Vampire®: The Masquerade - Bloodlines™

I bought it full price here so that I can boot up the game, unlike Steam. I will pay for the convienience and saving my sanity.

started playing this game for a youtube series and fell in love with this game. I will be doing a 2nd playthrough as a differant playstyle!

I have heard a lot of people talk about how good this game is. I have been diving into VTM the past few years, with Bloodhunt and looking into the lore and the table top game. With VTBM2 coming out in a few months I figured I would finally give this game a try. I am so glad I did. I am usually not the biggest fan of these types of games (slow pace, going back and forth, etc.), but there is something about this game that just hits different. Buy on a sale, as it goes on sale pretty often. Also, pick this version over steam, because this version has the fan made hotfixes already applied.

VTM:B remains one of the most memorable and atmospheric RPGs I've had the chance to play. I don't even know where to begin when describing this game. Despite the myriad of bugs and jank (which are fixed by the essential Unofficial Patch by Wesp), it just pulls you in and doesn't let you go. For starters, you'd be remise not to mention the incredibly breathtaking and immersive atmosphere, Every hub has it's own unique feeling, not only due to the bustling NPCs and city design, but especially because of the music and atmosphere. Loved it. I could walk the streets of any of the hubs all night. As for the characters... oh man, the characters. Voice acting like I haven't heard in ages, interesting and intricate characters that I wish I could've spent more time with because they were so intriguing! I don't think there was a single character I didn't care about in some way - I wanted to know everything about everyone I came across. In terms of RPG aspects, the game is impressive even by today's standards. Granted you definitely notice they were forced towards combat-oriented gameplay in the end-game due to time issues... but the multiple ways you can generally finish a quest is fantastic and the game actually rewards you for alternative solutions, not to mention most quests even the side quests are compelling and interesting, you never feel forced to complete them. Not to mention the impressive amount of player freedom granted when undertaking these quests (whether that's to go in guns blazing or sneak/charm your way through situations) The gameplay is very dated, that much must be said, and though combat is janky it isn't as bad as I thought to be honest. In summary: the game is far from perfect, but it will certainly be one of the most memorable RPGs you will ever play.

Finished an actual playthrough where I didnt get stuck and on my 1st try too. Long story short, there is a quest in the game where I think you can get soft lock if you don't have enough money on you. Happened to me in my 1st 2 playthroughs. Ignoring that, I enjoy the game. The characters are all memorable thx to incredible performance of their voice actors. The story is simple to follow but very nuance if you explore the environment and talk to all NPCs which I highly recommend to get immerse with this game's world. Gameplay, it is janky but not hard to master once you understand how it works. You can even cheat some fights including boss battles if you know which stats to buff. Speaking of, I love how much customization you have not only for your character's looks but also their stats and abilities depending on which clan you want to be a part of. Makes the game replayable. Also, I have to comment on the maturity and adult content. I was surprised how much the game got away with just a M rating instead of an A rating. Lastly, the ending may feel lackluster but if you pay attention to the clues litter throught the game, it all clicks. For me, I had to look it up because I missed a few crucial details that I would probably pick up in my next playtrough which I intend to do some time next year.. TDLR: The game is amazing with its cast, setting, themes, maturity, and story. Gameplay times some getting use to but worth it once you do. Ending may be a miss but a keen eye will make the ending satisfyiing even more so depending which one you decide to purse.