KINGPIN is all about a gang-banger getting revenge. You're a thug - beating, shooting, and cursing your way through the ghettos. It's not quite Shakespeare, but it's relatable - had a bad day? Fire up the game, pick up a pipe and start beating the living crap out of someone you think deserves it. When they are nice and dead - steal their last $2 off their bloodied corpse. There, doesn't that feel better? KINGPIN was originally going to have more of a roleplaying aspect to it, and remnants of that are still in the game. There is an etiquette system (approaching people with a weapon out draws immediate violence your way), you acquire tips and quests by talking to people, there are shops, you can modify weapons, bars where help can be bought, etc.. Money, weapons, and muscle are the three primary commodities in the game. You need money to buy weapons, weapon-mods, armor, and medkits. You also need money to hire muscle. KINGPIN is a tough game, and it's nigh impossible to beat it without hiring goons to be in your gang as you take on the other denizens of the underworld. While other shooters of the time were throwing aliens, monsters, and undead nazis at you; KINGPIN came along with a more grounded, gritty realism that was refreshing. It was in-your-face violence with no sugar-coating. The story is serviceable. The graphics stand up very well even today. The action is excellent. The AI is pretty good (though elevators are real hazards). It can have a Dark Souls-like difficulty curve in some situations. This is not a run-in-guns blazing game. In most instances you are going to want to deal with as few enemies at one time as possible, and the greater the distance you can deal with them at - the better. Be sure and download the latest version of Monkey Harris' KINGPIN patch (version 7, as of this writing).
Blood 2 exists more as a 'What could have been..." than an actual game worth anyone's time. It's buggy, broken in places, unfinished and yet overstuffed. It's teeming with bad ideas and bad implementations, but there are hints of a fun game here (the campy horror movie humor, the beautiful graphics, the attention to detail). Too bad it didn't get the 6-12 months of extra developer love it really needed.
It adds two expansions to the game not included in 'Europa Universalis III Complete', 'Heir To The Throne' and 'Divine Wind', and also includes the additional sprite packs and music add-on. This DLC upgrade is a MUST to get the most out of EU3! Additional game mechanics and additions aside, the beautiful new maps alone are worth the price of admission, imo.
