Bloodborne made me understand the Souls games.

If you find yourself struggling with other FromSoft titles, if you feel like you're missing something that's preventing you from getting the hype, give Bloodborne a go. The game starts by refusing to give you a weapon until you die, and at that, never gives you a shield.

From the get go you are told to throw yourself into situations, never play defensively, and keep moving. It made me realise that the shield was quite possibly the most crippling thing Dark Souls could give me because it makes me believe that it's a core part of the game, when it really should be a suggestion. Now that it's not here, I know HOW to play.

And even all this aside, Bloodborne is just a spectacular game, the lore is engaging, the environments are stunning, gameplay feels absolutely crisp and the enemies are pretty well balanced. There's a few that can get you caught up in shitty loops, but they are a relatively rare occurance.

I can see why Bloodborne gets all this praise, it's shown me how to enjoy these games, and done so by showcasing the best it has to offer.