Bloodborne

I don't often dream of showering myself in the blood of my enemies but while playing through Bloodborne I often found myself dreaming of how to most effectively eviscerate the beasts that infest Yharnam.

FromSoftware's third foray into the third-person RPG/Masochism simulator is, in my opinion, it's best yet. Gone are the shields that we so heavily rely on in the "Souls" games to block oncoming attacks, replaced instead by a trusty Hunter's pistol (or blunderbuss or rifle, whichever you end up choosing) which forces you to rely on parries and the more dynamic movement system.

Now, instead of the patented 'roll' seen in the other Souls games you are given the ability to dodge around or away from your attackers with a short, swift leap which is the best addition to this format of game by far. Apparel no longer affects your movement so you don't have to get down to the nitty gritty of item burden every time you want to try a new set of armor. Gliding around your enemies adds a certain pace to the game that the awkward roll could never bring. You still have to rely on effective timing so as not to take a heavy hit from your target, and the enemies do hit very heavily, but the constant movement makes the pacing way more fun. Another addition to Bloodborne is the ability to recharge a little health after taking a hit. When damage is dealt by an enemy your bar of health goes down but a residual amount is left which can be refilled if you aggressively attack your target and shower yourself in their blood... so metal.

This time From forgoes the high-fantasy setting and brings you into a darker, gothic environment rife with tall, pointy buildings with narrow streets which are prime for ambushes. Coffins and carriages line the infested lanes and alleys and everything has a claustrophobic feel to it that adds another level of stress to the atmosphere that makes finding the next checkpoint all that much sweeter.

If difficulty was a turn off for you with the other Souls games then it's best you avoid this game. It's still tough as ever and with the new movement system and lack of shield, the first few areas are pretty difficult as you get used to it. That can also be to your benefit though as enemies act and move very similarly to the way they do in the other games and the old "look, an item in the distance! I'm going to go grab it! *cue enemy attack from behind*" trope is still very prevalent, even later in the game.

The bosses are still punishing, but on a fun level. If and when you die, and you will die, it doesn't feel cheap. Going in for that extra attack instead of dodging, or healing when you should have attacked are mistakes I often made. Every move made in that game is executed fantastically and though I found myself yelling a few expletives throughout the course of the game, I blamed nobody but myself for my hundreds of deaths.

The aesthetic of the game is absolutely beautiful with it's Gothic architecture and Victorian apparel. There's a degree of beauty that is missing from the other games. Also, the tech of the PS4 is used very well. The fur on the bestial bodies of the enemies flows with every movement, especially the bosses, whose character models are significantly bigger and therefore have more room for detail. One of the later bosses has lightning coursing through its fur adds a degree of spectacular distraction that makes an already difficult battle even tougher. Cloaks on your character flap with every step with a level of realism I've never seen before.

All around this game is one of the most beautiful, visceral, frustrating and difficult games I've ever played and I loved every minute of it. I can't recommend it enough and anybody who is a fan of the Souls games but didn't get into Bloodborne because of the differences needs to play this game. The learning curve isn't all that steep and the satisfaction of beating that tough boss or the relief of finding that next lamp is just as awesome as ever.