The curse is ... if you talk about Bloodlines, someone, somewhere, will reinstall it. Ok it's buggy. Ok it's super railroady (you have a few options, but not that much, and each are pretty narrow) But the game nails the Vampire mood so well. The writting is so great. The game is so fun to be played. Just beware of the curse. That "someone" reinstalling the game might end up being you!
It's a good game if you want a "little" twin stick shooter. - Gameplay is fun & hectic (without being as good & efficient as Hotline Miami). - Mood & setting are awesome. More on that later. Now, this being said: - Art design is VERY red, orange & dark. That plus the music can make it a head ache inducing game. But I lived through it though, it's perfectly ok. - Game is short, and game design is not that deep. But I had a great time while I was playing. - Story is meh. Nothing more to add. It's really meh. BUT: - It's a love letter to Akira & Cyberpunk as a genre. If you have an inclinaison for that sort of thing, go for it. It's rare we get this setting done so right!
The game is great at: 1. Creating an atmosphere using its setting (a large forest that can be at turn magnificient or spooky). 2. Creating an atmosphere using its dialogue. 3. Making you feel comfortable hiking around in that forest. The game fails at: 1. Being an interesting game. Hiking can't be done outside of predetermined path. You can push forward, but you are quickly blocked by a 'Metroidesque" requirement (Do you have ropes? An axe? Python?) 2. Having a consistent story. And that's the main issue. The prologue set you up for one thing. The games looks like it is going to play you around it being a parabole for what happened in the prologue, or be a spooky story. And end up being something completely different. It lasted 7 hours for me, and I bought it for 5€, so I wouldn't said you need to avoid it. But it's far from being a great, perfect game. Which is a shame, cause the game is REAL good at what it does best.
Does the game have some flaws? Sure. Does the game covered every basis of infiltrations? No. But the core game play is interesting. The game incite you to be stealthy. Offers means of being not stealthy at all. And gives you the sensation of being in a Cold War era spy movie. It's fun! Oh, and it's not X-Com. At all. They did several changes that I would love to see in X-Com to the combat system.
It's a pretty straight forward city builder. Where it gets it's 5 stars is: 1 - The "stories" have a clear end. Which avoid the issue open end city builders where you have your perfectly working production engine and nothing really interesting happen, as you power through anything the game launches at you. 2 - The productions & tech trees are nicely designed, especially with the "laws". This is where you get a reminder those guys did This War of Mine. I never felt bad about having kids working, but the game reminded me of my decision now and then. 3 - The game knows how to use its system to make you look at your screen with anguish. Even having done EVERYTHING to be ready, by the end of the first story, I was on the edge of my seat, and had the best feeling once I survived it by the skin of my teeth. It might only work once, but not that many games delivers such feelings at all. This being said, the game is quite easy if you love city builders. Consider running it on harder difficulty.
