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.
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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]
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