I really like the Dark Souls games but I kind of wanted something a bit different and it looks like Bloodborne is that. I like the fantasy-type theme it has.

Just how similar are the Dark Souls games to Bloodborne? Is Bloodborne pretty much the same thing with a different skin on it? Or is it a completely different experience?

Edit: Forgot to ask one more question. My brother and I have played through all Demon's Souls and the two Dark Souls games together (as much as you're allowed to anyway). How similar is the coop in Bloodborne to say, Dark Souls II?

To break it down, you needed to play a bit of the game solo to get a soapstone to be able to summon. You could only summon people into your world if a) you were alive and b) the area boss wasn't dead (you could always summon people using small soapstones even if the area boss was dead but they wouldn't be allowed in your game for long).

Is coop pretty well the exact same in BB? You need to play a bit solo to get an item to summon? You can only summon if the area boss isn't dead? There is a dead/alive mechanic and you need to be alive to summon? Or, hopefully, crossing my fingers, it's easier to coop in BB?