A world beyond our understanding : madman’s knowledge

Abstract

The item 'Madman’s Knowledge' in FromSoftware's 2016 action-adventure Bloodborne is a game element that contributes to the developer's infamous pursuit of a ludic aesthetics of failure. This particular object leverages two kinds of obfuscation of game-related information: one that places it forever beyond the player’s grasp, and one that can eventually be dispelled through direct experience and recourse to secondary sources. While the latter can be turned into familiar drivel, the former (often referred to as fictional incompleteness) is a mystery that is meant to remain unsolved. In their unique ways, both kinds of informational deficiency evoke fictional worlds whose mystery and greatness extend beyond the limited scope and content of any creative work.