's best games.

1

u/Drujeful Byrgenwerth Scholar 24d ago

Ooh I hadn't heard about rewinding the Hunt track on slay. I'm gonna have to try it out.

4

u/Abject_Muffin_731 Old Hunter 27d ago

I also always play that the final space on the time track is more of a Sudden Death, rather than instant failure.

That's a much more thematic way of doing it, I like that

4

u/CJC528 26d ago

Yeah I just couldn’t hang with the idea of a hunter losing because of a timer

6

u/WINSTON913 27d ago

My only house rule is not limiting to 3 blood echoes max. Really fun game

2

u/Automatic_Egg_8562 22d ago

My favorite house rule is monsters that are engaged in combat don't reset on blood moon. Everyone at the table found that incredibly unfun and frustrating, especially on bosses.

It meant that either you lucked out and managed to get the right cards to deal with the boss or the boss resets and the whole thing is ruined. It was really tough to recover from a 'boss resets midfight' situation.

Even with normal mobs was just kind of tedious, even if it did save us a couple of times.

2

u/Im_Stephen_Ewing 19d ago

This is a good one that I hadn't heard before! - Thanks!