Bloodborne Reviews
If you're the sort of person who is up for exploring a grim, dark, and fatal world and has a high tolerance for failure, you'll be right at home in Yharnam. It might be the video game equivalent of an extremely bad day, but it also gives you the means to fight back, making it more fun than it should be.
Am I telling you to rush out and buy a new console just for this title? No, I'm not saying that. However, I will say it's definitely a worthy addition to any PlayStation 4 library.
Bloodborne is a game I was looking forward to since it was announced and only a few titles hyped to that extent deliver on their promises - From Software delivered. This Souls spin-off is near-perfect and it's exclusives like this that can be platform-defining. If there's anything I could complain about, it's the fact that I already want more Bloodborne and anxiously await DLC - I'll be the first in line for it. The game established a solid foundation for a series and any expansion or sequels are most welcome.
Ultimately, the lack of available options to approach combat with doesn't make Bloodborne a bad game, at all. Where it does hurt, however, is the online longevity of the game. While Bloodborne is absolutely worth picking up and playing through a few times, it's likely that most fans of From's games will be sticking with Dark Souls 2 for their long-term PvP online.
Bloodborne rewards deep play and deep thought. It's not for everyone, and it's definitely more accessible if you've played another Souls game first, but that doesn't mean newcomers can't pick it up.
Yharnam is not some obstacle course waiting to be exploited for a cheap thrill. It's alive and well aware of its allure. That cure we all seek is in there somewhere, but this city isn't going to give it up without a fight.
Bloodborne is a game of boredom, precision and intelligence.
Review in Persian | Read full review
When you overcome a challenging introduction and get the insight or skill you need, you get dozens of hours crowded with fun, action, tension and a great feeling after success.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Masterpiece. The title is beautiful, deep and damn addictive. Death has a new face - it is Bloodborne.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Bloodborne is a solid quality dungeon crawler, with an interesting and novel combat proposal that, at times, manages to capture the visceral satisfaction that characterizes hard gaming. The presence of technical problems, lack of variety and a bit of haste in its content prevent it from achieving excellence, but it is definitely a quality proposition that PlayStation 4 players should not miss. Let's hope the evolution of From Software doesn't stop at this point, and that future installments will refine and give more new blood to the venerable tradition of this genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
'Bloodborne' is neither perfect nor is it a slam dunk to suit all kinds of players. It's still an acquired taste, but for those that take the plunge and survive that first crest of difficulty, the ensuing experience is as satisfying as anything on the market today. Furthermore, fans of H.P. Lovecraft have something wonderfully nebulous to enjoy on the PS4. On the Night of the Hunt, one of this generation's great exclusives has arrived. I expect it to withstand the test of years while sustaining the hardcore and newcomers alike.
If you can get into its bloody, visceral and unforgiving rhythm, Bloodborne grabs and never lets go. Not until you've seen it all and triumphed over every abomination.
It will intimidate with monstrous foes and unimaginable horrors, but the satisfaction that is felt when they are overcome is quite real. Is Bloodborne a reason to get a PS4? Maybe. This game will keep people talking about it for a long time.
I'm in the latter camp, as most of you are aware, but this is all about the gameplay. It really is. The atmosphere and combat is the focal point and as such, the story and characters take a back seat.
Bloodborne is truly a remarkable game, more appealing than its predecessors, more cohesive, and more satisfying from a mechanical point of view. It also has a compelling atmosphere and a captivating world to explore, full of beautiful vistas and horrific creatures to battle, as well as an ample background to slowly discover.
Bloodborne is easily an early contender for game of the year, and it's the best PS4 exclusive to date. It captures the immensely strong design of Dark Souls and mixes it with high-intensity combat. The new setting and mechanics keep the title feeling fresh even while it retains many familiar aspects from the Souls games. Some minor problems, such as an occasionally poor frame rate, lightly tarnish the experience. Bloodborne is a must-have for any gamer who isn't afraid to die. The intense, fast-paced gameplay and grim world combine to create an experience that's both familiar and distinctive. It's time to die all over again.
From Software's title has blown away the competition this generation and is Sony's first true classic on the PS4. I'd urge non-Souls fans to try it too as I really wasn't expecting to enjoy Bloodborne this much.
With this in mind, if Dark Souls is medieval gothic—its dichotomies of heaven and hell gestured at by pointed arches, supporting both a true spirituality and a belief in the divine—then Bloodborne is the epitome of gothic revival—where subjectivity replaces spirituality, and man strives to plumb the depths of human experience.
Combat aside, Bloodborne is a visionary work by a visionary artist. Intense in both theme and application, it's a gory concession to the tastes of the modern mainstream player, while maintaining the spirit and uncompromising narrative that was the hallmark of the Souls games at their finest. But this is far more consistent in that application than those games, making it From Software's finest work to date.
A masterclass in design, and a lesson for other developers.