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

To the GameStop employee who recommended that I buy The Last of Us over this game, I curse your name for all eternity & curse my own for listening to a GameStop employee. Whereas Naughty Dog’s snooze fest made me beg for the sweet release of death, Bloodborne opened my eyes to the monolith that is FromSoftware. If there was ever a video game that I could play again for the very first time, it’s a tie between Bloodborne & Mass Effect 1. I had tried Dark Souls 1 before but it never clicked for me. That all changed after Bloodborne. It single handedly turned a series I had given up on into my all time favorite. I have the platinum trophy and every DLC trophy for this game as well. The atmosphere in this game is otherworldly. They pulled off a classic Victorian horror & Lovecraftian nightmare settings perfectly. Once again the level design is the star of this show. Seamlessly woven together into a believable world with a gorgeous soundtrack & flawless sound design to accompany your journey. Transformation weapons are one of the most genius design choices I’ve ever seen in a game. Almost every weapon feels unique and is completely viable to beat the entire game with. The visceral attacks and parries are brutal delights. Seeing your character covered in blood after a long area or boss fight is beautifully macabre. The rally system where you can regain lost health by immediately attacking an enemy promotes a very aggressive play style. This game is also the perfect starter game for newcomers to FromSoft’s series. It’s almost wholly melee focused with a simplified upgrade & level up system. Getting rid of blocking by making parrying your primary means of defense is instantly more engaging. In conclusion, if you have a PS4 then you have no excuse for not owning this masterpiece. It is the most unique & by far the best exclusive that platform ever had. On a console full of overproduced, linear, cutscene heavy, & QTE filled exclusive clones; this is a game that doesn’t hold your hand and just lets you play.