Vampire®: The Masquerade - Bloodlines™

Disclaimer and Caveat : 1.) I do not own this on GOG yet, but I did buy it on release and on Steam so those are the versions I can speak on with any authority - I am quite sure GOG version will be even better. 2.) The following assumes you are playing the unofficial patch by wespe - which unlocks tons of stuff from the base code cut form release, and adds in a lot more. I mean, despite the flaws the base game as released is a great game, but with the patch.....anyway lets crack on! So Bloodlines is a First Person RPG. Though you can easily switch between 3rd and 1st person with the tap of a button (and indeed the game does so automatically in melee to provide a better overview of the environment). You play a newly embraced Vampire who is plunged quickly into the shadowy politicking and subterfuge of the "Masquerade". It is here that I have one or two of my only real criticisms of the game: If you have no background in the World of Darkness setting it could be very confusing - the game actually does a great job of getting you up to speed as possible. And to be fair there is so much lore it is not really a legit criticism, but if you have never played the tabletop RPG then a) you should, it's great! and b) you might be a bit confused. You can pick any of the 7 Camarilla clans from the tabletop rpg, and the patch adds character concepts that subtly alter the archetype. The Character sheet is almost a carbon copy of the tabletop one, and it is clear this game was done with love. It really evokes the World of Darkness setting, and you really feel submerged in the subtle politics of the Masquerade. The opening hours are great as you really feel like a neonate cast adrift and sireless in a world you don't fully understand. You don't know who is your enemy, you're pretty sure even those who aren't are using you, and you get your hands dirty just trying to survive. There is a ton of replayability between clan choice and playstyle. If you like the tabletop add a star.

The content of the game is classic. That's not important. The important information a potential buyer needs for this is that it *WORKS*. It just works. Unlike the Steam version. Dear gods I've been struggling with the terrible Steam version for years. Just like Gog's Journeyman Project 2 and Jedi Knight, it actually, really *works* on modern windows. Thank you Gog.

So I never got an opportunity to play this when it came out because I didn't have a PC to play it, and with the announcement of the sequel I decided to grab it while it was on sale. To get it out of the way, the game feels dated by modern first person RPGs when it comes to gameplay, but where it absolutely delivers is in the fantastic writing and dialogue options. From start to finish this game had such strong writing that I ignored whatever minor gameplay issues I had. To clarify, the gameplay feels fine, just old, it's not outstanding and if I had played it at release I might have felt that the gameplay felt just okay, but the gameplay is just the vehicle for you to enjoy this fantastic vampire story, and like your first car it's not your dream car but it will get you from point A to point B. -Fantastic well written characters -While the gameplay does struggle, there are a number of stats for you to invest in to define your character (invest in guns, your life will just be easier that way) -Great soundtrack, especially the songs in the bars and clubs you'll visit I know other players ran into glitches and bugs, I didn't run into any in my 26 hour playthrough and I only had one crash.

I've been hearing about this game since it was released, but only played it now in 2020, and quickly got hooked. It's the first RPG I've ever played where I didn't spend any experience points on combat for most of the game, I actually got engrossed in the impact I was having on the game world, and in uncovering the cities' stories. The act of uncovering the sources of everything that's happening, has so much weight that I was already invested in characters by the time I'd met them. The abuse and exploitation that underlies everything puts the moral dualism of your own character into a meaningful context. Right to the end, the story has a kind of mature stance in seeing downfalls and character flaws which transcend the tribalism of an us-and-them battle. Skulking and feeding are essential, killing and being seen can cause irreparable damage, so the act of feeding is both nourishing and nerve-wracking. The intimacy and danger of being a vampire are not only present, but one of the major mechanics of the game. The combat itself does succeed where some of the best regarded RPGs have failed, in giving some real choice in how you approach a battle. Firearms, melee/unarmed, sneaking and class-specific abilities are all real possibilities in how you approach the game. Vampire The Masquerade Bloodlines does have specific encounters that require one approach or another, but your character does not need to be suited to that moment to survive. There is a lot of consequence in how you spend your experience points, especially since there's no grinding, but you can choose you specialties with a meaningful outcome. This is one of the RPGs to play, if only for its sheer ability to tell a story.

Originally I ignored VTMB because I'm not into vampire stuff and the game looked kinda rough. Then couple of years ago on Halloween I finally thought I'd at least see why people call it a cult classic....and honestly wow, it's actually really good and I'm still playing it today. The story and atmosphere are spot on. I love the soundtrack and the early source engine actually works in its favor giving it a slightly surreal dreamlike feel. Combat is clunky for sure, and you can kinda softlock yourself if you spend your points poorly.....but beyond the dated mechanics it's a really wonderful experience and I absolutely recommend it.