Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is the first and only expansion to From Software's brutal, Gothic action-RPG.
Like the DLC content for Dark Souls and Dark Souls II, The Old Hunters isn't accessed from a menu. Players will have to fight their way to the expansion's opening moments, and that fight won't come easy.
Here's how to access the new content, and a few tips on what to do before you embrace this new nightmare.
Step One: Kill Vicar Amelia
Credit: Sony
Once you've made it to the Cathedral Ward, your next big challenge will be to kill the area's boss---the grotesque Vicar Amelia who lurks about the Grand Cathedral.
There's an option now to summon Old Hunter Henriett, though you can also summon other players to help with the battle. It's not the most challenging in the game, but going solo it can be a tough fight. I recommend using fire.
Once you've killed Amelia, the world state advances to night. Approach the altar and interact with the object there which triggers a cut-scene. You can watch it or skip it if you've watched already.
Step Two: Return to the Hunter's Dream
Credit: Sony
Return to the Nexus the Hunter's Deram and take the Eye of a Blood-Drunk Hunter from the Messengers at the bottom of the stairs. If you missed it, go take the Old Hunters Bell from the Messengers at the top of the stairs.
Step Three: Return to the Cathedral Ward
Credit: Sony
Once you're back to the Cathedral Ward, take the doorway to your left and head down the stairs. In the first grotto you come to, now empty of enemies, you'll head to the right past the tree and to the fence where a body lies. It's the same body you found the top-hat on earlier. Once you stand there a giant hand will grab you, crushing you and you'll awaken in the Hunter's Nightmare.
Credit: Sony
Once you're in the Hunter's Nightmare you can return to the Hunter's Dream at any time. The grave up by the Insight Messengers will take you back to the Nightmare when you need to return. The Doll is there kneeling by the tombstone much of the time now.
You can do all of this at a fairly low level. I was around level 30 when I beat Vicar Amelia and headed straight into the Hunter's Nightmare. I'm certainly not the best Bloodborne player out there, but I'm not bad either. I'm good enough to know that at level 30 I was woefully under-leveled, and that progressing further---even if I could---would take forever. The first enemy I encountered was tremendously difficult---so difficult, in fact, I believed him to be an NPC Hunter. However, he was just a normal enemy and there were lots of them just as hard or harder waiting just around the corner.
Sony and From Software recommend at least level 65; others recommend getting to the very end of the base game before venturing further (likely closer to level 80 or 90.) I have no perfect answer for you, as it will depend quite a lot on both your skill and your patience level. But leveling up and leveling up your gear will be extremely important in The Old Hunters. It's not for the feint of heart, and even skilled veterans of the game and its Souls predecessors will be put to the test.
You can read my review of The Old Hunters here.
