Bloodborne
Games review
As of Jun 23, 2026, Bloodborne is rated 91/100 on OpenCritic (112 critic reviews), and 92/100 on Metacritic (100 critic reviews). Each source is shown in its own units, never blended into one score.
Is Bloodborne worth it in 2026?
Scores of 91 and 92 from OpenCritic and Metacritic respectively, each drawing on roughly 100 critics, are not noise: Bloodborne earned them through exceptional art direction, coherent world design, and a Souls formula that feels genuinely reinvented rather than reskinned. The aggressive, faster combat strips away the defensive crouch-and-block approach of its predecessors, which means veterans hunting for the same flavor of punishment may find it a notch less vexing, but for most players the difficulty still delivers that signature punishing-yet-fair loop that defines the series' appeal. The game's uncompromising design will repel players who find repeated failure demoralizing rather than motivating, specifically anyone casual, time-limited, or allergic to trial-and-error boss learning, and that is a real cost the score alone will not warn them about.
PS4 owners who want the definitive system-justifying exclusive and can commit to steep, unforgiving challenge as the primary entertainment rather than an obstacle to it.
Loading screens after death were flagged as genuinely disruptive, and the sting is structural: dying repeatedly is how the game teaches you, so you will see that screen constantly.
ReviewPond's conclusion, drawn only from the verified scores and review themes below. Not a paid or editorial opinion.
Different sources measure different things, so each is shown in its own units and never merged into one number.
Pros
- rewarding challenge6
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- Bloodborne delivers an exhausting and exhilarating journey into the depths of madness.
- The most rewarding game experience I've had this year.
- Make no mistake: Bloodborne will put hair on your chest.
- ps4 system seller5
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- An invigorated spirit occupying a reassuringly recognisable body, Dark Souls' life force flows through Bloodborne's revitalised veins. Intelligent and intense, it's simply PS4's be...
- Refreshingly, Bloodborne knows what it is, and doesn't stray too far from the Souls formula, but its few alterations make for a fresh experience that will challenge even the most ha...
- Bloodborne is the system seller for all dedicated gamers that don't already own a PS4.
- fresh souls formula5
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- A fantastic game that holds its own against Dark Souls. A brand new setting and new gameplay mechanics add a freshness to the Souls formula. There's a lot to explore and experience...
- Bloodborne is a shrewd turn from its souls lineage
- Refreshingly, Bloodborne knows what it is, and doesn't stray too far from the Souls formula, but its few alterations make for a fresh experience that will challenge even the most ha...
- exceptional art direction4
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- Bloodborne's excellent action, beautiful artistry, and religious melodrama make it another must-play in the Demon's Souls tradition.
- Thrilling and masterfully crafted, Bloodborne is a gorgeous, grim and gruelling adventure,and unarguably the first essential exclusive of this generation.
- FromSoftware gives us another lesson in how to deliver an experience with satisfaction proportional to the frustration it makes us feel. Add a superb art direction to it and play...
- rich world exploration4
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- The structure underlying Bloodborne is not just original but coherent, and because of this the impact of everything it does is commensurately greater. This is total design. It feel...
- An unsettling, Lovecraftian adventure through nightmares that constantly tests and enthralls the player. Just when you think you have things figured out, new elements come into pla...
- Face your fears as you search for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam in Bloodborne, an action RPG from Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoftware.
- satisfying boss fights3
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- Yet, while it does have a few actual shortcomings, if you're willing to embrace its challenge and ruthless fairness, Bloodborne is most probably the best game released on PS4 so fa...
- FromSoftware gives us another lesson in how to deliver an experience with satisfaction proportional to the frustration it makes us feel. Add a superb art direction to it and play...
- 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.
Cons
- not for everyone2
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- I give Bloodborne a resounding Buy in my Buy/Hold/Sell rating scale. This is the first true system-seller for the PS4, the first game that convinces me that the PS4 is a system wor...
- Yet, while it does have a few actual shortcomings, if you're willing to embrace its challenge and ruthless fairness, Bloodborne is most probably the best game released on PS4 so fa...
- loading time issues1
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- Bloodborne is a fascinating, poetic, disturbed and potentially endless journey. Annoying uploads and some other problems prevent him from getting even closer to the 10 in the repor...
- less challenging than predecessors1
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- Bloodborne is an exceptional game for both longtime fans and newcomers, but it's a little less delightfully vexing than its predecessors.
Themes and quotes are drawn from 20 sampled reviews with text; the scores above reflect all 212 ratings. Counts are how many of the sampled reviews mention each point.