Bloodborne

 PlayStation 4
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Mar 24, 2015
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 13072 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11,623 out of 13072
  2. Mixed: 507 out of 13072
  3. Negative: 942 out of 13072
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  1. Final_spart4n
    Apr 6, 2015
    0
    Wow bought this expecting great results and it is not even close to a 9. It's the worst designed gameplay of all time. I can't see where I'm going with the worst camera and next thing i know I'm dead. On top of that it takes a minute to reload the game twice. Graphics is also meh. Do not get on the hype train, this is worst game i played this year!
  2. owen445x
    Apr 6, 2015
    10
    Best game I've played in years! Big fan of the Demon Souls and Dark Souls. I was pretty bummed when I played Dark Souls 2 since they threw in a bunch of player punishing mechanics that weren't needed. Death was supposed to be a teacher, but they punished you with health being removed or the durability of weapons being utter garbage. Worst part was that instead of making the areas a risk vsBest game I've played in years! Big fan of the Demon Souls and Dark Souls. I was pretty bummed when I played Dark Souls 2 since they threw in a bunch of player punishing mechanics that weren't needed. Death was supposed to be a teacher, but they punished you with health being removed or the durability of weapons being utter garbage. Worst part was that instead of making the areas a risk vs reward and seeing how far you can push.. they turned it into a grind fest so they will stop respawning after a while. All this had me really worried.

    Thank god the original director came back and threw out all the BS I mentioned above and made an already awesome combat system even better!

    Literally everything in Bloodborne was epic.. level design, weapon system and dual weapon combos! Armor style = Epic!

    The World of Bloodborne literally had me wanting to explore more and more.. I wanted to just play for an hour and ended up being like 6 or 7 and only knew that when the wife came over and yelled at me for being on to long!

    My literal only complaint is that it had less weapons and armor than dark souls 2 and less covenants to join. The weapons and armor are epic but I was just wanting more since dark souls 2 had so many. For the covenants, I didn't like how you can just swap a rune to show your allegiance and it's literally for pvp only except for some armor.

    Other than that, if you haven't already left for Gamestop or Best Buy to purchase this game... you're wrong.. you literally must buy it.. best game in Years!!!    … Expand
  3. Sky-Moondrift
    Apr 6, 2015
    6
    Simply put this game lacks Soul and souls, but it is essentially a Dark souls game with far less items, far less lore and far "more" detachment from the game world.

    Instead of filling the void and thirst to interact more intimately with the obscure worlds and possibly more obscure characters, FromSoftware just widened the void even further to make the experience even more linear and    Simply put this game lacks Soul and souls, but it is essentially a Dark souls game with far less items, far less lore and far "more" detachment from the game world.

    Instead of filling the void and thirst to interact more intimately with the obscure worlds and possibly more obscure characters, FromSoftware just widened the void even further to make the experience even more linear and just focused on combat alone.

    Gone is the fun and excitement of finding all types of fun weapons and discovering their unique move-sets and special abilities- gone is the prospect of finding cool hidden treasures and armors- gone are the choices and forks that could lead you into multiple new areas- gone is the dynamic that let you stumble upon foes out of your league to risk all for great treasure, making the whole affair more like a on-rails action game, rather than a deep and interesting interactive world.

    Without items, lore or interesting personalities, my drive to continue this journey wanes, as I feel like another ant following the same one-directional crumb trail everyone else is, that will inevitably see my doing the same mundane thing.

    My complaint is not what the game is, but rather what it is not, or more accurately what it could have been. I just feel like From could have done much more with this and skimped on a lot of goodies that made their other games great. Fighting and dying is great when you have a skill based combat system, but the lack of soul and depth of the game world doesn't interest me, there's no gravity at all.

    Probably won't see many similar reviews as this one and if all you want to do is bash demons and werewolves in the face all day I can understand why.    … Expand
  4. PauloBessa
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    It is so stupid, why kids came here to give a zero to a game that probably they didn't even played? I would never give a Nintendo game a zero even I can't play it, because this is a really bad action not with the console, but with the developers. Grow up kids!

    The game is amazing, I'm in the final boss, but I am now giving a try on the dungeons and it is really cool, a nice add-on to    It is so stupid, why kids came here to give a zero to a game that probably they didn't even played? I would never give a Nintendo game a zero even I can't play it, because this is a really bad action not with the console, but with the developers. Grow up kids!

    The game is amazing, I'm in the final boss, but I am now giving a try on the dungeons and it is really cool, a nice add-on to the series. Every Ps4 owner should play this, its a masterpiece. There some drops on frame rate, but with all the gorgeous graphics and the online totally integrated on your world (you can jump in and out really quickly as a guest in other worlds) its ok =)

    Aside that the game is pure gold. Very nice combat, much faster and dynamic, the bosses are so cool, and I'm really looking for on more platinum trophy on the Souls franchise.    … Expand
  5. Skarwind
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    This is purely my opinion of the game so please do not consider it the end all be all of what everyone else should hold this game to. I feel it deserves a 9 because compared to the other releases that the PS4 has had so far everything else has been a shamble of broken promises and huge mistakes on the part of the gaming industry and for once I found a game I can justify paying 60+ dollarsThis is purely my opinion of the game so please do not consider it the end all be all of what everyone else should hold this game to. I feel it deserves a 9 because compared to the other releases that the PS4 has had so far everything else has been a shamble of broken promises and huge mistakes on the part of the gaming industry and for once I found a game I can justify paying 60+ dollars for.

    Being a fan of From Software since the Kings Field days I have to say this game ranks as one of my favorites from the developers. The graphics are very nice, the sounds add to the atmosphere of this gorgeous looking game. The gameplay is extremely fun and addicting to say the least. The story elements are a little lacking compared to the souls series but it's still enough to formulate your own story and add to the theories of other players. The difficulty is just as punishing and infuriating as any other game that From Software has released but it is quite refreshing to see the devs make the change to a more aggressive stance in the combat flow.

    The Graphics: The game is beautiful. The city of Yarnahm is dark and gritty. Similar to Lovecraftian design and it adds to the horror setting of this game. The enemy design is twisted and intense.

    The sound: Just as stated above. Each smash of a large enemy is satisfying, the sword clashing is sharp and loud, the gunshots make your weapon feel fierce and deadly.

    Story: Just as any From Software game that has been released in the past... It's there for those who look for it (for those who don't care about story every cinematic is skippable). The lore is contained within the items, dialogue, and cutscenes but you'll have to dig to understand it. It also leaves enough room for your own interpretation of events which is refreshing compared to games that spit out movie esque cliches or standard drama storylines.

    Combat: It's visceral and punishing. Make the wrong play and you're dead. Simple and sweet.

    Overall the game is a pleasure to play in a generation of exhausted ideas and general standards. The difficulty is great and rewards those who push through to the end. The Chalice dungeons could use some work but for the most part the main campaign and PvP aspects are a blast and make up for it until future patches fix the issues that made it past the testing phases of the game.

    For those interested in co-op and PvP, these aspects of the game work fine (when they decide to work) and hopefully the developers will fix these issues over time. As with all games, although this does not excuse broken products on release day, every game has its fair share of problems but with time and dedication from the devs we will hopefully see a game worthy of a 10/10. For now I leave it at a 9 because everything else works fine and is satisfying for me and many of my friends who also play the game.    … Expand
  6. BloodyRandy
    Apr 5, 2015
    8
    This is probably the first Dark Souls type game that I stopped playing. I might have got close to the end, but I couldn't handle the rinse and repeat stuff. There were parts that felt completely cut and paste from Dark Souls. The layout of the game is frustrating. A lot of players can't get out of the first zone, can't get past the pretty difficult Bloodstarved beast. Some bosses afterThis is probably the first Dark Souls type game that I stopped playing. I might have got close to the end, but I couldn't handle the rinse and repeat stuff. There were parts that felt completely cut and paste from Dark Souls. The layout of the game is frustrating. A lot of players can't get out of the first zone, can't get past the pretty difficult Bloodstarved beast. Some bosses after that are downright damage sponges. In Dark Souls Sif the great wolf and Ornstein and Smaugh are extremely memorable and were insanely good fights with little touches that made them really tricky and satisfying. Mostly because of the inconsistencies of the flow of the game I'd have to give this an 8.2/10. I don't think it's as good as Dark Souls and could argue that this is more broken than Dark Souls 2 when it comes to the flow of the game.

    Positives of Bloodborne
    - Graphics are much better than previous games.
    - Guns are a great new additions
    -Duel wielding is doable now with life being thrown back if you're aggressive enough.
    -Stunning visuals in certain areas, even the beginning.
    -Werewolf theme is nice and fresh. Not many games that focus on werewolves.
    -Life potions are easily usable and you have 20 to begin with.
    -Warping immediately to lamps.
    -Some bosses are pretty cool and have good intros. (I liked the werewolf girl Amelia)

    Negatives of Bloodborne
    - It feels like there's only one class (Hunter) instead of mages, knights, rogues & ninjas.
    - I can't find armor sets or weapon emblems for the life of me, ok here's 3 sets in 5 minutes near the end of the game.
    - I had to google why I couldn't warp to certain lamps after running to lamps most of the game. I had no idea that you just had to move to a different graveyard at hub which is completely unnecessary and should inform us. It was fun that Dark Souls had a lot of secrets but not the functionality of the game. When I unlocked warping it clearly told me so.
    -What happened to armor upgrades? armors are visually stunning and statistically boring and all are pretty much the same. The first hunter armor is at the same level and even better so than the last armor you collect.
    -You can blast through the whole game with the first axe they give you. The 2-handed use of the axe is a competely copy of the one you can wield at the end of Dark Souls so it's rather fast and powerful but nothing new at all.
    -As I explained earlier one boss is super easy followed by one that's impossible followed by one that's super easy again.
    -Couldn't use my bell summon on certain bosses, not sure if this was intended or a bug.
    -Dark Souls lets you level up at every fireplace, doesn't force you to warp back to a hub that takes 40 seconds to get to 40 seconds to get back.
    -At one point I couldn't find any more health drinks which was provided at fireplaces in Dark Souls. So I had to farm them just like farming souls in lower level areas just to have enough to take a boss, frustrating.
    -The game was extremely gross. It has complete copy of sounds that are from gears of war. Instead of feeling like a badass I felt like I need to wash my clothes.
    -The story is so ridiculous it is totally bonkers and doesn't stick to a theme like werewolves virus has taken over and your here to stop it. No it smothers it with confusion and convolutes it was nonsense and anti-God themes.
    -Signs are better than wierd demony guys coming from the ground posing as a sign. I know this game is supposed to be a spriritual successor to Demon Souls, but nobody cared about that game until Dark Souls anyways and signs should be signs.
    -You get completely lost sometimes, with a small corridor somewhere being the way to go to the next complete area which then could be completely linear for 3 hours to a boss, back to town.
    - When you exit the game no waiting. When you load any area 40 seconds. For a new console that has ridiculous specs. Game should be 60 fps 1080p, if Nintendo can do it so can you.    … Expand
  7. massivechicken
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    This is what gaming is all about. In a world dominated by tutorial after tutorial and hand holding with little to no risk, along comes this gem, which throws all that out the window. It is brutal. At first, I was shocked, and turned it off after 15 minutes thinking it was garbage. Then I tried again. I'm glad I did, for I can't stop thinking about it! I'm a mature gamer at 37 years old,This is what gaming is all about. In a world dominated by tutorial after tutorial and hand holding with little to no risk, along comes this gem, which throws all that out the window. It is brutal. At first, I was shocked, and turned it off after 15 minutes thinking it was garbage. Then I tried again. I'm glad I did, for I can't stop thinking about it! I'm a mature gamer at 37 years old, and this reminds me of the games I played growing up. You have to actually PLAY it! Frigging love it! Only 1 point off for the loading times when you die - I understand this will be patched soon.… Expand
  8. wittyname1234
    Apr 5, 2015
    3
    How is this game getting these rave reviews? I don't usually feel like I outright wasted 60 dollars, but I do when it comes to this game. The graphics are something I'd expect on PS3, or possibly earlier. The load screens are incredibly long, and they occur very frequently. You don't feel like you're playing a game, you just feel like you're waiting for a game to load.

    The gameplay is    How is this game getting these rave reviews? I don't usually feel like I outright wasted 60 dollars, but I do when it comes to this game. The graphics are something I'd expect on PS3, or possibly earlier. The load screens are incredibly long, and they occur very frequently. You don't feel like you're playing a game, you just feel like you're waiting for a game to load.

    The gameplay is awful. You can't manage your health bar at all. I was able to fight a group of mobs in one level, I died and went back to fight the same group and there attack speeds and striking patterns were different. The mobs attack style is absurdly erratic, so you're never ready for anything that happens. There's nothing to this game except button mashing and hoping, which I don't really mind if its in a nice looking environment but here we just have some dingy city and bad graphics. I don't even know if there's a story.

    If you're into being extremely frustrated, having to retry the same levels over and over again, and waiting through a load screen that feels absurdly long after every death, definitely buy this game. If none of that sounds appealing, don't buy it.    … Expand
  9. jankywalker
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    I looked at something the wrong way, and it killed me. This game is one of the most torturous, maddening, mind-eradicating experiences I've ever played; easily the best game ever.
  10. squirreleatsman
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    It's a very strange thing trying to review Bloodborne. On one hand you have an extremely challenging RPG with fast paced combat, rewarding victories, and a wondrous dark world to explore, on the other you have a questionable camera andl lock on system, frame rate slowdown, excessively long load times, and unforgiving game design.
    Bloodborne makes it clear, for better or for worse, that    It's a very strange thing trying to review Bloodborne. On one hand you have an extremely challenging RPG with fast paced combat, rewarding victories, and a wondrous dark world to explore, on the other you have a questionable camera andl lock on system, frame rate slowdown, excessively long load times, and unforgiving game design.
    Bloodborne makes it clear, for better or for worse, that it will not hold the players hand, guide the player, or even tell the player how to play the game. That's said my first two to three hours with this game were nothing but frustrating with some minor victories here and there. Once I taught myself how to play the game and completed the first Boss encounter, the Cleric, I was hooked.
    The combat is extremely functional in most cases and feel very responsive, which is a bare minimum requirement with this game. The gun is utilized as a stun/parry, while you can also dodge attack by rolling or throwing yourself out of the enemies reach. The morphing weapons allow the player to switch between them immediately after attacks, making for some very tactical combinations of varying attacks. However the combat is sadly not without it's own technical issues, the camera is often too close to the player to allow a solid view of the environment and enemies. During one on one combat with the games medium to medium large characters this is mostly not an issue, however up the size, or number of the enemies and this issue becomes very known. On top of the fact that as the number of enemies on screen increases the frame rate drops to a chug, which in a game all about timing is completely unacceptable.
    In terms of game design, the world is fantastic and really encourages the player to explore whether simply to find more gear, build more experience, discover shortcuts, or to simply avoid death, Bloodborne is the first game since Zelda Ocarina of Time that I have truly felt that exploring was not only fun and rewarding, but also a necessity. The only real issue I found was the location of bonfires/lanterns(your check points/fast travel points) are never positioned well for boss battles, especially when the player is just exploring and happens to walk into a boss battle with no exit and dies(because there's a 99% chance the player will not beat the boss in the first encounter) losing all of their Blood Echoes(the games currency used for purchasing and leveling up) and then being sent all the way back to their last checkpoint. This becomes excruciatingly frustrating even after you have found the fastest route to the boss and simply have to retraces your steps and fight the same enemies over and over again. While the game does open up more and more as the player continue the first environment Yarham, will likely where thin on just about everyone one from the sheer amount of time you spend in it learning how to play, and repeating sections over and over gain .
    In terms presentation, the worlds a fantastically realized, creatures are frightening and beautiful, menu systems are functional but unobtrusive. The sound design is excellent and fittingly creepy. There is barely a story to speak of but fortunately the game's mood is strong enough to keep interested players coming back.
    When it comes down to it Bloodborne is an absolutely amazing games and an absolutely terrible game and just depends on the type of player and what section of the game the player is on. Overall I struggle to recommend to game to anyone aside from players who have the time, focus, and patience most of all to overlook it's most frustrating segments and reap the sweet rewards of victory that is littered throughout this game. I personally would give this game a 9 however, I have to be honest with myself and not overlook it's shortcomings and failures.    … Expand
  11. DeusXCom
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    Is Bloodborne the best game available on PS4? Absolutely! In fact, as of right now, it's probably the only reason to even think about buying this platform, which is exactly what I did. Was it worth it? Well, let's see.

    At first I was blown away, starting impressions in this game are fantastic, beautiful world and creature design, gameplay as solid as ever and really strong terrifying    Is Bloodborne the best game available on PS4? Absolutely! In fact, as of right now, it's probably the only reason to even think about buying this platform, which is exactly what I did. Was it worth it? Well, let's see.

    At first I was blown away, starting impressions in this game are fantastic, beautiful world and creature design, gameplay as solid as ever and really strong terrifying atmosphere only enhances your experience. Bloodborne oozes darkness and horror from it's core and I love it.

    The difficulty is back! As a huge Souls fan, this is something I missed in DS2 and I'm glad that Bloodborne kicked my ass so hard and so many times, my death count by the end was around one hundred, so good job, From Soft *clap gesture*. The best aspect about it are scarce checkpoints, it adds tension to your adventure a lot, remembering times when I was going deep into Forbidden Woods, for like 4 hours straight without a single checkpoint, but at the same time, clever level design offers you the way to open shortcuts, so even if you die the journey back wouldn't be so frustrating, perfect balance here and again much much better than in DS2 with bonfires around every corner.

    The game looks stunningly impressive and leagues better than any previous souls game, from breathtaking world design, The Prague-inspired gothic architecture, creepy and horrifying monsters and epic boss battles, also clothes design is phenomenal, one better looking outfit than the other. Just listening to the soundtrack and it's a truly majestic piece of music work, very well done.

    Now to the negatives, and honestly, there are surprisingly quite a lot of them.

    Multiplayer is by far the weakest in the series. It slows down the game a lot, it's often very hard to even get connected and get ready to play a waiting game. Considering I played it during the first week, years from now, this will be an empty ghost town. Forget constant PvP matches and plenty of jolly co-op, here it's a rather rare occurrence. Also, forget all the various covenants with different objectives and mechanics, forget exclusive PvP arenas and all the good stuff that comes with it. After hours and hours of online fun in DS2, Bloodborne is a huge letdown in this area.

    Another disappointment comes with only a very few weapons and various builds you can play with. In souls games, playing as a strength warrior, archer, cleric, or a mage felt very different, everyone had unique skills and playstyles and it supported multiple, multiple playthroughs. Here, all builds feel very similar and now, when I'm on my 2nd playthrough I already feel that replayability will suffer a lot because of this. Chalice dungeons, while impressive and surprisingly full of unique material, even unique bosses are trying to improve the replayability factor a bit with their procedurally generated levels, but I still don't think it's a good enough substitute.

    And last but not least - the biggest problem of Bloodborne - PS4! Locked 30 FPS is a joke and coming from smooth 60 DS2 PC version, this is very painful. IF, at least the 30 FPS was rock solid and otherwise smooth, I wouldn't mind it as much, but it often goes deep below 30 and especially if you're playing online the game is very sluggish. The loading screens, oh boy, the loading screens! I stopwatched it and every single loading screen takes a massive 40 seconds! Compare this to the 3 secs in DS2 PC version and again, you're in pain. Especially with the warping system set in this game it becomes unbearable. Every time you want to go level up, repair, or buy stuff, let's go for a sweet loading screen to Hunter's dream, another loading screen back to the world, then you die and another loading screen cycle, rinse and repeat. In Souls games, there were at least item descriptions, or artworks that you could read while waiting, but here, prepare yourself to be staring at the blank Bloodborne logo for many many hours before you finish this game. So, next time, if someone gets a great idea to make the game an exclusive, at least make it on a platform, that can actually run your game properly!

    It's a shame, because if it weren't for these technical downsides, less variation and a slightly lackluster multiplayer compared to previous Souls entries, Bloodborne would be perfect.

    Hoping for a sequel or at least an expansion that would fix the problems, improve these shortcomings and bring Bloodborne even closer to perfection. Bless us with blood, bless us with blood! 9/10    … Expand
  12. Leo_Kakinoki
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    As a person new to the "Souls"-type games, this game absolutely blew my mind away. Extremely sharp learning curve and very difficult at first, but it gets better after killing the first boss (but still difficult). The horror art style, sounds, and overall atmosphere is breathtaking and appropriate to what a dark fantasy game should be.

    Few issues with frame rate and loading times but    As a person new to the "Souls"-type games, this game absolutely blew my mind away. Extremely sharp learning curve and very difficult at first, but it gets better after killing the first boss (but still difficult). The horror art style, sounds, and overall atmosphere is breathtaking and appropriate to what a dark fantasy game should be.

    Few issues with frame rate and loading times but nothing too hindering.

    Overall, a very well-made game and could be contender for Game of the Year. Do not get discouraged if you die a million times to top hat wearing, bearded, blade-wielding men and brick trolls. Learn from that and come back even stronger.

    Please note that neither this reviewer nor From Software are responsible for controller loss, monitor/TV damage, property damage, extreme anger, palpitations, heart attacks, nausea, diarrhea, heartbreaks from relationship breakups due to excessive gaming, delirium, murder, death, corrupted souls, or alien invasions while playing this extremely difficult game.    … Expand
  13. Vilesoul
    Apr 5, 2015
    7
    Pros
    - Great aesthetics and inspiring concepts invokes a sense of horror and fright in the player.
    - The sound further enriches the immersive atmosphere of the environment. - New middleware like the SSS (Separable Subsurface Scattering) engine allows for the unique blood-spattering effect. - The Chalice dungeons adds hours of exploration to the experience. - The weapons and armor    Pros
    - Great aesthetics and inspiring concepts invokes a sense of horror and fright in the player.
    - The sound further enriches the immersive atmosphere of the environment.
    - New middleware like the SSS (Separable Subsurface Scattering) engine allows for the unique blood-spattering effect.
    - The Chalice dungeons adds hours of exploration to the experience.
    - The weapons and armor pieces are incredibly well designed.
    - The Blood Gems allows for detailed customization of weapons, making it the best upgrade system in the series.
    - The bosses are incredible dynamic despite the fact that many of them tower over you.
    - No Soul Memory.

    Cons
    - The frame-rate. It's absolutely unbearable to go from one game running at 60 fps back to Bloodborne's 30 fps, it makes it look clunky and feel laggy, and the frame rate does occasionally dip to the single digits.
    - The lighting FX. What happened to the shadows you cast in Dark Souls 2? Why throw away shadows in a game that centers around the eldritch and esoteric?
    - The 30-40 second load screens.
    - The lack of customization: 6 stats to level? You either go Arcane, Bloodtinge or physical.
    - The lack of magic: The "magic" exists as Hunters Tool and work as reusable consumables (that consumes bullets) and there are only a handful "spells" available.
    - The lack of weapons. Out of the 15 weapons very few are viable, and everyone and their mother uses the same 2 weapons (The Chikage or Ludwig's Holy Blade) in PvP.
    - The lack of firearms. Same story, really, the Evelyn is the only one that deals good damage at an efficient bullet cost.
    - No PvP arena.
    - The 5 - 10 minute wait for invasions in an invasion-popular area.
    - The obligatory 10 minute farming in-between matches because you've exhausted your Blood Vials and bullets in PvP (because everyone uses them).

    Verdict
    - It's definitely worth the $60 for the 30+ hours of enjoyment you'll get out of the PvE, but it's definitely not a system seller. And the lack of customization and a functional PvP experience definitely ruined the game for me, so I'll go back to Dark Souls 2 when Scholar of the First Sin drops.    … Expand
  14. Jeanp
    Apr 5, 2015
    9
    From its atmosphere, to its action. This game will either frustrate you to no end or deliver an awesome experience. It is difficult if you don't plan your actions but it rewarding when it plays out in your favor. Give it a try and you will be playing one of the better games of this year.
  15. Herest
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    The atmosphere in this game is just breathe taking. I loved the feel of the fast paced combat. It may be a departure from the usual souls formula but it is a welcome change. And to all those who are crying because of difficulty: gitgud :^)
  16. gaf_dofry
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    Bloodborne is a game that assumes the player is a normal, thinking and learning human being. One that does not need excessive hand holding and guidance through the mundane elements often presented in games. It shoves the player into the deep end of the pool and lets you learn as you play. The enemies hit hard so you need to hit back harder. With this mechanic you have a chance to gain someBloodborne is a game that assumes the player is a normal, thinking and learning human being. One that does not need excessive hand holding and guidance through the mundane elements often presented in games. It shoves the player into the deep end of the pool and lets you learn as you play. The enemies hit hard so you need to hit back harder. With this mechanic you have a chance to gain some of the lost health back, which creates an approach opposite of Demon's Souls. It doesn't mean you can be careless, just that you cannot rely totally on previous ways to play a From Software game blocking with a shield. The variety of the enemy characters, be they man or beast, is extensive and they all have unique fighting style that forces the player to learn and adapt. This does not mean that Bloodborne is overtly difficult, only that the player is expected to think a bit more than normal. Playing tired e,g, leads to cheap deaths as one cannot think straight and play becomes sloppy.

    Level design is layered and multiple paths open up as you walk along Yharnam. The way this mechanic is designed is genious as the more you play and the more you die, the more you learn the layout of the game. And you have to learn as there is no map to guide you. Only you. As there is plenty to explore, you might miss a place here and there, but the game keeps you somewhat contained in the areas you need to explore. Boss fights usually opening up new areas to explore further. And what a delightful bunch they are. Each boss has their on way of fighting which either is clear at the first sight or takes a lot of tries to learn. But the same theme of learning lets you beat each and every one of them eventually through trial and error if necessary. The bosses scale slightly to your level so if you lose, and you will lose often, it is your approach that needs tweaking, not the stats that of your character has. You might yell at the screen a few times, but once you get the boss, the feeling of accomplishment is present. Learning is an clear and essential theme in the game. This design decision is ever present and given to you as tiny tips by the game. You never know what a weapon or items do unless you test and try. Nothing is explicitly stated. That is one of the charms of the game as you progress. The player starts to discuss with friends of the experiences and items. "What do they do? did you do that?" type is evident on forum topics regarding the games. And I do recommend skipping them and experiencing everything yourself first hand and asking questions when you get stuck.

    Bloodborne is a long game, clocking in around 50 hours for the first play through depending on your style, so the variety of places and enemies is essential. This is where the game shines. Even though the setting is a overall the same Victorian style nightmare, it still changes in style multiple times. Every new setting will be memorable and connects in some way to others. And the variety of the enemies is the same as they change accordingly. As an interesting element, there is the Insight factor, a point system accumulated by discovering and defeating bosses or gulping potions, which will affect the games difficulty and other elements by scaling up or down. Enemies in the visibly changed world become stronger, look and act differently or might change spots or disappear totally. This makes experiencing the game a bit different for each player, so you might not encounter as easy enemies or bosses as you friend might have.

    The weapons in the game are what defines you style from heavy to fast. Most have both with a click of a button to change your style, but some weapons are more effective for certain enemies. Upgrading and implementing gems in the weapons or runes for one the character is what enhances and improves your chance of survival. A sidearm in the form of a pistol is offered which often staggers enemies enough to create a devastating blow. For this reason, experimenting with your weapon attacks in addition to your sidearm as well as movement is key. You find and learn new ways to defeat even strong enemies with a quick combo.

    On a technical level it looks the part. There is clearly love spent on creating the game aesthetics. There is a micro-stutter from time to time with a distinct accompanying buzz from your speakers which should be fixed, but overall the game runs and feels great. As of note I have not tried and co-operative play and there should be strong drops with many friends, so lets hope From Software fixes those mistakes.

    As I've only played Demon's Souls a long time ago, I was excited to try a similar game. I wanted a game that entertains me for a long period of time and what I got from Bloodborne is a game that is exciting, atmospheric, riveting, engaging, smart, creepy and satisfying. I truly believe any gamer should give it a try as this will be a classic people talk about years later. 2015 is still early but I expect this game to be GOTY for many.    … Expand
  17. scottysauce
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    This is by far one of the hardest games I've ever played but I must admit it's also one of my all time favorites. This really takes me back to the good old days of planning and doing things over and over again from the start. This one is simply stunning all over the place. I'm 41 years old and my game skills have slowed but I'll finish this one.
  18. cylentstorm
    Apr 4, 2015
    7
    Bloodborene is likely the most accessible Souls game, but it doesn't improve upon its clunky predecessors in any meaningful way. Think of it as Demon/Dark Souls Gaiden, if you will. It's fun for a few nights of mindless hack and slash, but the awesomely grimy gothic atmosphere carries the tired clunk-o-matic mechanics only so far.

    That being said, I know why many people dig these games,    Bloodborene is likely the most accessible Souls game, but it doesn't improve upon its clunky predecessors in any meaningful way. Think of it as Demon/Dark Souls Gaiden, if you will. It's fun for a few nights of mindless hack and slash, but the awesomely grimy gothic atmosphere carries the tired clunk-o-matic mechanics only so far.

    That being said, I know why many people dig these games, and I get it. Masochism aside, when you step back and look at the game as a whole, you may see it for what it truly is: the latest version of a game (with many names) that FROM has been developing since the mid-90s. Maybe one day, they'll update the "soul" of their endlessly mutating creation to match the beauty of its aesthetics. Fingers crossed.

    Until then, Bloodborne is a solid, if uninspired, action game with stat-building and darkly quirky style. Give it a shot--especially if you love the Souls series or have never dared to subject yourself to the many gruesome deaths that await you when stepping into their worlds.    … Expand
  19. IsaacMG
    Apr 4, 2015
    9
    To all the people who give this game low notes because they SUCK at gaming: go back to play casual games. This is not for everyone, but the game is PERFECTLY playable if you know how to play video games. The game is just great. It starts hard, but it greatly rewards your perseverance.
  20. illini1307
    Apr 4, 2015
    10
    Let me start out by saying this is the first FROM software game(no souls or anything) that I've played and I honestly didn't know what to expect. I started off like everyone said I would. FRUSTRATED. I couldn't get passed the first checkpoint. But let me tell you, once you start conquering bosses and areas that were so difficult, it's the best feeling. I can't help but to smile and screamLet me start out by saying this is the first FROM software game(no souls or anything) that I've played and I honestly didn't know what to expect. I started off like everyone said I would. FRUSTRATED. I couldn't get passed the first checkpoint. But let me tell you, once you start conquering bosses and areas that were so difficult, it's the best feeling. I can't help but to smile and scream when I finally destroy a difficult boss and you honestly feel like a monster. I love the RPG element of this game along with the dark and ominous tone it sets throughout. This is WITHOUT A DOUBT one of the best games I've played in the past 5 years. I highly recommend buying it even if you've never played a Souls game. This game has so much content which makes it worth every minute. Expect frustration but expect to be addicted even more afterward.… Expand
  21. inoxtomas
    Apr 4, 2015
    8
    this game is really good, and i enjoying every part of it, but in some way it's a step back..

    1) pvp seems dead, there's no arena like ds2, also the invasions are really rare. 2) co-op.. insight..wtf..i really miss the old gold sign before the boss or near the bonfire..i barely do any coop here, while in ds2 i made a tank char just for helping random people with some boss.. 3)    this game is really good, and i enjoying every part of it, but in some way it's a step back..

    1) pvp seems dead, there's no arena like ds2, also the invasions are really rare.

    2) co-op.. insight..wtf..i really miss the old gold sign before the boss or near the bonfire..i barely do any coop here, while in ds2 i made a tank char just for helping random people with some boss..

    3) *little spoiler* in ds2 you can choose when to go to the ng+, here you can't. it's stupid in my opinion.

    4) magic: why i can understand the 'magic is op' bandwagon, i think magic was a nice part of demon/dark..it add some deep to the fight, and i really miss my hexer in bb ^.^

    5) customization: i really miss the possibility to respec like in ds2, the weapon enchant with fire, dark, ecc ecc and the possibility to go with two weapon.

    in conclusion this game is good, but not perfect.

    (sorry for my english)    … Expand
  22. Spierk
    Apr 4, 2015
    4
    Yes, it is a great game in it's own right, but NOT FOR EVERY SOULS FAN!

    Why does no one outline those facts? Since too many people praise what work's, I'll concentrate on what doesn't (for me): NO SHIELD STRATEGY : There is only one shield in the entire game, and it's meant as a joke, as it isn't viable against anything in the game. NO BOW OR RANGED STRATEGY : Did you like to    Yes, it is a great game in it's own right, but NOT FOR EVERY SOULS FAN!

    Why does no one outline those facts? Since too many people praise what work's, I'll concentrate on what doesn't (for me):

    NO SHIELD STRATEGY : There is only one shield in the entire game, and it's meant as a joke, as it isn't viable against anything in the game.

    NO BOW OR RANGED STRATEGY : Did you like to play an archer or a caster before, even partially? Did you have fun spell sniping with binoculars or casting & dodging? Well, you c'ant do that here. Yes, there are guns, pistols, rifles, even a freaking cannon! But they aren't meant for damage, they do 3-5% at best.

    SLOW CURRENCY ACQUIRING : Remember when you started your last fresh toon in any soul game, and you were in the 5 digit souls within 10 minutes? Well, that won't happen here. And you'll die a ridiculous amount of times if you're not a 2 handed melee player.

    HEALING IS MINIMAL : No Estus Flask, only one item heals (well with a few rare one-time use variants) with a max of 20 at a time, that heal the same fixed amount though the entire game! what's the point in adding VIT point if the heal item always gives me the same mount of HP and there's a cap on how many you can carry?

    WEAPONS ARE FEW, SCARCE & EXPENSIVE : You want a specific weapon (of which there are maybe 12-15 ish?) First you must kill a certain boss, then spend 10 to 60k of your currency to buy it. (when the boss gives like 5-10k).

    GEAR SKINS ARE SCARCE ARE VERY SIMILAR : Yep, they did a complete 180 on the fashion Souls approach from last game. Not to mention, the stats are always lower then you'd expect for the area you're encountering, but that might be just me.

    PAY TO REPAIR, HEALING, MAGIC, BULLETS. : Yes, Demon's Souls Style all the way. Some people likes it, I know I did, but on the other hand, it wasn't as draconian as it is here! It's like your taxes. The more you gain currency, the more you're forced to spend back just to stay even on those aspects.

    NO SENSE OF DIRECTION : Demon's souls was too linear, Dark Souls 1 was the perfect balance for my tastes, as everything connected, yet every area had it's own very distinct feel. Dark souls 2 was a weird mix that failed by trying to appeal to both extremes and this one is the worst because there are 3 major areas, interconnected by random doors guarded by bosses without fog walls.

    NO MORE FOG GATES : Did you enjoy the sense of dread as well as the joy of making progress when you saw one of those? Well, they now only appear once, after you died for the first time, like Vendrick in dark souls 2.

    My point is not to say this is a bad game, because it definitely does deserve all the praise, but if ANY of the aforementioned points pisses you off, by all means... Do more research before seeping your hard earned money.

    thank you,    … Expand
  23. alasdair333
    Apr 4, 2015
    7
    Having never played Dark souls but everyone I know raving about it. I decided to give Bloodborne a shot. As expected I've not made it very far but already there are a couple of things that are annoying even at this early stage of the game.

    1) Loading screen: When I die (alot) I'm greeted with the loading screen, and it lasts longer than the bits inbetween so 90% of my experience so far    Having never played Dark souls but everyone I know raving about it. I decided to give Bloodborne a shot. As expected I've not made it very far but already there are a couple of things that are annoying even at this early stage of the game.

    1) Loading screen: When I die (alot) I'm greeted with the loading screen, and it lasts longer than the bits inbetween so 90% of my experience so far is a black screen with the "Bloodborne" text and what feels like an eternity. Oh look all the enemies have respawned yay! ... dead.

    2) Collision Detection: I was fighting a big dude and ran off to hide around a corner. Suddenly his axe bent the laws of physics and passed through the building like it wasn't there hitting me and the boxes. Oh look dead again. Back to complaint #1

    it maybe the case that I've just started my adventure into this style of game and I'll eventually get used to these annoyances.
    I've read they are looking into the loading times too, so hopefully they are cut dramatically soon.

    The atmosphere is great though, and apart from having no idea what buttons do what. Hopefully I'll begin to really enjoy it.    … Expand
  24. wesker2012
    Apr 3, 2015
    8
    Another solid entry into the Soul's series. If you are a Souls fan you will probably enjoy it. I liked the new, faster combat and transforming weapons. I wish there was a bit more story elements in the game, because the constant fighting got tiring. The presentation, graphics, atmosphere is top notch. Also, I hope they mix the formula up in the future, maybe mix up the game with someAnother solid entry into the Soul's series. If you are a Souls fan you will probably enjoy it. I liked the new, faster combat and transforming weapons. I wish there was a bit more story elements in the game, because the constant fighting got tiring. The presentation, graphics, atmosphere is top notch. Also, I hope they mix the formula up in the future, maybe mix up the game with some noncombat areas, because I'm getting a bit tired with the formula now. Overall a solid game, the overall game design is similar, with a different theme and minor changes to items, gameplay. Also, the game is brutally difficult as the other Souls games were. Maybe even more so. I hope in the future, they can make the game more fun, because the brutal difficulty gets tiring after awhile and you can only take so much. After awhile, you just wanna relax and have fun.… Expand
  25. Ryhelia
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    This game is insanely good, addicting, and really sucks you into it's gorgeous and twisted setting.

    Nothing beats playing this game at night with all the lights off and the surround sound cranked up. Unbelievable. There was a point where i was 5 hours in and i hadn't made it to the first boss yet, and i really thought i might give up. So glad i didn't. Now i can go back and clear    This game is insanely good, addicting, and really sucks you into it's gorgeous and twisted setting.

    Nothing beats playing this game at night with all the lights off and the surround sound cranked up. Unbelievable.

    There was a point where i was 5 hours in and i hadn't made it to the first boss yet, and i really thought i might give up. So glad i didn't. Now i can go back and clear that first level of enemies in about 5 minutes. You just gotta stick with it.

    This game is absolutely a system seller, and easily the best exclusive on either console....very possibly the best overall game of this generation. It's not for everyone. ..but i think about 90% of action /rpg fans would love it if they can stick it out the first few hours. You have to realize that this game wants and needs you to die so it can train you how to fight and keep focused. And once you do...and you start progressing and leveling up....just wow. Between this and MLB the Show, ps4 is straight dominating.    … Expand
  26. bazzzinga
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    ok, I missed the shields. I missed the more romantic fantasy setting. I missed the dancey combat dynamic, I missed spells, I missed more detailed lore.
    But not anymore.
    I just want to see the blood flow.
  27. Quinus
    Apr 3, 2015
    3
    Bought a PS4 based on the excellent reviews I'd read of this game.

    Wanna take a trip down memory lane to the badly designed platform games of the 80's and 90's?. This is basically it. Spend hours learning the unexplained controls and dying in 2 hits to random mobs. Die a lot. Spend at least 50% of your time staring at a loading screen. When you die it's back to the start of the    Bought a PS4 based on the excellent reviews I'd read of this game.

    Wanna take a trip down memory lane to the badly designed platform games of the 80's and 90's?. This is basically it. Spend hours learning the unexplained controls and dying in 2 hits to random mobs.

    Die a lot. Spend at least 50% of your time staring at a loading screen. When you die it's back to the start of the level with all the mobs re-spawned. Spend 20 minutes getting back to where you died and then get one-shotted by the boss. Back to the start you go.

    I expect this game will sell in the thousands if not hundred of thousands. But how many people will stick with the excruciatingly dated game play?. DS fans no doubt, but for the rest of us who have seen game play mature from the bad old days it's some tough medicine to swallow. I uninstalled it this evening having spend an afternoon repeating the same section over and over. That's not satisfying, it's boring.    … Expand
  28. ChristopherKK
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    Incredible, I beat the game and immediately wanted to beat it again on new game plus, I have played every souls game but I consider this one to be the best because of the much improved combat system and incredible atmosphere and boss designs, best game I have played in 10 years.
  29. Captain_Apollo
    Apr 3, 2015
    7
    Pros:
    Acceptable graphics and sounds, beautiful design;
    Good replayability. Cons: Insanely hard, practically unplayable for an average gamer; Almost no storyline; Technical issues, especially ridiculously long loading times. For such a game it's completely unacceptable. If you are not Souls geek, I do not recommend to buy this game. At least before loading times issue will be    Pros:
    Acceptable graphics and sounds, beautiful design;
    Good replayability.

    Cons:
    Insanely hard, practically unplayable for an average gamer;
    Almost no storyline;
    Technical issues, especially ridiculously long loading times. For such a game it's completely unacceptable.

    If you are not Souls geek, I do not recommend to buy this game. At least before loading times issue will be fixed. Anyway, it's very "special" and, IMO, very overhyped game, so be warned and think twice.    … Expand
  30. Hentailover
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    An excellent game. Absolute best PS4 has to offer at the moment, but even without shallow library of PS4 to elevate it, it's a solid 9. Combat is much faster, fluent and dire than a more methodical combat of its predecessors. Art style is amazing and atmosphere is chilling.
  31. Rustedtruck
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    The game is great and it will be a definite bang for your buck and your time!!! If you are worry about this title being a cash-grab fiasco, unfinished, extremely short, and disappointing then you have nothing to concern yourself over. Bloodborne is an actual "game" that is not trying to squeeze a single extra penny out of you besides your original purchase price. Bloodborne is hard but youThe game is great and it will be a definite bang for your buck and your time!!! If you are worry about this title being a cash-grab fiasco, unfinished, extremely short, and disappointing then you have nothing to concern yourself over. Bloodborne is an actual "game" that is not trying to squeeze a single extra penny out of you besides your original purchase price. Bloodborne is hard but you will find ways to overcome the intelligent (that's right "intelligent" not cheap) difficulty as you gradually become more familiar with the world and if you are fooled into listening to people who complaining about how unfairly tough and boring it is then they are simply rushing through it. This is not the type of game where you can get away with mindless behavior and if you don't pay attention to the surroundings then you are not experiencing it's lore.

    The game is not perfect, it has one or two minor framerate dips in an early area that I've noticed and after that I didn't see any more. There are other insignificant technical flaws that I wish they had taken the time to polish up but it is by no means something that affects the game's experience unacceptably. If From Software with Miyazaki ( Demon's Souls and Dark Souls 1 director) and Sony had asked for just another month before releasing the game to take care of these aforementioned bugs then Bloodborne would have been close to a perfect game in it's own realm.    … Expand
  32. alexalexalexale
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    This year started realy bad for gaming at least we have this game the story game play and every think else is beautiful,but the loading screns are annoying and it comes sometimes to unfair deaths when they fix this its a 10/10 but for now its a 9.5
  33. muhad
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    uh,okay this game although not played thrilling awesome fantastic really i wish i had it,but common a villager is so awesome the game is perfect the way it is, if i was a critic i could have given it 94 cause common guys, blood borne thrilling may sorry do not take this as rude but i just cant see how any body wont like the game? it is blood borne for crying out common you gotta, like i amuh,okay this game although not played thrilling awesome fantastic really i wish i had it,but common a villager is so awesome the game is perfect the way it is, if i was a critic i could have given it 94 cause common guys, blood borne thrilling may sorry do not take this as rude but i just cant see how any body wont like the game? it is blood borne for crying out common you gotta, like i am sure i will but common dot be too ju… Expand
  34. Ozard
    Apr 3, 2015
    6
    Don't believe the hype. A slightly above average game which was only made to sell PS4s. Visually very nice but PvE is a repetitive hack'n'slash fest which quickly becomes tiresome, especially when you are facing the artificial difficulty of hunter NPCs and some bosses. Very limited variety of weapons and a bullet to the head only stuns you? Sometimes? Stupid. Yeah some of the bosses andDon't believe the hype. A slightly above average game which was only made to sell PS4s. Visually very nice but PvE is a repetitive hack'n'slash fest which quickly becomes tiresome, especially when you are facing the artificial difficulty of hunter NPCs and some bosses. Very limited variety of weapons and a bullet to the head only stuns you? Sometimes? Stupid. Yeah some of the bosses and areas are quite tough which is good but I stopped caring why I was slashing away at stuff pretty quickly. As for PvP it's just broken.Tthe little I saw of it doesn't make me think it will get much better either.
    Ignore these people on twitch who are obviously paid to hype up this game to the max. If you believe them, a useless new gesture is a quantum leap in the whole gaming experience. If you like slashing things to death over and over again then this is the game for you. But surely you've done that already.    … Expand
  35. legogosha
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    First, i wanted to put 0, because my ass exploded afther 30 th attempt of trying to kill the spider boss, but then i realised that it is exactly what i've been waiting from this game.So... 10/10 OMG 10/10.
  36. bernera
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    Um jogo realmente bom, o combate muito bem estruturado, os cenarios goticos bem feitos , para quem gosta da serie dark souls, nao pode deixar de pegar esse jogo, pois é muito bom e pra min vai ser GOTY,
    as lutas com os bosses na medida certa , realmente epico esse jogo.
  37. s3rgio00
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    Game so good it made me cu m! This game is not for quiters, it is for gamers that are really looking for a challenge. If it is too much for you I suggest you stick with game for little kids until you grow the f up
  38. Bridgester
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Don't pay any mind to the garbage 0's some "reviewers" on here have given this game. I can guarantee with absolute certainty that they have never played this game. They just happened to pick the other console, and can't stand a ps4 exclusive getting reviews on this level. Better to pay attention to the actual journalistic reviewers to the left who have given it a 93 out of 100. I too was frustrated with it in the very beginning (ok, the first 3 or 4 hours I played actually), but it's true what they say about it suddenly "clicking." You gain your footing in this game (I did right around the third time I fought the cleric beast) at a certain point, and then it becomes almost impossible to put the controller down. I still have a ways to go before completing it, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt, this is a brilliant world filled with extremely awesome gameplay. Nice try, "other" console fans. Your lack of thumbs up to your frankly obvious and sorry attempts at bashing this game proves that you are fooling no one but yourself. This game is essential.… Expand
  39. reardelt
    Apr 3, 2015
    6
    i really enjoyed playing this for the first coupl hours the combat and environments r really awsome but wen u r dying over and over again and gettin all the way to boss dying and startn frm beginning its no longer enjoyable jst pure fustration and time wasting traded this one back.
  40. RudigerX
    Apr 3, 2015
    10
    Give this game a few hours and you will be completely engrossed in the world that FromSoftware has created. At first I was timid and wondering how I defend myself against so many beasts but after that few hours I had become the hunter and not the hunted, this is the mental state required to play Bloodborne. I have played for about 6 hours and have only just beaten the first boss. I enjoyGive this game a few hours and you will be completely engrossed in the world that FromSoftware has created. At first I was timid and wondering how I defend myself against so many beasts but after that few hours I had become the hunter and not the hunted, this is the mental state required to play Bloodborne. I have played for about 6 hours and have only just beaten the first boss. I enjoy farming to level up so you may progress in the game faster. There is so much more for me to learn. I am thoroughly enjoying this game and it deserves all the high praise it is receiving.… Expand
  41. A-a-ron
    Apr 3, 2015
    0
    This game is without a shadow of a doubt, the worst game I've ever played. The graphics, while detailed are blurred and muddy, the framerate sucks, the physics is literally the worst I've ever seen. Walk over the weightless bodies of the monster who just one-hit-killed you.. it'll float around like its full of helium. Your weapons stick through walls (ever heard of collision detection).This game is without a shadow of a doubt, the worst game I've ever played. The graphics, while detailed are blurred and muddy, the framerate sucks, the physics is literally the worst I've ever seen. Walk over the weightless bodies of the monster who just one-hit-killed you.. it'll float around like its full of helium. Your weapons stick through walls (ever heard of collision detection). The stats are meaningless because they're not introduced. Your weapons exist in a parallel dimension and only appear when the character scratches his butt. Seriously.… Expand
  42. JackKasket
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    This game hits almost every nerve in this old Souls fan's pleasure center. Graphics are stunning. Atmosphere is cuttable with a knife. Even the story is compelling.

    Why it doesn't get a perfect score from me is because it reminds me too much of Bayonetta. Yes, that game with the BDSM dominatrix with a whip. I do enjoy the more fast-paced battle system, but it often feels too    This game hits almost every nerve in this old Souls fan's pleasure center. Graphics are stunning. Atmosphere is cuttable with a knife. Even the story is compelling.

    Why it doesn't get a perfect score from me is because it reminds me too much of Bayonetta. Yes, that game with the BDSM dominatrix with a whip. I do enjoy the more fast-paced battle system, but it often feels too streamlined, and really, how many strategies are there for killing mobs? In this game, I have two.

    Second thing is that I feel the armor/weapon system has been made newbie-friendly in a sense that what matters the most (really) is selecting the right starting weapon for your play style, and then fortifying it to the max. There really is no alternative. Sure, you can switch weapons later on in the game, but making the new axe/sword/cane stronger than the starting weapon is really a struggle. In Souls games, you pretty much counted your stars to get a good drop later in the game (halberd for life), and then stuck to that weapon of choice after experimenting with other tools up to that point. Bloodborne has made this part of the exploration and experience moot.

    Secondly, while I do understand the choice of not including any uber armors in the game considering the drain life mechanics of battle, it just sucks some of the soul (pun intended) out of the game.

    No micromanagement needed.

    Much like in Bayonetta.

    Still, love the game.    … Expand
  43. InsanelySane
    Apr 2, 2015
    8
    I have played and finished all of the Souls games, and I've just finished Bloodborne. My review is for gamers who are familiar with the Souls world and so I hope this review will be of benefit for reflection..

    The game has relatively good polish but since it's exactly the same as the previous games in From Software's legacy - that is the use of exact same game mechanics (ooooh no    I have played and finished all of the Souls games, and I've just finished Bloodborne. My review is for gamers who are familiar with the Souls world and so I hope this review will be of benefit for reflection..

    The game has relatively good polish but since it's exactly the same as the previous games in From Software's legacy - that is the use of exact same game mechanics (ooooh no shield this time, what a revolutionary change that is), stats (actually they got worse, bad move!), obscure story telling and atmosphere, I'm not that impressed here. And nor should any gamer who expects improvements.

    I'm particularly not impressed with how easy the game was to beat. I found most of it WAY too easy. Beat most bosses on first try. I always play offline so cant speak for the thrill of online. Whats worse, as the game progressed, my weapon choices and armor/skin choices did not. I stuck with the same weapon I got because there was nothing better. In terms of how this could have played out, there never was an incentive to change it up, which brings me to the glaring problems this game has. There's not tactic here, and no real fear anymore. Whereas once you had such a limited amount of Estus flasks and really cared for every hit you took, here you have 20 healing opportunities, and pretty easy 'save points' along the way.

    So weapons dont matter (and isn't it about time they should? why are these games not evolving their sophistication? should we just give these games 10/10?). Using big hammers or swords or saws mean nothing, they have very little distinguishing differences.. Charge time is the same (or negligible if a purist can point out its not).

    Stats took a massive step back when they needed a massive step forward! One reason I dont see myself playing New Game + is that the stats dont excite me one bit. Bloodtinge? Arcane? really?! why would I boost these in the normal game? there is no incentive at all. Actually, there was no incentive to weigh up how I was going to spend my stat upgrades - since Skill was rubbish and didn't even have weapons to strive toward like in previous titles. Strength, meh. And in the past Endurance had an effect on your burden, and speed, and without it its just lessened the overall charm of skill tree decision making.

    Speaking of skill tree, why isn't there one? Same fighting mechanics, but nothing to look forward to. To me this meant a relatively stale experience repeating the same movements over and over without incentive. Weapon upgrades and 'gem' modifications were a joke this time. Pointless. As were the Runes, all of which offer negligible effects you could easily live without. Why not offer proper incentives like offering a new move, or fire weapon, or something useful and INTERESTING for me to care about the Runes, or gems.

    Atmosphere is good in this game with beautiful visuals and excellent music - best yet in my opinion due to more haunting orchestral choir, reminded me of Vampire Hunter D, good ambience sounds too. but again if the game is too easy, it just means I'm not afraid. In Demon Souls I'd tread so carefully but in Bloodborne I'm king.

    Thats my genuine gaming experience with it and I enjoyed playing yet another Souls style game but I sincerely hoped for more, shouldn't we expect more these days?

    A couple of other irritations:

    -Loading times were bad and the logo you stare at could at least be more interesting. Or have world facts on screen or something? and what was worse was you couldn't teleport between locations without having to go 'back to base' which was hugely irritating.
    -No pause. Wow, I cant pause the game. Really? I can quit and it'll pick up where it left off but if my wife calls me I'm stuck and cant give her my attention.
    -No explanation about how things work - this has always irritated me in the series, I know some people like it but to me it just feels clumsy and unpolished. There are so many aspects where I didn't realise the use of an item or the benefits. People say to go to forums and research about facets you're stuck with but I say that turning a blind eye to a big problem that we're all trying to pretend isn't a big deal when actually it is. I dont have time to mess about on basics.
    -Voice acting in general, and script, is pretty b grade. Just means less immersion and From Software have had a history of bad choices here, you'd have hoped they'd hired better professionals in this area.

    The hype of fans praising this as the great 'genius' game, best yet etc is fair enough for those who just want the same thing over and over but really for some of us we were hoping for something that IS genius and innovative, that takes things to a new level. There is nothing in Bloodborne that is taking things anywhere it hasn't already been. And while I'll give this game an 8 because its doing what its classic style does best, this is by no means a better game, or a more evolved one and that is a great shame we shouldn't lap up so easily/willingly..    … Expand
  44. lewi7137
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    An amazing twist on an idea of dungeons and dragons. From that it became guns, bosses, and difficult enemies! I believe From Software knows what they're doing! and they are doing it right! There are a few differences between the Souls game. one big difference is that there is not a lot of options in weapons, guns, and armor. Grant it that you will find a lot of armor that tells you loreAn amazing twist on an idea of dungeons and dragons. From that it became guns, bosses, and difficult enemies! I believe From Software knows what they're doing! and they are doing it right! There are a few differences between the Souls game. one big difference is that there is not a lot of options in weapons, guns, and armor. Grant it that you will find a lot of armor that tells you lore and backgrounds, but in the term of proficiency, if you don't look hard enough, you'll probably be stuck with the Hunter set until the Ash set. I believe the same idea goes for weapons. This game is DIFFICULT! It can be agitating, but with the right amount of discovery, grinding, and farming for Blood Vials and QS Bullets, you'll be fine. The graphics are, of course, amazing! But what else do you really expect from a new generation console? The details in the graphics is what really sets it apart from a ton of other games! Framerate is not a big issue unless your'e running and slaying enemies like a mad hunter! Overall it is an amazing game with an odd story the player has to really listen to to know exactly whats going on. My true only problem is, a little too difficult and not enough stuff!… Expand
  45. FrankyPuuSensei
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    This game is **** great. Seeing as I'm new to anything from From Software, this is a first for me. As I said, though, this game is amazing. The best out on PS4 so far. The game is beautiful, with a large sprawling gothic environment. It's hard. Like really hard. It's a dick in the ass, that **** you majorly (pardon my French), but it's fair. You will die. A lot. That's a given. However,This game is **** great. Seeing as I'm new to anything from From Software, this is a first for me. As I said, though, this game is amazing. The best out on PS4 so far. The game is beautiful, with a large sprawling gothic environment. It's hard. Like really hard. It's a dick in the ass, that **** you majorly (pardon my French), but it's fair. You will die. A lot. That's a given. However, there's nothing more joyful than finally defeating that boss that's killed you about 25 times. This game has made me feel so happy about myself just for surviving about 20 minutes on my own. It's the first game in years, in which I've actually cheered for myself after defeating a boss. Combat requires you be more offensive, as it rewards you majorly with the new "regain system". The way this system works is that you get hit, you lose a portion of your life, but that portion of your life is shown in a faded colour in the life-bar. You have a few seconds to get that life back by hitting the enemy as many times as you can. Guns aren't used for ranged attacks either *cue gasp* But instead, it's used as a defensive weapon, made for riposte and countering enemy attacks. That's a great idea, actually, as there's nothing more satisfying than staggering an enemy, and using a "visceral attack" on them. Visceral Attacks are just executions caused by countering, and give major critical damage. They can be used against bosses, at very high risk, but has to be done at least 6-7 times to them. This game does not hold your hand, and barely gives off any sort of story until the end.

    Get this game at full price if you can. Just get it, you won't regret it.    … Expand
  46. st_george
    Apr 2, 2015
    8
    This is an enjoyable game to play through. There's no doubting that. However, as an avid fan of the souls series and Miyazakis previous efforts, Bloodborne has found me wanting.

    Although it still includes the usual fantastic atmosphere, combat and general gameplay, that make a first playthrough completely compelling, so many of the mechanisms and underlying schematics of what made the    This is an enjoyable game to play through. There's no doubting that. However, as an avid fan of the souls series and Miyazakis previous efforts, Bloodborne has found me wanting.

    Although it still includes the usual fantastic atmosphere, combat and general gameplay, that make a first playthrough completely compelling, so many of the mechanisms and underlying schematics of what made the souls games great and would keep players coming back for hundreds of hours more, have been totally stripped away.

    An excellent game to play through - took me about 60 hours to see just about everything from beginning to end credits.

    Multi-player is weak - a lack of options in character builds,weapons and armour and severely stripped down covenants - not to mention severs that currently appear to be bordering on breaking point .

    The chalice dungeons are boring as hell and the matchmaking system, for what I had understood to be "coop areas", is non - existent.

    Play the game -it gets a hell of a lot right. But the systems from previous souls games that had so much potential (if never quite reached the dizzying heights they promised) have been completely quashed. - That unfortunately, has left very little replay value.    … Expand
  47. Santiago101
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    I can´t fully explain what an amazing game Bloodborne is by writing it down. My advice is that you buy this game and experience by yourself because reviews cannot fully cover such a complex game
  48. PuckMan
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    Ok, let's cut straight to the chase here. Bloodborne should be a 10 out of 10 game it's that good but From have made a major mis-step with the long loading screens.

    On the surface of it Bloodborne plays much like all the other Souls games but there's a freshness about it. The game has more attitude and style. Everything that wasn't essential has been done away with and everything else    Ok, let's cut straight to the chase here. Bloodborne should be a 10 out of 10 game it's that good but From have made a major mis-step with the long loading screens.

    On the surface of it Bloodborne plays much like all the other Souls games but there's a freshness about it. The game has more attitude and style. Everything that wasn't essential has been done away with and everything else has been refined. Items now scale with your stats like weapons so they remain relevant throughout. Bows are out, so no just buying loads of arrows and taking enemies out from range.

    Bloodborne focuses more on stealth and close combat. Parrying is now done with a gun instead of a shield and there is a wider margin for error. Back stabs now require enemies to first be stunned with a charged attack making them more difficult in normal combat but easier if you sneak up from behind.

    The game world is more cohesive and believable than DS 2 and more reminiscent of the first Dark Souls game with many shortcuts folding back in on themselves rather than branching out in straight lines. There is less variety in the locations as well but the environments look great and they never become stale. Whether or not Yharnham is best game world FromSoft have created is probably to early to say from just one play through.

    I'd say wait for a patch to fix the long loading screens before you play but I can only review what's in front of me so I must deduct one point. It's a problem all of the developers own making as they constantly force you to revisit the central hub between warping (presumably to discourage grinding) but that design decision in itself doubles the number of load screens compounding an already serious problem.    … Expand
  49. joeblade
    Apr 2, 2015
    7
    A more simplified version of Dark Souls II with it's own lore. The focus is much more on aggressive play (no hiding behind shields). As always the trick is in finding the right rhythm and moves. The real challenge comes from pvp. Also, less gear and no magic

    the plus: a new demon souls-like game. Can't have too many of those Gorgeous environments difficult game hats! ... for your    A more simplified version of Dark Souls II with it's own lore. The focus is much more on aggressive play (no hiding behind shields). As always the trick is in finding the right rhythm and moves. The real challenge comes from pvp. Also, less gear and no magic

    the plus:

    a new demon souls-like game. Can't have too many of those
    Gorgeous environments
    difficult game
    hats! ... for your messengers
    coop and pvp work differently, close to demon souls where you open yourself up for assist and pvp. (where in demon souls you had humanity which would do this, here you have insight... and a bell to ring)

    the minus:
    not a lot of weapons/choice in builds
    not a lot of outfits / items
    Instead of parrying to stagger, you shoot with your gun to parry? strange dynamic.

    Overall a really fun game, though after I finish it I think i'll go back to playing dark souls II    … Expand
  50. Stolben
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Zero is not right for the game like this, zero its about lucius2 maybe or other **** staff. But i guess all reviews is only first experience or 2-5 hours of playtime. This game should be playd around 20-30 hours to say truly that its great. And not only acess ending tell you about this masterpiece, there is tonns of secret locations, "local covenant" system, more than one pvp experience, grinding more than 1 chalice dungeons 3 levels and many other and other staff like friendship with iosefka, war wih raven hunters clan, acessing church of healing, side quests, bringing people to church ward etc etc... 9/10 because FS let this haters to write about fps and loadings( which is not tooo long), waiting for patches and new and new staff in dlc.
    Пацаны, отвечаю игра огонь , стоит своих 4000 , кто залипнет и поймет сможет играть в нее месяцами и кайфовать! Удачи , охотники!    … Expand
  51. ootinii
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    You will scream at your television, you will curse the game designers, you will sigh in frustration every time you're killed through a wall corner collision box. But if you are a true fan of From Software, you will come back begging for more. The game is beautiful, the environments and atmosphere are amazing. And most importantly, the game is incredibly difficult, leaving you theYou will scream at your television, you will curse the game designers, you will sigh in frustration every time you're killed through a wall corner collision box. But if you are a true fan of From Software, you will come back begging for more. The game is beautiful, the environments and atmosphere are amazing. And most importantly, the game is incredibly difficult, leaving you the opportunity to stand up and shout in victory every time you take down a boss. No mercy for man-beasts.… Expand
  52. DiegoVdGG
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    Incredible game! Nice setting, atmosphere, soundtrack, immersion, gameplay and length... I only got angry sometimes cause I don't like much hard games and some bosses were REALLY hard, at least for my noobiness. Fantastic!
  53. tommygun5222
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    As a newcomer to the FROM software gaming experience, I was a bit frustrated and I still am. However, I have never experienced a game like this before. Even though I keep failing and failing miserably, I still want to come back for more. I haven't beaten the first boss yet. However, I have come very close and the closer I get the more positive I get. Bloodborne is a smart game.As a newcomer to the FROM software gaming experience, I was a bit frustrated and I still am. However, I have never experienced a game like this before. Even though I keep failing and failing miserably, I still want to come back for more. I haven't beaten the first boss yet. However, I have come very close and the closer I get the more positive I get. Bloodborne is a smart game. Learning the different enemy's attack methods will allow you to master the game. This will not be easy however. A lot of people have been complaining about the low frequency of save points. However, progressing further along in the game allows you to discover and open up gates that allow for shortcuts. This allows a player to surpass a part of the city that they have already experienced. The atmosphere is amazing and the sounds you hear are sounds I guarantee you've never heard before. The creatures I've seen thus far are amazingly detailed. Sure the graphics could be better but the game has so much detail it honestly does not matter. I know its hard. I know its tough. As I was saying, I still haven't beaten the first boss. But I keep trying. Eventually I will get there and I can't wait to see what else this game has to offer. Like the old saying says, "Practice makes perfect." Unless you're Allen Iverson.… Expand
  54. rapha1985
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    Beautiful, bloody and unforgiven.

    Bloodborne is a step forward on Souls series, as it change its combat and pace in favor of a more action oriented combat. Technically its a game more fluid than its predecessors and more beautiful. I'm a longtime fan of Souls franchise and Bloodborne bring back the same sensation of discovery that I felt when played Demon's Souls. If you'are not a    Beautiful, bloody and unforgiven.

    Bloodborne is a step forward on Souls series, as it change its combat and pace in favor of a more action oriented combat. Technically its a game more fluid than its predecessors and more beautiful.

    I'm a longtime fan of Souls franchise and Bloodborne bring back the same sensation of discovery that I felt when played Demon's Souls.

    If you'are not a cry baby that wait for the game to carry you over, Bloodborne is your game.

    Try it once, twice... when you catch the gameplay the game will catch you!    … Expand
  55. ioio32l
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    This is the game to have! I love it, it took me 15 hours of dying repeatedly before I was able to make it to and finally beat the first boss. After all that I finally started getting good at the game, and can appreciate how great it is! It's definitely not for the millenial kids with A.D.D. And it's not for casual gamers either. You have to be able to deal with death, a lot. Once you getThis is the game to have! I love it, it took me 15 hours of dying repeatedly before I was able to make it to and finally beat the first boss. After all that I finally started getting good at the game, and can appreciate how great it is! It's definitely not for the millenial kids with A.D.D. And it's not for casual gamers either. You have to be able to deal with death, a lot. Once you get good though, you'll finally see why the game is loved by so many.… Expand
  56. dangler11
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    Amazing game. Changes the formula just enough to keep it fresh but still a souls game. If you didn't like souls still give this a try and don't give up! Once you beat a few bosses you will get why this is so great.
    Lore is fantastic, co-op chalices are fun. Only con is loading times. ENJOY!
  57. Inhanzt
    Apr 2, 2015
    6
    Bloodborne can be a pretty fun game. However, I think it's the weakest of the "soul's games". My favorite things about the game are how surreal it got towards the end and how fluid trick weapons are. My least favorite part about it was that gun counters were simply not worth the risk involved; it was generally better to use iframes.

    I don't really understand all of the gushing praise    Bloodborne can be a pretty fun game. However, I think it's the weakest of the "soul's games". My favorite things about the game are how surreal it got towards the end and how fluid trick weapons are. My least favorite part about it was that gun counters were simply not worth the risk involved; it was generally better to use iframes.

    I don't really understand all of the gushing praise for this game. Bloodborne has several flaws that fans and critics are ignoring, the most egregious of which is the lack of build variety. Previous games allowed parry counters as a potential play-style. Now that and two hand are the only options. Bows, spells, miracles, pyromancy, dual wield, heavy armor, and shields are all gone, and replayability has definitely suffered.

    I look forward to all of the 10/10 reviews when Starcraft 3 removes the Protoss, Dota 3 removes items, and CS removes all rifles.    … Expand
  58. Prais1980
    Apr 2, 2015
    7
    Why 7 Score? (I sadly use the digital version)
    Because this game isn't perfect and waaaaay to far from good.
    BUGS EVERYWHERE: - Bugs, tons of them, bodies (AND THEIR LOOT) fall through Stairs/the world - Tombstones don't really work, sometimes they do, like in 2 of 10 cases they show you the red phantom. - Gamebreaking bugs, you can dupe items and get unlimited items or souls...WITH    Why 7 Score? (I sadly use the digital version)
    Because this game isn't perfect and waaaaay to far from good.
    BUGS EVERYWHERE:
    - Bugs, tons of them, bodies (AND THEIR LOOT) fall through Stairs/the world
    - Tombstones don't really work, sometimes they do, like in 2 of 10 cases they show you the red phantom.
    - Gamebreaking bugs, you can dupe items and get unlimited items or souls...WITH RETAIL, which means everyone can "cheat"...with the retail version.
    - The camera, specially with the first boss, your hardest enemy will be the camera...i died so many times, because the camera flips like crazy also in later games it will happend many, many times...you have to disable the auto camera in the options before every boss, that could help a bit...
    - Using the Host Bell to summon people, did not work, since the first day and still don't work after 2 patches, worst it break the game, if you using the Beckoning Bell, which is the host bell to summon people and you die, they game will not notice that you died and you will sit there with the camera but you can not do anything, the only option to get free, is to close the game with the PS-Button.
    The only working thing using the Beckoning Bell, i see clouds on the door and i can not move into new or old areas, so i have to wait or use the other item to prevent the bell to work.
    - Getting summoned works, no problem here...but it has also problems, the animations of the enemies are not always synchronised, which means parry an enemy is impossible, also bosses are totaly out of controll, sometimes you see then sliding on the ground, in one second they are 10 yards away in the next second they aim for you and you are dead...specially the big bosses, some bosses works great some not...which is weird.
    - Peformence, THIS IS HORRIBLE the game has like 20 frames all day and in coop you play like with 10 fps all time. the ragdolls make weird noises and go crazy, i think this is the problem why the FPS drops so much in Coop.
    Good thing in coop, you can loot enemies, the only good in multiplayer.
    - Messages hides other messages...after 3 big games you should think From software should know how to draw HUD-Elements, but in Bloodborne it happend many times, you can not see the messages like the item you picked up, because another message overlays it...but you automaticly press the X button after you pick an item...
    - Loadtimes...really, they are so annyoing, with the second patch, they decreased from 30 seconds to about ~21 seconds, a bit better..
    - Another Thing is the recycling...you will see EVERY Enemy everywhere in every level like 10 times, for example one enemy at the beginning, you will see in every level, which totaly destroys the feeling of the game, because you think like "oh yeah...great the same enemy on and on".
    - weapons, there not many weapons and you see every people in late and early games, with the same 3 weapons.
    - Armor doesn't mean many, no matter what you wear, also you can not upgrade them
    - no rings
    - not much items you can read about the story
    - not much items at all

    The Good things are the gameplay, the graphics and the sound.    … Expand
  59. Kabuto99999
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    This game is 9 for me (long load time, the rest is just perfect), but i will give it 10/10 because of some haters just give it low scores for many stupid reasons like: IT'S TOO HARD!!!!!! IT'S NOT ON MY PLATFORM!!!!!
  60. awojda
    Apr 2, 2015
    9
    As an avid Demon Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 2 player and fan I was ecstatic when I heard Bloodborne was coming from FROM SOFTWARE, the stylistic elements of the game are almost identical. Even some of the sound effects such as climbing ladders are the same exact sound texture used in Dark Souls games. The mechanics feel almost the exact same as the Souls series except they took awayAs an avid Demon Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 2 player and fan I was ecstatic when I heard Bloodborne was coming from FROM SOFTWARE, the stylistic elements of the game are almost identical. Even some of the sound effects such as climbing ladders are the same exact sound texture used in Dark Souls games. The mechanics feel almost the exact same as the Souls series except they took away the shield, putting an even greater emphasis on positioning and dodging when dealing with enemies as well as adding the trick weapons instead of allowing the player to two hand weapons. In addition by adding a firearm they made a more practical riposte technique than with the poor reach of shields in Souls games. Some of my only complaints are that some of the stats are definitely more useful than others and they dumbed down some of the stat factors such as item weight and player encumberance as well as removing any type of spells like they used to have in the Souls series. In addition there is a lack of variety when it comes to the depth of items or bosses, the game takes awhile in terms of hours for your first NG because the game is not linear and doesn't always require killing bosses in a set order and the world is large and the way to continue is not always obvious. But in terms of number of bosses and variety of weapons and armor, the Souls series outshines Bloodborne in those aspects. The visual appeal of the world in Bloodborne however, are absolutely stunning. The storytelling elements in Bloodborne are identical to that in the Souls series as well, with loose cutscenes, minimal npc dialogue and interaction, and many details about the world being revealed through optional side conversations with npcs found in the universe. In addition much of what you know about the world comes from items, as well as some found additionally from the safety of the Hunter's Dream. The addition of challenge dungeons was a great idea for extending gameplay.

    To sum it up, I love this game, it is a must-buy, but that being said I KNOW from software can do better! More depth!!    … Expand
  61. Roadwarior69
    Apr 2, 2015
    3
    Should have said that playing Dark Souls is a prerequisite for enjoying the game, never played or even really heard of those games before. The combat is clunky, guns are gimped to a pathetic "stun" move only, YOU DIED YOU DIED YOU DIED, loading times. There is no length to the game so they extend it through repeating the same crap over and over just to die again. Graphics are bad, noShould have said that playing Dark Souls is a prerequisite for enjoying the game, never played or even really heard of those games before. The combat is clunky, guns are gimped to a pathetic "stun" move only, YOU DIED YOU DIED YOU DIED, loading times. There is no length to the game so they extend it through repeating the same crap over and over just to die again. Graphics are bad, no photo mode in this ps4 exclusive for a reason. The camera is bad, can't see anything during actual combat, fps drops a lot too.… Expand
  62. Taggen86
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    Best game on the PS4 according to me (together with alien isolation and last of us remastered. . This game is pure perfection and even better than dark souls.. The gameplay, the graphics, the sound design everything is top notch. I have not felt this way about a game since resident evil 4.
  63. Phoenixxx98
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    I went exploring for an hour, killed lots of weak and strong enemies then this one scrawny guy got a jump on me and smacked the living s**t out of me. I lost everything :D 10/10
  64. Markolius
    Apr 2, 2015
    10
    *Incredibly immersive artwork, music, sound, setting, character designs, and graphic animations.
    *Consistently beautiful and disturbing environments and enemies to look at.
    *Spot-on precise controls. Challenging varied combat. Addictive gameplay built on a gambling foundation of double-or-nothing risk/reward. Frustrating and rewarding. *I love that there isn't a difficulty setting    *Incredibly immersive artwork, music, sound, setting, character designs, and graphic animations.
    *Consistently beautiful and disturbing environments and enemies to look at.
    *Spot-on precise controls. Challenging varied combat. Addictive gameplay built on a gambling foundation of double-or-nothing risk/reward. Frustrating and rewarding.
    *I love that there isn't a difficulty setting (makes it feel like the challenge is universal as intended),
    *I like the choices in weaponry (most of the inventory management comes from planning your attire, runes, and items toward your next challenge),
    *I love that there is no blocking (you are the hunter, the aggressor, and it's that rapid dodging/striking plus mixing up items in the heat of the moment without save or pause that makes Bloodborne so unique and so thrilling).
    *You should already know that this not a huge open dialogue driven RPG like dragon age. This game is all about combat (risk/reward, the experience of learning, fast paced and frantic, and the exploration therein)
    *There are occasional frame rate drops and minor glitches but the load times are now much improved to take usually less than 30 seconds.
    *Story and lore are all painted into the aesthetics- make of it what you will- this is a game to be played for the joy of learning: the experience of learning from your mistakes, planning, and executing in the moment to the thrill of success.
    *Bloodborne is an excellent game.    … Expand
  65. Scorpius
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    Best game from From Software so far from a veteran Demon Souls player. This marks my entry to the PS4 console and the reason I finally pull the trigger to purchase this generations console. The art design is amazing, the atmosphere, sound design and ambiance captivate you, immerse you into its Victorian Gothic world and does not let go. The combat gameplay requires persistence andBest game from From Software so far from a veteran Demon Souls player. This marks my entry to the PS4 console and the reason I finally pull the trigger to purchase this generations console. The art design is amazing, the atmosphere, sound design and ambiance captivate you, immerse you into its Victorian Gothic world and does not let go. The combat gameplay requires persistence and perseverance to learn, but once you become competent the marvel of its design shines through as the variations of the weapons and its upgrades open up new avenues of play. Enemy encounters and level design force you to make tactical decisions and demands that you study every one of your enemies moves to have an opportunity to survive. Not for the faint hearted or if you are a casual gamer, but this is in no way a detriment to its greatness.… Expand
  66. ArcBlades
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    Best exclusive game out there, you got to try this game, you can't miss it. This be the game you should buy on the ps4. This is a fantastic beautiful, awesome, and the best game to play. A must play game.
  67. Rumblefish
    Apr 1, 2015
    8
    The game is a real return to form by From Software after the mess that was Dark Souls 2.

    The world is absolutely beautiful despite largely taking place in dank Victorian alleyways and sewers. The attention to detail is similarly stunning. The old Dark Souls blend of triumph and frustration are meted out to you as you journey through an relentless and unforgiving nightmare, the truth    The game is a real return to form by From Software after the mess that was Dark Souls 2.

    The world is absolutely beautiful despite largely taking place in dank Victorian alleyways and sewers. The attention to detail is similarly stunning. The old Dark Souls blend of triumph and frustration are meted out to you as you journey through an relentless and unforgiving nightmare, the truth about which is slowly revealed. Additionally, the mechanics are solid, the enemies and bosses varied and the level design superb.

    There may be less items to discover than in Dark Souls 1 and the absence of sorcery and miracles, but Bloodborne innovates in other ways. Arming the player with a firearm that damages beasts but merely stuns other enemies is a stroke of genius, as is tranformable weapons.

    All the old Dark Souls tropes are there, an interconnected world full of shortcuts, enigmatic characters who allude to the truth below your character's veneer and the online component of assisting or invading other players.

    Bloodborne is an instant classic. It has an atmosphere unlike any other game I've played. It will make you jump out of your seat in fright, throw your controller across the room and jump for joy in equal measure. The one real bad mark blotting its copy book is the agonisingly long loading times in between areas and after each death. But this is a small price to pay to experience such a lovingly crafted and well thought out adventure.    … Expand
  68. Wandering
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    This game is amazing and I cannot help but gripe about the negative reviews and many zero ratings here, about 90% of which make it clear that the author gave a negative review because they don't like this type of game. That's completely unfair, and tantamount to me leaving a negative review for Madden NFL because I don't like sports games.

    The game is inaccessible and difficult, yes.    This game is amazing and I cannot help but gripe about the negative reviews and many zero ratings here, about 90% of which make it clear that the author gave a negative review because they don't like this type of game. That's completely unfair, and tantamount to me leaving a negative review for Madden NFL because I don't like sports games.

    The game is inaccessible and difficult, yes. Its a bit grindy, yes. Its all flavors of cryptic and forces you to immerse yourself to learn the story, oh yes. But that's what these games are about. If that's not your thing, cool. But there is a whole sea of Souls fans that love the series for these features.

    Nearly every "criticism" I see in most of the zero marked reviews are features of the game that I and many others adore. I get that the Souls games are not for everyone, but a review should describe a game's quality, not a gamer's preference.

    If you don't like Souls games, you won't like Bloodborne. That's it. If your unfamiliar with the Souls games and don't want to shell out $60 to see if you like them, give Dark Souls 1 a try. It's dirt cheap and even better.    … Expand
  69. HenriqueV
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    Never played a Soul's game before. Decided to give Bloodborne a try for 2 reasons: some reviews saying its more friendly than Soul's series and the fact 2015 started really quite for PS4, so its one of the few games worth a try after 3 months in the year.

    After 4 hours, trying hard to enjoy the game, I decided to give up. "Can't believe I paid full price for a game that I can't play,    Never played a Soul's game before. Decided to give Bloodborne a try for 2 reasons: some reviews saying its more friendly than Soul's series and the fact 2015 started really quite for PS4, so its one of the few games worth a try after 3 months in the year.

    After 4 hours, trying hard to enjoy the game, I decided to give up. "Can't believe I paid full price for a game that I can't play, how can someone enjoy dying every 4 minutes, again and again?". One hour later, somehow I decided to go back. I tried and tried and tried. Now I can say It's one of the best games that I have ever played and I'm glad didn't give up after the initial frustration.

    My advise: the games is not as hard as it seems, its actually hard, but its also fair. Its not a impossible task. You just't need to understand what the game is about. In the beginning of the game you don't know what you are doing, you kill 12 enemies, then die. You might think you need to do that again and again. Actually you don't need to. Every kill counts for you. If you die, you just need to recover your "blood echoes" on the floor, or kill a nearby enemy to get then back. As soon as you understand how the "blood echoes" work, everything makes sense. They are like "coins" that you can use for everything you need" buying armor, weapon, upgrading them and even levelling up. The more you kill, the bigger you be your amount of "blood echoes'.

    Dying is not only a punishment, it might be reward, since when you get your "blood echoes" back from your previously death, probably you add "blood echoes" from your previous life you want to risk killing more enemies. So, all you need to do is to spend you "blood echoes" buying a new set of armor and leveling up. Then you will realize you are getting stronger and stronger, and your confidence will increase. After some hours will realize that those ugly big guys that seemed impossible in the beginning are no match for you. Killing everyone in your path without getting killed is not that impossible. But the games is never easy. Sometimes you will get killed by, what you consider weak enemies. Its your fault, because they are not that weak at all, you must always stay alert or you will die in a silly way. The game always remember you that, if you are killing everyone for fun, its not because the game is easy, its because you are mastering a very difficult game. Thats really satisfying.

    In first hours there is a confusion about being necessary to kill every enemy in your path to the bosses, since there is no "checkpoints" between you and the bosses, only a hundred of deadly enemies. Actually there are checkpoints in form of shortcuts. You can reach the first 2 bosses after seconds if you discovery the right path, and you can ignore the enemies and go through the bosses.

    The gameplay is fluid. Easily the best gameplay in a action RPG ever. Don't get me wrong, but the combat reminds me of Zelda games. Actually Bloodborne reminds me of darker and harder Zelda, a game where the "story" is secondary, and its all about discovering secret paths, killing enemies, slaying bosses and improving your characters abilities.

    Art direction and ambientation are superb, even tough the technical aspects are not that great: frame rate decrease specially in scenarios with lots of fires. There are some poor textures here and there. Sometimes the sound transition between areas are way too abrupt and rough.

    Just like Alien: Isolation, my 2014 game of the year, Bloodborne is nor frustrating or "too difficult". Dying is part of the process and is what makes those games enjoyable. They are a pleasure to play. Its a unique experience. I've never been that happy playing a game since my days of Zelda in my old N64.

    I can't forget to mention abou the online aspect of the game. Its one of the few games who got this right, without forcing players to go co-op or stay online the entire game. you can read other players advise in the whole world. They are really helpful, but the best aspect is the co-op, that are related with the RPG elements. For example, you need a ring bell to call other players help. You can't use this ring bell all the time, and you might end up getting a bad guy trying to kill you instead of a friendly help. There are other ring bells that you can purchase, in order to help others or to kill them in their worlds.

    In my second encounter with the boss Father Gascoigne and asked for help and the boss was dead after one minute. After that, I always help others players to beat bosses, its one of the most fun aspects of the game when you feel you are a deadly and badass hunter and you can help another player who see a boss as a impossible enemy to beat.

    A classic is born.    … Expand
  70. Impulse
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    This might be the greatest "Souls" series game yet. It's marred by a few minor technical issues like loading times and framerates, but the environments and combat are so god damn enticing that you quickly forget they exist. The new mechanics are fantastic, I honestly don't know what to even complain about. Best killer app this generation so far, by far.
  71. griffey546
    Apr 1, 2015
    9
    For the lack of games that the PS4 has, Bloodborne has been my only favorable game so far to release on the PS4. With many failures of exclusives in 2014 and 2015, Bloodborne has actually succeeded to be a truly amazing game. I rented this game at a redbox, and borrowed a PS4 from my friend to try out this game for a week. My main complaint for this game though is the constant 30fps.For the lack of games that the PS4 has, Bloodborne has been my only favorable game so far to release on the PS4. With many failures of exclusives in 2014 and 2015, Bloodborne has actually succeeded to be a truly amazing game. I rented this game at a redbox, and borrowed a PS4 from my friend to try out this game for a week. My main complaint for this game though is the constant 30fps. Since games such as Demon Souls, and the Dark Souls series has a lot of action going on, and require quick reflexes, the 30fps does not help at all, it feels as if the controls are a bit more delayed with it running 30fps. I truly hope to see this game come out for PC as well, mainly because I have always favored how the Dark Souls games played with a keyboard and mouse, rather than a controller, but that's just a preference, and the 60fps would be nice too. But good job on the game though, from a person who rarely plays consoles, and has been a PC gamer for 10 years now, I congratulate you on the success of the games release, and keeping it fun and challenging!… Expand
  72. AlemaoBohrer
    Apr 1, 2015
    10
    Awesome game, great graphics, ambient ... its damn hard, but when you there you forgot everything and foccus.. there's no escape..
    hehehe

    Best of the Best !!
  73. Malcolmreyn0lds
    Mar 31, 2015
    7
    A frustrating game that has very long load times. The hype-train that follows From Software games is unbelievably enormous.
    Graphics wise it is very dark, depressing, and sorta pretty in some way. The game bogs down in the frame rate department when in large encounters.
    Gameplay wise? Well, it's frustrating and rewarding all at the same time. The game has some WTF moments, but the    A frustrating game that has very long load times. The hype-train that follows From Software games is unbelievably enormous.
    Graphics wise it is very dark, depressing, and sorta pretty in some way. The game bogs down in the frame rate department when in large encounters.
    Gameplay wise? Well, it's frustrating and rewarding all at the same time. The game has some WTF moments, but the risk/reward is there and some enjoy the reward more than hate the risks. The controls are clunky, and at times it is better not to lock on to enemies when facing a crowd of 2 or more. Dodging and dipping with multiple combatants will put you in another enemies range and will take swipes at you and damage you (have died countless times due to this).

    Overall the game is enjoyable at times. I went on a run where I unlocked a lot of shortcuts and made it all the way back to my starting point. I got a large sense of accomplishment over that, even when I did nothing but open 2 gates that gives me an expressway to death. Clunky controls, cool enemies, oddly beautiful environments, difficulty and overall lack of a narrative (yes, I know there is a story, but there is no narrative. Something that is common practice in video games today) makes me give this game a 7/10. Pick it up if you like a challenge.    … Expand
  74. alphadelta
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    So, so good. An immediate buy for any fan of the previous souls games. Although I personally feel Bloodborne plays a lot faster than it's predecessors and trying to play it like a souls game won't work out well for you. Scenery and atmosphere are perfect as are the weapon and enemy designs, some of which are the coolest I've seen in some time. Feels really balanced in terms ofSo, so good. An immediate buy for any fan of the previous souls games. Although I personally feel Bloodborne plays a lot faster than it's predecessors and trying to play it like a souls game won't work out well for you. Scenery and atmosphere are perfect as are the weapon and enemy designs, some of which are the coolest I've seen in some time. Feels really balanced in terms of health/stamina and damage. A few hard bosses near the start of the game might put some people off but stick with it, the feeling of reward gained is second to none. Only thing I wish they'd done differently is add lore/item descriptions in the loading screen. Other than that A+++… Expand
  75. fukinaye23
    Mar 31, 2015
    5
    This game is a 7 at best.
    It is just like the "Souls" series in terms of combat. With an upgraded storage system. Weapons can be upgraded, found, bought just like previous series.
    The problem I have with the game is that compared to the "Souls" series, the amount of weapons you can get is hilarious. (I'd say roughly 1/2) Which means everyone online are running the same weapons. Whats    This game is a 7 at best.
    It is just like the "Souls" series in terms of combat. With an upgraded storage system. Weapons can be upgraded, found, bought just like previous series.
    The problem I have with the game is that compared to the "Souls" series, the amount of weapons you can get is hilarious. (I'd say roughly 1/2) Which means everyone online are running the same weapons. Whats nice is the strongest weapons are not to much stronger then starting weapons. So your not too nerfed by your choice in weapons, but can still be a disadvantage later on.
    They pretty much took out blocking in this game. There is one shield (that I'm aware of at least) and it consumes a lot of stamina to block. Only really useful on enemies wielding smaller weapons. You HAVE to dodge everything. Another announce is the amount of time you have to heal. And also how easy it if to find health *items*.
    There is a lot i can comment on, but if you take anything from this, !!!!RENT!!!! the game before you buy it out right. Almost all my friends, including me returned it or sold it to some other unfortunate soul. (pun intended)    … Expand
  76. knightofthesun
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    40+ hours in and on my ng+ and i can tell you this game meets all expectations. it may not be for everyone, but it's amazing nonetheless. it's an experience you won't find anywhere else on any system! a must-buy if you prefer a do-able challenge that doesn't treat you like an infant, but rather a capable gamer. splendid job, Fromsoftware!
  77. The_Antagonist
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
    Let me start off by saying I have played and beaten the previous games in the series' and my expectations for Bloodborne were very high. i also bought a PS4 For one reason only, that reason being this game. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Having beaten the game, I can gladly say Bloodborne is as rewarding and as frustrating as ever.    Do yourself a favor and pick this one up.
    Let me start off by saying I have played and beaten the previous games in the series' and my expectations for Bloodborne were very high. i also bought a PS4 For one reason only, that reason being this game. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Having beaten the game, I can gladly say Bloodborne is as rewarding and as frustrating as ever.

    Pro's:
    -Beautiful Atmosphere/Lore Environment
    -Amazing enemy and boss design (The best you'll see in any game out there)
    -Unique and satisfying weapon arsenal
    -Blood splatter!
    -Amazing writing if you take the time to read it
    -minimum 20 hours of game play if you rush through required areas only
    -Multiple side areas and secret places to explore
    -As always, you can't get this experience from any other game series

    Cons:
    -Of course...everyone knows about the loading screens
    -Would like to see more equipment variety, but whats there is very unique
    -Bugs that would ruin some bosses and progression on launch day
    -No arena for PvP Lovers :(    … Expand
  78. undone1
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    This game is not a 10. It's extraordinary and exquisite and a huge cut above your average game but it isn't a better souls game. It's much on par with DS2. Long load times and frame rate drops along with an easier NG than most souls series games (Although an extremely difficult NG+) it boasts a wide array of enemies and is really good but it falls short of DS1.

    As with many Souls games    This game is not a 10. It's extraordinary and exquisite and a huge cut above your average game but it isn't a better souls game. It's much on par with DS2. Long load times and frame rate drops along with an easier NG than most souls series games (Although an extremely difficult NG+) it boasts a wide array of enemies and is really good but it falls short of DS1.

    As with many Souls games this is yet another flawed masterpiece.    … Expand
  79. WorldofTwist
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Loving this game. I was worried From-Soft had Gone-Soft but Miyazaki's debut on the PS4 is a belter. I love the fact so many people hate it, the game feels more personal more special, a game that has been made for me. The setting and the atmosphere is wonderful, art direction on top form. The first few hours were tough but slowly and surely I have been finding my rhythm. HighlyLoving this game. I was worried From-Soft had Gone-Soft but Miyazaki's debut on the PS4 is a belter. I love the fact so many people hate it, the game feels more personal more special, a game that has been made for me. The setting and the atmosphere is wonderful, art direction on top form. The first few hours were tough but slowly and surely I have been finding my rhythm. Highly recommended for all those gaming masochists out there.… Expand
  80. TsM_KCD
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    Awesome game. Great atmosphere and superb level design throughout. Combat is fast paced and even frantic at times, but requires just as much skill and poise as any Souls game. From surpassed my expectations with Bloodborne.
  81. Avodeskorm
    Mar 31, 2015
    6
    When I play Bloodborne, it feels like exploring I'm Dol Guldor or facing the Nazgul in Middle-Earth. It feels like the Bloodborne community is alive as well, new things being discovered, people working together to solve mysteries, etc. This truly is as much if not, even more of an experience and experiment than the original Dark Souls was. It feels as if they mashed a whole bunch ofWhen I play Bloodborne, it feels like exploring I'm Dol Guldor or facing the Nazgul in Middle-Earth. It feels like the Bloodborne community is alive as well, new things being discovered, people working together to solve mysteries, etc. This truly is as much if not, even more of an experience and experiment than the original Dark Souls was. It feels as if they mashed a whole bunch of influences and put them in a blender. I thought that some parts reminded me of Resident Evil to Princess Mononoke to H. P. Lovecraft to Lord of the Rings. My friend however who's less of a geek, says that he can't nail down only one influence, it minds him of everything from Neverending Story to a bunch of other things. This game will start off pretty slow, but soon you get to set the pace and go on your own adventure. With paths that will sometimes lead you to nowhere. (Or so you think)… Expand
  82. Nightshade02
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    When you are playing bloodborne you will taste:anger,hearthbreak and **** ENJOY becasue this game is very fun a small world makes you feel like you are in a large world nice boss battles WARNİNG:you can break your controller
  83. natetheartist
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    The bad: a complete lack of player direction/conveyance makes doing simple things like equipping weapons extremely cumbersome for brand new players. Story is confusing at best.

    The good: EVERYTHING. ELSE. PERIOD. This game is GORGEOUS, the combat is stellar, the game is HARD, and when you die you know why - and why it was your fault. It's been a long time since I've gotten CRAVINGS to    The bad: a complete lack of player direction/conveyance makes doing simple things like equipping weapons extremely cumbersome for brand new players. Story is confusing at best.

    The good: EVERYTHING. ELSE. PERIOD.
    This game is GORGEOUS, the combat is stellar, the game is HARD, and when you die you know why - and why it was your fault. It's been a long time since I've gotten CRAVINGS to play a game all day long. Bloodborne nailed it.    … Expand
  84. Dhane
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    Just dropping by to give this another 10/10. If you've played the previous Souls games you know what to expect. In terms of game concepts and difficulty this game does not wander far from its predecessors. For new players it might be intimidating though. Bloodborne is not for the faint of heart, but will surely reward those willing to get their behinds handed to them more times than theyJust dropping by to give this another 10/10. If you've played the previous Souls games you know what to expect. In terms of game concepts and difficulty this game does not wander far from its predecessors. For new players it might be intimidating though. Bloodborne is not for the faint of heart, but will surely reward those willing to get their behinds handed to them more times than they can count.… Expand
  85. Jimmistoffa3
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Absolutely fantastic game. I feel anyone who gives this game a bad score is either not good at it, or are angry that it's not on Xbox or PC. I admit, the game isn't for everyone, but if you liked the Souls series, I highly recommend this game.

    The savepoints, while further from eachother, isn't nearly as bad as some people make it out to be, as their are plenty of shortcuts to find.    Absolutely fantastic game. I feel anyone who gives this game a bad score is either not good at it, or are angry that it's not on Xbox or PC. I admit, the game isn't for everyone, but if you liked the Souls series, I highly recommend this game.

    The savepoints, while further from eachother, isn't nearly as bad as some people make it out to be, as their are plenty of shortcuts to find. There isn't AS many armor and weapons to find as the souls series, but there are still enough to keep the game enjoyable and to form your own playstyle.

    The game is obviously difficult but that's what people come to expect from these games, and like many others, I welcome the difficulty and challenge. There are also a few people saying the game has bad controls, which is complete nonsense.. The controls are perfect, and are pretty much the exact same mechanics as the souls series.

    Either way, if you want a rewarding and challenging game, or if you are a fan of any of the souls games, I recommend you buy this right away.    … Expand
  86. Alexgunner
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    Amazing I'm hooked and when I'm not playing I'm thinking about it. It is very challenging and there is a steep learning curve but the feeling of triumph getting through the game is bliss
  87. Shadows_trooper
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Mr. Hidetaka Miyazaki did not disappoint me in his new game. If you want a good game buy this one, if you dont have a Ps4, buy one just for this game. GOTY
  88. Marcmars
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    I didn't like the look of a cleaver weapon from the label, nor the hairy bosses... but don't judge the game by just screenshots on internet... (I made that mistake). An MMO friend told me to go get it, it's awesome, I have never played an Soul series so I hesitated (because it's $70 + tax), but once you get a hang of how the fighting mechanic work in this game, you WILL LOVE IT!!! YOU WILLI didn't like the look of a cleaver weapon from the label, nor the hairy bosses... but don't judge the game by just screenshots on internet... (I made that mistake). An MMO friend told me to go get it, it's awesome, I have never played an Soul series so I hesitated (because it's $70 + tax), but once you get a hang of how the fighting mechanic work in this game, you WILL LOVE IT!!! YOU WILL NOT DIE SO EASILY. "You died" screen only happen for the first 10 hours into the game, once you level up and learn your move the hard way or deadly way... you are all set for the best action gaming experience of all time.… Expand
  89. insloanwetrust
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Bloodborne is best summed up as being a beautiful nightmare. It's a game that will frustrate and terrify you but it will also have you coming back for more. It's intoxicating nature lies deep within it's strong combat system. It's based on dodging, light and strong attacks, combos, stuns and buffs. It's tough to master but once you do the reward is great. The enemies can and will destroyBloodborne is best summed up as being a beautiful nightmare. It's a game that will frustrate and terrify you but it will also have you coming back for more. It's intoxicating nature lies deep within it's strong combat system. It's based on dodging, light and strong attacks, combos, stuns and buffs. It's tough to master but once you do the reward is great. The enemies can and will destroy you but if you take your time to learn their attack patterns and master your own soon you will realise why you're called a hunter. If you've ever played Demon's or Dark souls games you'll know what to expect from Bloodborne, it's the same people who made those games and it's set in the same style and the same concept. It's just set at a higher more aggressive pace. If you're new to this kind of game it has a high learning curve, if you die you will restart at the beginning of the area, all of the enemies will respawn, any currency (blood echos) you gained will be lost and you will die a lot. There is no markers telling you where to go and there is no map either. But it's completely worth it if you're a gamer who likes a challenge and has a lot of time and patience to put into a game. A gamer who likes to explore and solve things for themselves. The Art style, level designee, Music, Graphics and gameplay are all top notch quality. It also has online in the form of PVP and PVE. You can invade other players worlds and battle them or you can either enter another person's game or summon them to your game and fight alongside each other against your foes. With Bloodborne you'll get a ton of content and replay value. To just beat the game you'll easily need around 50 hours and it also has new game plus and you can take part in and create your own optional online dungeons to play through either by yourself or with others online. It's a complete package. The only real drawbacks Bloodborne suffers from is occasional frame rate drops and slightly long loading screen times. As it stands that is why I can't say it's a perfect 10/10 but that can and I think will be patched later. So if your either a souls fan or new to the series and love a rewarding challenge I'd highly recommend this game to you, So let the nightmare being.… Expand
  90. CurdledGoblin
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    I've never played a Dark Souls or Demon Souls game, but I had to get Bloodborne after seeing all the video going all the way back from its initial reveal.

    First impressions upon entering the game world? Wow, visuals are fantastic. I loved the style. Most sound was good, the footsteps and walking through water were just your typical fair; but the atmosphere of ambient sound and visuals -    I've never played a Dark Souls or Demon Souls game, but I had to get Bloodborne after seeing all the video going all the way back from its initial reveal.

    First impressions upon entering the game world? Wow, visuals are fantastic. I loved the style. Most sound was good, the footsteps and walking through water were just your typical fair; but the atmosphere of ambient sound and visuals - when you combine those - make for such a surreal gaming experience. So spooky, fun, and pulse-pounding!

    Combat? I won't lie. After two hours of gameplay, I said, "This game is being traded in." It wasn't that the combat seemed tricky to me. It just seemed like it was TOO EASY to die. Truth is, it is VERY easy to die. What I learned from my first couple hours is.... don't be an idiot. Know your limits and base your gameplay off from those. Eventually your skill will grow and you'll be taking out Ogre's, werewolves, enormous rhinocerous/rat/gerbil/pig thingy's, and measly townspeople with ease.

    All I'm getting at is that I went from, "this game is too darn hard and it needs to get outta my library" to, "wow, this is one of the best games I've played. How can I possibly play any other game? They're all too easy!"

    Ultimately, give the game a chance. Learn the nuances of combat, evasion. Expect to die... A LOT. Learn from your deaths. Actually use that noggin for when you go after a boss for the 2nd, 3rd, or 10th time. This isn't a game that is forgiving. It's a game that's rewarding. Remember, that's how gaming used to be, and I think it's where gaming needs to go back. Higher difficulties, with actual learning curves, and creativity seem lost in most other games; but Bloodborne brings it back.

    9/10    … Expand
  91. pequenocristo
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    Some quick facts about me:

    1. I am NOT a hardcore gamer. 2. I never played Demon Souls or Dark Souls. 3. I wanted to rage quit but then stuck with not returning or selling the game! Don't give up! With that info in mind, let me say that anyone can get into Bloodborne. Learning the weapons and combat is challenging. Repeating areas,something others complain about, forces you to hone    Some quick facts about me:

    1. I am NOT a hardcore gamer.
    2. I never played Demon Souls or Dark Souls.
    3. I wanted to rage quit but then stuck with not returning or selling the game! Don't give up!

    With that info in mind, let me say that anyone can get into Bloodborne. Learning the weapons and combat is challenging. Repeating areas,something others complain about, forces you to hone your play style. I'm using the threaded cane and am not used to a weapon getting better as I progress in a game.

    The boss fights are insane, and there really is a sense of accomplishment when you succeed. Hell, I've even felt elated just finding strats to take down simple mobs because they are usually not very simple.

    In short, nothing is handed to you and you earn every accomplishment. I haven't felt this challenged and sometimes very frustrated in years. Even the story is largely in your hands to interpret. There are also boatloads of videos of pro players to help if you're out of ideas.

    Some cons:

    1. FPS can dip, especially when NPCs are near fire.
    2. Load times need to be fixed between deaths and traveling.

    One simple truth:

    1. Like any game, but this one in particular, you will have moments when you want to throw the controller through the wall. Then you calm down and get back to having fun.    … Expand
  92. wsacramoni
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    Bloodborne is an amazing, exacting, and exhausting pilgrimage through a gorgeous land that imposes the feeling of approaching the bottom of a descent into madness. Though extended load times and minor frame-rate hitches have an effect on the pacing, it’s otherwise an intensely challenging and rewarding game. There’s an incredible power to unlocking its mysteries, and in succeeding, despiteBloodborne is an amazing, exacting, and exhausting pilgrimage through a gorgeous land that imposes the feeling of approaching the bottom of a descent into madness. Though extended load times and minor frame-rate hitches have an effect on the pacing, it’s otherwise an intensely challenging and rewarding game. There’s an incredible power to unlocking its mysteries, and in succeeding, despite its demand for a pound of your flesh.… Expand
  93. kingzardoz
    Mar 31, 2015
    8
    A great game that I would rate 8.5/10 if metacritic would allow me. The level design is superior to Dark Souls 2 in every way, instead of exploring isolated zones, the zones are woven together to create a rich experience so the world feels very dense and real. The graphics are excellent with a decent variety in visual themes for each area. If I had to pick one graphical issue that bothersA great game that I would rate 8.5/10 if metacritic would allow me. The level design is superior to Dark Souls 2 in every way, instead of exploring isolated zones, the zones are woven together to create a rich experience so the world feels very dense and real. The graphics are excellent with a decent variety in visual themes for each area. If I had to pick one graphical issue that bothers me it would be that in many prerelease gameplay videos I watched, the blood spray effect would continue long after the enemy was slain and would only stop when the player stop slashing. I wish they kept that feature but it's possible the hardware or engine limitations prevented them from keeping it. The thing that kept me most interested in the game was the world and atmosphere, I just wanted to see what was next. Some of the visual images are really memorable even if it's something as simple as two barn doors rattling in the wind.

    The combat is fun but I don't think it offers the depth or innovation of demon/dark souls. You basically have 3-4 stats to level up and 3-5 interesting weapons worth using. The runes and blood gems don't really add much variety to your build. I think anybody expecting the heavy RPG elements of the last game will be upset. Fortunately many enemies have a huge variation in attacks and combos and they sometimes evolve when your insight level gets higher (not sure if it's insight level or just your overall level). Every time I think I've seen it all I get surprised by a new attack, timing, or combo. Overall I really enjoyed the game but miss the depth of the Souls games. I think the game lost some of the originality of the Souls genre when they tried to integrate hack&slash gameplay instead of creating a unique and new genre defining fusion. With regards to graphics, level design, and atmosphere, Bloodborne gets a 10/10, I loved walking around this world. Combat and gameplay get an 8/10, good enough to enjoy the game but not very memorable.    … Expand
  94. szszsz
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    for every dks fan this game is a MUST. especially if youve been playing a tank before (as it means a whole new gameplay to learn in bloodborne).

    pros: -stunning visual atmosphere -extremaly well designed levels, with hidden paths and shortcuts -bosses hit hard, most of the time youre dead in one combo or two-three consecutive shots -that thrill when venturing a new place, its not    for every dks fan this game is a MUST. especially if youve been playing a tank before (as it means a whole new gameplay to learn in bloodborne).

    pros:
    -stunning visual atmosphere
    -extremaly well designed levels, with hidden paths and shortcuts
    -bosses hit hard, most of the time youre dead in one combo or two-three consecutive shots
    -that thrill when venturing a new place, its not dks2 when it all felt kinda easy and replayable, now you really care not to die
    -how about constantly changing world (which is not just a visual day/night cycle)
    -and side quests ?
    -and totally messed up plot
    -or an undiscovered insight (kinda humanity-like) stat ??

    cons
    -ridiculously loading times (30-40s)
    -some weapons seems poor in terms of 2nd version - a small sword turning into a greatsword seems kinda cheesy compared to a sword which put into a gravestone makes a greathammer
    -health vials system - its easy to get rid of all of them during couple of attempts to a boss fight which makes you go back and grind them

    overall its a truly masterpiece, a game that can easily get a GOTY title and be remembered for decades. dont ruin your game, dont read any plot spoilers about it, dont look on forums for walkthrough - just play, you'll hate it and love it. exactly like dks 1 :)    … Expand
  95. KingOfThBigOnes
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    i cant stop playing this game. i bought a PS4 exclusively for this game and this is the only game i have on my PS4. was worth 400 dollars without a doubt. INCREDIBLE
  96. Niallo72
    Mar 31, 2015
    9
    It took me a while to find my pace after having to unlearn some dark souls tactics (shield!). But now it's got me in it's grip, I go to bed playing it in my head and wake up thinking about it.
  97. moisaras
    Mar 30, 2015
    10
    Don't let the game's supposed difficulty put you off from playing it.

    Yes, the game is not for 8-year olds or for people proudly playing candy crush, but every success in this game gives you a real reason to be proud and call yourself a gamer. The gameplay mechanics and beautiful haunting graphics makes every step a pleasure. Do give yourself a few hours, because the game was made to    Don't let the game's supposed difficulty put you off from playing it.

    Yes, the game is not for 8-year olds or for people proudly playing candy crush, but every success in this game gives you a real reason to be proud and call yourself a gamer. The gameplay mechanics and beautiful haunting graphics makes every step a pleasure.

    Do give yourself a few hours, because the game was made to feel very difficult at the beginning - I am not sure why they had to do that since it might put some people off - don't worry, the frustration level goes from 8 to 3 after the first boss.

    I often wonder why we don't get more games like this, but now that I am 20 hours into the game, I understand - it's bloody difficult to create a properly balanced masterpiece.    … Expand
  98. Thegodfatherson
    Mar 30, 2015
    10
    BloodBorne is the game that makes the Playstation 4, a must buy. It's painstakingly brutal, unforgiving and time consuming. This is if Dark Souls was combined with Dragon Age with Vampires and creative ways to kill them. When BloodBorne was announced at E3, I was amazed at how From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki pulled off such detail and clarity in this PS4 exclusive. The game runs at aBloodBorne is the game that makes the Playstation 4, a must buy. It's painstakingly brutal, unforgiving and time consuming. This is if Dark Souls was combined with Dragon Age with Vampires and creative ways to kill them. When BloodBorne was announced at E3, I was amazed at how From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki pulled off such detail and clarity in this PS4 exclusive. The game runs at a smooth 60 frames per second, and pulls a glazed graphic detail than any other PlayStation exculsive. Not only that, there is a LOT of dying. Players will be raged at how much BloodBorne requires skill and precision to defeat bosses and complete puzzles. Miyazaki's masterful description of his masterful direction shows off in BloodBorne. The Hunter you play as is as mysterious as is the gothic city of Y'harnam. With brilliant voice acting from Allan Courdner as Old Hunter Gehrman, and a looting system that is even better than the one in Borderlands 2. BloodBorne is a game to die for, it easily tops PS4's best exculsive, The Last Of Us Remastered and gives a hearty amount of fun, rage and silence. Buy it, it seriously is the best game on the console. #GoGetAPS4ForBloodborne… Expand
  99. Decou
    Mar 30, 2015
    9
    Amazing game "From Software", makes Dark souls 1 & 2 feel like beta's compared to this.
    The best game on the playstation 4 so far.
    The only thing missing i the game is a bit of music here and there, even if if would kill the feeling of the game, is to silent sometimes.
    It feels easy and fast thanks to the regain system, but is Hard and fast.
  100. themostunclean
    Mar 30, 2015
    10
    I was never a fan of the Souls series so I was very hesitant to get this game. Thankfully, most of my problems with the previous games are absent in Bloodborne. My main gripe with the Souls games was the lumbering, slow, defense focused combat. In Bloodborne this has been completely redone into a fast, fluid and graceful system that encourages offense and taking risks. My other issue withI was never a fan of the Souls series so I was very hesitant to get this game. Thankfully, most of my problems with the previous games are absent in Bloodborne. My main gripe with the Souls games was the lumbering, slow, defense focused combat. In Bloodborne this has been completely redone into a fast, fluid and graceful system that encourages offense and taking risks. My other issue with the Souls series was a generally dated and empty feel to the design and environment. Once again, Bloodborne trumps it's predecessors and creates a living, detailed world that feels natural and exciting to explore. Now to the big point, the difficulty. In the Souls games, dying often felt unfair or forced upon you. Penalties for death were too severe and intentionally sadistic. In Bloodborne when I died, I knew it was my fault. It was either because I'd done something wrong or not been careful not because the game was artificially handicapping me by taking away my health. People complaining about the difficulty (or leaving bad reviews but not mentioning it because they don't want to sound like the suck) probably aren't playing it right. The keys are to explore everywhere, open shortcuts to find your way back faster the next time you die and to return to the Hunter's Dream frequently to buy supplies, upgrade your weapons and level up. Getting your first set of armor can vastly improve your survival chances so just kill enough enemies to afford it, then go back. If you just keep dying, you'll never accrue enough blood echoes to buy anything.

    There are some minor technical issues with the game. Framerate can take a hit here and there and the camera isn't always in the most optimal position. The biggest controversy is with the load times but I hardly noticed them. Most of the time if just suffered a vicious defeat and my mind was busy planning my next strategy.

    So, as someone who didn't like the Souls series, I can wholeheartedly recommend Bloodborne. Definitely one of the best PS4 exclusives if not one of the best current gen games available.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PS4 Game of 2015
1
#1 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
9
#9 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 100 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 100
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 100
  3. Negative: 0 out of 100
  1. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    May 26, 2015
    90
    Visually striking, nerve-shredding and a fascinating streamlining of the Souls formula. Bloodborne is an exclusive jewel in the PS4 crown and you need to own it. [June 2015, p71]
  2. Games Master UK
    May 24, 2015
    90
    What a world. What a combat system. What a game. You don't want to miss this. [June 2015, p.56]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 20, 2015
    90
    It offers unparalleled player agency when dealing with From's wonderful third-person combat. [May 2015, p.79]
See all critic reviews »