5/5 ★ – Em_SG97's review of Bloodborne.

I feel like this is one of those games that you learn to appreciate more and more the longer you play it. It still made a very good first impression, but I love it more after every playthrough. Dark Souls 3 was the first game I played by FromSoftware, but the experience I gained from the game still wasn’t enough to fully prepare me for Bloodborne. Bloodborne is easily the most fast and furious game made by FS, only being rivaled by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. There are two big factors that account for the speed increase compared to previous games: no shields and the rally system. Technically there are two shields in the game, but they only exist to show you that shields are useless. Without a shield, players must hone their timing to properly dodge enemy attacks since there is no longer an alternative. Dodging in this game is also far quicker than in previous games, encouraging a more aggressive dodge and hit style of combat. The rally system allows players to recover health they recently lost if they quickly retaliate and land strikes on an enemy. I really enjoy this system and it’s a great incentive to keep players aggressive. Along with a speed increase, the weapon system is altered. Players get what’s called a trick weapon in one hand and a gun in the other. A trick weapon is a melee weapon that can change forms on command mid-combat. They allow great versatility in combat, and essentially act like two weapons in one. For example, a fast-swinging straight sword can transform into a large two-handed sword for heavy, slow attacks, when placed in it’s sheath. For the player’s other weapon, guns are primarily used to counter enemy attacks with proper timing, allowing for an incredibly damaging repost attack. Leveling your character in different ways can allow use of different weapons and techniques, further increasing the scope of this combat system. The combat system is straightforward yet allows room for great skill and experimentation. It’s absolutely perfect. While the general tone and story structure are very similar to the Dark Souls games, The atmosphere and level design of Bloodborne is far more sinister. Yharnam, the city the game starts in, is dark and dreary with a haze over it that clouds your vision. It’s styled after Victorian London, with large, black, spire-like buildings and dark alleyways. The sound of beasts screech out across the city; a warning of the terrible things to come. The story is very vague and is up to the player’s interpretation a lot of the time. You start with just one goal: kill all beasts you find; and holy shit are these beasts terrifying. Many are large lanky creatures or half humans with matted hair, razor teeth, and sharp claws. They’re absolutely unrelenting in their attacks, further cementing the theme of the odds being heavily stacked against the player. Most games would start the player out against some easy first enemies and a simple boss, but this game knows no mercy. The first boss is a gargantuan monster that is surprisingly quick and can crush you in a few swings of its giant claws. It’s even more frighting to find out the smaller bosses tend to be the most difficult. The second boss is against a hunter, who shares a similar moveset to the player. The only difference is he has lost his mind and is slowly becoming a beast. He’s really quick and is often a huge road block to new players. This is where the game forces you to become aggressive and match his speed to beat him. Dodging too much and playing too conservatively will end in defeat. It’s the first big hump to get over that leads into the crazy roller coaster that is this game. The challenge never really lets up, but the player’s skill will undoubtedly increase to match the challenge the game poses if enough time is dedicated to practicing. The lore and atmosphere continues to thicken as the player discovers Lovecraftian creatures like a giant Cthulhu monster and alien-like creatures. Giant cathedrals and disgusting fish villages continue to intrigue and shock with what secrets and creatures they hold. The score further heightens tension and atmosphere with its haunting and epic sound. I really don’t think I have any problems with the game besides a few odd enemies that use attacks that are really difficult to deal with. These enemies are often optional however or can be avoided. Overall this game is fantastic. It’s incredibly challenging and bleak, but the feeling of rising to the challenge and experiencing all the interesting environments is well worth the effort. I’ll probably play through it again this year. 10/10