“Why don’t you just play it on easy mode?”

A friend of mine casually tosses out a suggestion as the Cleric Beast completely decimates me for the umpteenth time. “Because there is no easy mode,” I snap back in frustration.

Fast forward to a week later: my hands are glued to my controller, and my eyes to the television. I have no blood vials left, but the game’s final boss is down to just a fraction of his health. I’d never forgive myself if I died here, especially when I’m so close to taking him down. That same friend from a week ago is fixated on the high intensity action that’s happening on the screen. I need one more strike to take this hunter down, but I’m left with a sliver of health, as well. The boss strikes me and I begin to mash the R1 button in despair. But it’s too late. My character is already falling to the ground.

I drop my controller and my head is in my hands until I hear my friend’s voice. “Wait. You beat him!” I look up, and sure enough, there it is on the screen in that ugly bright green font: PREY SLAUGHTERED.

The satisfaction that comes with overcoming a seemingly insurmountable challenge is indescribable. From Software’s Souls games had that effect on me, and so too did Bloodborne. I could go on and on about the intricate detail that has gone into Bloodborne’s world building and lore, but my greatest war stories from this game would always be the ones about how I bested a bloodthirsty beast.

I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve died in Bloodborne, but all of those deaths meant something. While the early parts of the game were unbelievably tough, I slowly found my rhythm and started to learn from my mistakes. The game wasn’t getting any easier; I was simply becoming more skilled at playing, bit by bit.

While Bloodborne’s style of gameplay is remarkably similar to that of the Souls games (they didn’t even bother to change the in-game fonts!), Bloodborne also reinvents the combat by making it much faster and allowing the protagonist to zip past enemies in flashy ways a Souls protagonist could never pull off. It’s a whole new world with this game – it’s still dangerous, yes, but in this one you’re encouraged to bite back harder and more aggressively even when you’re on the brink of death.

Let’s not forget the richness of Yharnam, either. Bloodborne heavily draws inspiration from Lovecraft’s horror fiction. From disgusting hooded tentacled appendages to large brains covered in horrific eyes, Bloodborne has truly brought the genre of gothic horror to life in video games. In an age of gaming where players have become so used and so desensitized to zombies and ghosts, Bloodborne turns the tables on us by bringing a brand of horror that’s rarely seen in video games.

Yes, Bloodborne is an extremely punishing and unforgiving game. But no, you don’t have to be a ‘hardcore’ gamer to have a fun time with it. I applaud From Software for daring to release a game that’s meant to beat you down over and over again until you finally learn from your mistakes. It just makes your inevitable victories taste so much sweeter.

Whether you’re breathing a sigh of relief from unlocking a well-designed shortcut back to a lantern or whooping in happiness from finally beating a particularly tough boss, your victories in Bloodborne feel earned, and more importantly, they just make you feel so damn good about yourself. And that’s way more than what can be said about most of the other video games that have released this year.

If you’re feeling intimidated by everything you’ve heard about Bloodborne, there’s no shame in that. You should be. But if you’re starting to feel a little intrigued by what From Software has to offer and wondering if Bloodborne might be a good entry point, I’d highly encourage you to give it a try.

I hope you give this game a chance, dear reader. And remember: a hunter is never alone.