Bloodlines is a game that can be referred to as a cult classic in the full sense of the expression. This game is currently over a decade old and still remains one of the most played, most admired and most fondly remembered roleplaying experiences a person can have.
The game is set in the old World of Darkness, an originally tabletop universe consisting of various types of mystical creatures such as werewolves, demons, changelings, but most importantly, vampires. The player controls a young fledgling vampire suddenly thrown right into the thick of a centuries old conflict between secret vampire societies, quickly becoming the central figure in the long-feared coming of an ancient monster. The story is rich with dialogue, twists and developments that make the game feel like a very good book or a TV show. The characters are incredible well-written and voiced by some of the best actors in the business. Vampires like Andrei, Jack, Lacroix or Beckett will be remembered for a long time. Some of the side characters like officer Chunk get their share of fan love, too.
Unfortunately, not all is so well when it comes to gameplay. The game possesses a wonderful skill system based on XP points gained by completing quests, and the vampire "disciplines" provide some of the most interesting unique abilities in roleplaying history,which is only natural for a game that originated from tabletop. The sad part comes from the game engine, which was so unstable at the time of release that it made parts of gameplay almost unplayable. Shooting is clunky, animations are jerky, character models sometimes lose textures, etc. Still, even despite technical shortcomings, Bloodlines is one of the most fun to play games ever.
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines is the ultimate cult RPG. It has great variety and customization, brilliant writing and deep exploration options Despite the developer, Troika Games, having long since vanished from the scene, this game is being kept alive by the fan community, and it's very easy to see why it has such a loyal following. Who knows, maybe, if you try it, you will become one with the night as well.
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