If practice makes perfect, then Bloodborne is a flawless game. As unyieldingly difficult as its spiritual predecessors in the Demon's Souls and Dark Souls series, it opens in a hospital, with your unarmed avatar being forced into a nigh-unwinnable fight against a ferocious beast, which promptly...

It's no surprise that the current generation of consoles have been underwhelming since launch. They have boasted an insane amount of HD re-releases, uninspired first parties, and broken games.

This has been a great game. It has a high replay factor. The game is very skill based. You can invite friend to help you with sections, but when you do this you take a risk of someone else joining your game. This unknown person may help you or they may attack you. It will depend on the person.

Bloodborne is as glorious as it is grotesque, a harsh and unyielding exercise in getting battered mercilessly while feeling encouraged the whole painful way. While very much a Souls game through and through, the switch from methodical and slow progression to a faster, ultimately more savage...

Bloodborne is the latest game from the Japanese developer, and once again we go beyond death. We play as a traveller searching the ancient town Yharnam for a cure to a deadly disease, only to find the place has turned into a hellish nightmare.

I can't stop dying, I'm sure the game is good, but I can't take 5 steps without dying and having to try again.

Watch a full 20+ minute video review of Bloodborne from Joaby embedded above Bloodborne is an action RPG created by FROM Software, a Japanese company most famous for its Souls series of games.

Bloodborne is the next evolution of From Software's RPG niche, taking us from dark medieval fantasy worlds where shields are king to an even more unforgiving gothic backdrop where striking first and hard is the way to go.

+ Atmosphere and setting unmatched; + Combat is challenging & satisfying; + Enemy & weapon design delightfully evil; + Changes from Souls welcome; not unwanted

- Frame-rate dips & enemy pathfinding issues still persist from Souls; - NPC character models & character creation need improvement; - Loading times can take a bit too long

Bloodborne is one of this year's most highly-anticipated console exclusives. Does it live up to its forebearers? Matt Maguire files the following tear-sopped review.

Harsh but fair; Terrific level design; You can bring friends into your game; Terrifically imaginative

Long load times; Some minor camera issues; Difficulty and reticence can be off-putting

Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 took many, many days away from me. Anyone who has played From Software's action RPGs, or as I'd like to call them punishment simulators, will tell you that it's all part of the experience. That's just how it goes.

Exciting; daunting; challenging; huge; captivating is only a few words Id use to describe Bloodborne

Technical issues like causing lengthy load times and other issues