With every game of his that releases, it becomes increasingly remarkable what Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team at From Software have accomplished with the Souls series. These titles really do constitute their own subgenre; the heavy combat, winding level design and minimalist storytelling methods are...

'Bloodborne' arrives on the PS4 as one of the biggest exclusives of the new generation, and with good cause. Though it seems like just yesterday that ' Dark Souls II ' made its debut on the PS3 and 360, From Software made their most indelible mark back with the PS3 exclusive 'Demon's Souls,' which...

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.

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.

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

From Software and Sony's Japan Studio teamed up to release Demon's Souls as a PlayStation 3 exclusive back in 2009. They might not have guessed it at the

Comprehensive combat options for the pro-active player; Plenty to uncover through thorough exploration; Great enemy and boss design; Cohesive world

Story is cryptic and vague; Long load times

The remaining humans in Bloodborne's dead city of Yharnam think you're making a mistake to even consider this new adventure. When you talk to them, they say that there's nothing here for you, that it's a nightmare. They're incorrect on both counts.

Great variety of new weapons; Mysterious characters and artifacts excite your imagination; Captivating environments

Disappointing AI companions

Wake up from the nightmare When Bloodborne launched, I provided a series of tips for newcomers . They're still very much relevant for the dawn of the Old Hunters DLC pack , which debuts today, but I figured I'd provide a few add-on specific pieces of info.

One of the best action games of the generation and a stunning achievement in terms of gameplay, art design, and encouraging players to push themselves beyond their limits.

Superb combat system is elegantly simple and hugely versatile; Amazing world design and wonderfully disgusting enemies; Great online features and role-playing elements

Long load times can be hugely frustrating; Some minor frame rate problems, and the Chalice Dungeons need some tweaking and bug-fixing