Bloodborne is a fighting game where you defeat monsters in demanding combat. As you navigate the labyrinthine levels, you use weapons, which can transform between fast-paced and weak and slower but more powerful forms, to attack, dodge, and parry enemies. It stands out from other Souls-like games for its unique weapon system, Lovecraftian setting, and attack systems that let you slowly regenerate health.

Set in the dark, gothic city of Yharnam, where blood rituals and ceremonies are commonplace, you play a mysterious hunter. You travel the city, searching for a cure for a supernatural plague at the behest of a strange old man. As you explore, you learn of the Healing Church and its dark deeds that threaten to lead to the world's doom.

Play focuses on defeating enemies in fast-paced melee combat. Fights are extremely difficult, sometimes seeming near impossible, requiring you to precisely time attacks, parries, and dodges to ensure survival. You can transform your weapons between a state where they attack quickly but deal less damage and a state that's slower but heavy-hitting. If you get hit by an enemy, if you deal damage right away, you can regain some of the health you lost, encouraging you to take risks and keep fights quick. As you play you unlock new weapons and skills to make your character more powerful.

The result is a game where the fun comes from the challenge of overcoming the immense difficulty that stacks the odds against you; learning to master your abilities and perfect your strategy for each new fight is extremely rewarding.