Demon's Souls' eventual success was a slow burn, but it was not a fluke. The Souls series is a full-blown phenomenon now, and the mania has peaked with Bloodborne . Thanks to the intriguing new Victorian setting and some really effective marketing on Sony's part, tons of new players are experiencing...

Hyper challenging gameplay; Incredibly atmospheric world; Gorgeous graphics and sound; Amazing enemy design

Unintelligible story; Stripped-down customization; Little gameplay variety; Rife with bugs and design issues

very depressing and macabre atmosphere lacking positive message only one character that consistently is a good role model extreme difficulty graphic and disturbing content that far surpasses the violence of others no sexual content at all no swearing save "damn" and "whore" no consumerism at all no...

While Bloodborne never reaches the same dizzying heights of Dark Souls, it still retains the creative spark that made it so special. The dark atmosphere, the intense boss fights, and the minimalistic storyline still work to make a game that feels like nothing else out there on the market.

I've been playing From Software's Souls series since the very beginning with the release of Demon's Souls, and since then, my play-style has largely been the same; From title to title, I don a suit of plate armour, pick up straight sword and shield, and rigidly stick to that kit from beginning to...

The fact that Bloodborne carries so many stark similarities to previous games of the Souls series means that it can't escape from comparisons with them; and; in many ways; its deficiencies will stick in the craw of some of the series' fans

Purgatory. Getting the chance to re-live every painful moment, every mistake you ever made, a thousand of times. The time your first pet died, that day you realised Santa Claus wasn't real, the first time you got dumped: every classic stomach-sinking moment on a constant loop. For ever.

Smart level design; Consistent; satisfying mechanics; Thick; moody atmosphere

Frequently frustrating; Obscure style may annoy

One thing's for sure though, Sony has done very well for themselves by nailing Bloodborne down as a PS4 exclusive. As enjoyable as Infamous, DriveClub (eventually) and Killzone were, they never rode such a continuous wave of hype after release.

Rewarding enemy encounters; The game world design is stunning; Regain system encourages aggressive style

Long loading times; Combo variation is very limited; Attack interruptions can be inconsistent

Among that esoteric breed of people who class themselves as committed gamers, no developer currently inspires greater reverence than the Japanese company From Software. It's famed for its no-compromise approach, and anyone who has played the action-RPGs Demon's Souls or Dark Souls will testify that...

Gloriously gothic and creepy; imbued with a weird logic of its own; more action-based than previous From Software games; challenging and deeply satisfying

May be too hard for some (particularly in its initial stages); occasional frame-rate issues; camera can go haywire; long death screen loading time

It's hard, frustrating and packed with grime, but if you can hack it this is unmissable stuff

Deeply satisfying; Smart design; A rich world

Very frustrating at times; A hefty time investment

For those who see themselves as true, committed gamers, few objects generate a greater sense of anticipation than a new game made by From Software. The Japanese developer has cultivated a fearsome reputation as a complete no-compromise merchant, primarily by making its games so difficult that in...

It's the night of The Hunt. Supercilious laughter joins the suffused glow of lamplight spilling from beneath locked doors and barred windows. You are a hunter, expected to exterminate the beasts taking over the twisted laneways of Yarnham.

This is part 3 of an on-going review of Bloodborne. Read Part 1 and Part 2. This is a long reflection on what's it's like playing and discussing the game, rather than a strict focus on the game itself.