Bloodborne - Game of the Year (PS4)

Arguably the best game on PS4 right now (Arkham Knight in close second). Bloodborne is hard but fair. The game expects you how to learn how to play it, from well playing it. The tutorial is almost non existent because once you know what the buttons do it is time for you to get out there and just get swinging. Almost all enemies can be dodged, many can be stopped mid attack by firing your gun and getting huge damage or just use the vast array of attacks any of the weapons have. So why do people call it so hard? Because the game doesn't pause itself, ask if you are ready, psyche you up and then prepare the enemy for a perfect attack (no really look how many games basically do exactly that). You need to get the enemy in the right spot, time the dodge, time the attack and keep a constant view out for new enemies and dangers. Not doing these things get lots of new players killed because they expect the game to pander to them.The game, and other souls games, enormous popularity are a sign of how much real challenge is rewarding. It is always fair and always provides you a chance to learn from your mistakes. Sure towards the end of the game some enemies hit like a freight train that took to drinking and have enormous health bars with insane dodge mechanics but people beat them. They beat them by paying attention, looking for the weaknesses the designers put in and going for the proverbial jugular. I unashamedly admit I hold beating the major boss of Dark Souls 1 DLC and getting a first in my degree felt about as rewarding.The other big thing about this game is the story. Bloodborne has a very deep story. So deep there are possibly celestial beings of immense power and understanding once you hit the bottom kind of deep, and yes this game has gods in it. It doesn't tell you its story though. You may be wondering how I know it has a story. Ok;1. one of the characters in the game informs you that being afraid is good because the beasts you fight don't feel fear and you want to be different from the beasts2. an item description shows that hunters like yourself fill 'echoes' they find with gratitude for their victims3. a hunter we find later on has started to enjoy the killing and becomes a beast literally in front of our eyes4. near the middle of the game you are transported to a 'nightmare' filled with 'fear gods' and because of this you are deemed not to be a beast because you can feel fearSo it is quite clear that hunters can become beasts when they let their bloodlust take hold and start to enjoy the killing but forget to feel fear in the hunt or reverence for those who are already beasts. This is a very noble samurai style tradition which is mirrored in other things in the game.I wasn't told that by the game I just paid attention and understood what it was trying to say. The story is as hard to tease out as the gameplay but is so rewarding when you uncover a secret or find something you've missed for hours as I did when i found a major NPC's gravesite and understood with an almost crushing sense of realisation what the main hub of the game really is. I have put 200 hours into this game and only just found out now.... but I enjoyed every hour up to that point also.Get Bloodborne, spend the time learning how to play it and thank you earlier self for being introduced to what is the best experience in gaming right now.

I'm writing this review for the people who like myself, went so long avoiding this game due to people saying how difficult it is.. I've only ever briefly played Demon's Souls on the ps3 so I was new to the souls concept. I went in expecting it to be a game that was almost undoable and I was OK with that. What I actually found was one of the best and most enjoyable games I've ever played, so much so I bought the harder Dark souls 3 a few weeks later.The enemy's can be difficult, when you start out in the game you have very little equipment and low stats, so you have to be cautious. But once you get used to each enemy's move-set you are able to traverse areas more fluidly. Yes you will slip up and inevitably die from time to time, but you will learn for next time. The key to the souls game for me, are the shortcuts.. Once you are able to unlock the shortcuts, the area opens up and it becomes much more bearable.The first area of Yharnham is large and very difficult to fight all the way through at base level.. Trying not to include spoilers, I found that once I'd fought my way up to and past the bonfire, and died to the large enemy on the other side of that area, when I respawned I just ran and ignored all enemies up to the point where I died.. Picked up my blood echoes and had another crack at said enemy.. Only this time I crept behind him, hit first using R2 with the Hunters Axe's stagger attack, knocked him back on his backside and followed up with killing blows. Lesson learnt.I have now completed and platinumed the game, less than a month after buying it, which I didn't expect, neither did I expect to enjoy it as much as I did. At times not so much, but in the end, a great game and well worth buying.I hope 'From' will release a sequel as I enjoy the gothic setting and level designs, and the fast paced combat though there doesn't seem to be any plans for one yet which is disappointing but I digress. Buy it, if you have a little patience, you will love it!

This game might not be for everyone. It's dark and is quite challenging, but for anyone who's played Dark Souls will definitely enjoy this experience. I am very picky with games and it can take me a while to get into something new, but this didn't take long at all. My favourite game of all time is Zelda, The Ocarina of Time and I have been waiting a very long time for a game to come a long and wow me in the same way... And this game has finally done that! There are lots of similar elements to Zelda which I love that this game has, such as deferent areas you need to work through, unlocking short cuts and hidden paths, and at the end, a boss fight with each boss very different from the next and needing to figure out its weaknesses of how to defeat it. Also the curse that's plagued the town is similar to what happens in Hyrule. Anyway, the point I'm making is that anyone that's been waiting for a game that plays like Zelda, but with a more realistic and sinister approach, this game is definitely for you. The game is huge too, with lots of optional areas, chalice dungeons, an area call Cainhurst Castle with can unlock more weapons and items, and also the new download content which has loads of new awesome weapons. When you complete the game too, a new game starts, known as New Game Plus which is harder that your first play through. There's plenty of helpful walkthroughs on YouTube (Andy from GameZone is my fav) if you get stuck on a particular boss or just aren't sure which way you need to go next. I'm currently playing the game on New Game Plus and working my way through the DLC and loving every minute of it. Deffo in my top 5 games of all time this one!