Bloodborne: Overview & Critic Reception

Combat

Bloodborne has no shield. Your left hand holds a firearm, which is used to stagger enemies in the middle of an attack so that you can follow up with a Visceral Attack for heavy damage; the timing is just as the enemy's attack connects. Weapons transform between two forms by pressing L1, so each weapon has two movesets.

The Rally system rewards attacking back soon after you are hit. Bosses such as Father Gascoigne are weak to fire (Molotov Cocktails and Oil Urns), while the Cleric Beast is weak to Combat and Serration damage, according to Fextralife.

Gameplay and Progression

The Hunter's Dream is the hub: the Plain Doll levels your stats, Bath Messengers sell and buy items, and Lamps you have lit let you warp. Bloodborne's stats are Vitality (HP), Endurance (stamina and status resistance), Strength, Skill, Bloodtinge (blood-type weapons such as firearms) and Arcane. Insight is a separate stat that you gain by entering boss arenas, defeating bosses, and other actions; it unlocks the Insight Messengers shop at 1 point, but also lowers Frenzy resistance.

Story and Endings

Bloodborne has three endings. Accepting Gehrman's offer gives Yharnam Sunrise. Refusing and defeating Gehrman gives Honoring Wishes. Refusing Gehrman after consuming three One Third of Umbilical Cords (at any point before he dies) and then defeating the Moon Presence gives Childhood's Beginning. The Old Hunters expansion includes Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower, Ludwig, the Holy Blade, Orphan of Kos, the Living Failures and Laurence, the First Vicar.

Platforms and Performance

Bloodborne is available only on PlayStation 4. A PC or PS5 version has not been announced as far as we could find. It has sold an estimated 9.3 million copies by November 2025 (Wikipedia, citing Alinea Analytics).

Awards and Reception

Bloodborne received 2015 Game of the Year awards from GameTrailers, Eurogamer, Destructoid and Edge, a BAFTA for Game Design, and Golden Joysticks for Best Original Game and PlayStation Game of the Year, according to Wikipedia. The Old Hunters was recommended by 89 percent of critics on OpenCritic.

Pros & Cons