Reviewed on PlayStation 4 (EXCLUSIVE)
Reviewed by: Cody Bradbury
Reviewed by: Cody Bradbury
Prepare to die...again (for real this time)
Bloodborne is the greatest game by developer FromSoftware I've played, and the greatest game I've played on PS4. Snuffing out the recently released Witcher 3: Wild Hunt by leaps and bounds, this game is the closest thing to perfection I believe we are going to see in an exclusive title until the highly cherished and much anticipated Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is released sometime next year.
Since its reveal at E3 2014, Bloodborne has been on the top of my must play chart. From the stunning graphics to the well known difficulty, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this one. Needless to say, it did not disappoint. Bloodborne took everything I found familiar from the Souls series (shields, slow paced but steady combat) and threw it out the window. With this game you get the option to use several different varieties of firearms; from your everyday pistol, to your more obscure and different types like the rifle spear (imagine a more gothic version of Squall's Gunblade from Final Fantasy VIII).
Visually speaking, transversing the area known as Yarnham, is a gothically beautiful endeavor. The buildings and environments look as if they are pulled straight out of the Victorian era. From the skyscraper sized cathedrals to the dark and narrow sewer system, Bloodborne seems flow ever so swiftly from one area to another. Although, that has always been one of my favorite things about FromSoftware.
Bloodborne's music is as hauntingly devilish as the environment around it. From the subtle stings to the haunting and shrieking boss music, Blooborne has another soundtrack that will get you that much more into the game. As a frequent soundtrack listener, Bloodborne is definitely in my top 10, maybe even top 5. (Stay tuned for that list later!)
With a game that seems so perfect, it's almost impossible to try and find any faults. That being said, the ones that have been found sting just as bad, if not worse, than game breaking bugs. Now, I know Bloodborne is now a few months old, but the day one issues made the game a lot less enjoyable. From a 45-90 second load screen every time you died or went from the Hunter's Dream to Yarnham, to mild performance issues when playing online, Bloodborne was almost making me hate it, that is, until the game saving patch came out. Since it's no longer any where near day 1, I'm not going to let those issues adjust my score. Just let it be known, if you get this game now be thankful. You die an awful lot in this game.
THE VERDICT!
Bloodborne, like other FromSoft games, is really REALLY hard. The addition of sidearms makes combat seem faster and it makes landing visceral attacks much easier, but losing the shield for these bonuses almost seems unfair. Your character is almost always vulnerable when shooting your sidearm and the enemies move a lot faster than those in the Souls games. That being said, I believe the faster paced combat and shooting mechanics make Bloodborne the game to go to for new players to FromSoft.
Let the good blood guide you.
10/10