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You Died: Ranking The Dark Souls Games And Their Imitators

It's incredible, really, that in seven short years the devilish Dark Souls series has spun five games from its web. Each entry is brilliant in its own distinct way but when you're treated to so much effortless quality, it's easy to take them for granted. The temptation is to nitpick, to square them off against one another, to single out subjective preferences.

4) Bloodborne

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Release date: 2015

With atmosphere so thick you could cut it with a knife, Bloodborne is Dark Souls in gothic horror frock. And boy, is it good.

While it feels very much like a Souls game, there are no shields in this world. So, equip yourself with your weapon and get moving. Like any Miyazaki title, this is done with a purpose. It’s a deliberate attempt to make you re-learn your hardwired approach to the series, a clever, knowing nod to the legions of players (myself included) who walk around every corner with a shield firmly raised.

Now, the more aggressive you are, the more rewards you reap. Enemies hit hard and hit fast, but you can reclaim your lost health if you counterattack within a small window of opportunity. Wait too long and you lose the health for good, which gives you a subtle nudge towards attack.

The new IP also means Miyazaki can let his imagination run wild, visualizing a world that literally begins to reveal its madness the longer you play. The more “insight” you accrue, the more you begin to peel back the window dressing, revealing the horrors within.

All told, it’s drop-dead gorgeous, but the new focus on action replaces the simple pleasure of tinkering with options in your inventory. Bloodborne is lean and mean, and some of the Souls charm is lost because of it.

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