Like most first-person RPGs, Bloodlines suffers from imprecision and limitations of statistics-based combat implemented into a precision-based engine. Whilst Bloodlines implements both mélèe combat and gunplay, they firmly take a back seat to the story and characterisation, at least until the final stages of the game, which regrettably turns into the modern equivalent of a dungeon-crawl. This is a bit of a false comparison, though, as despite the 3D engine, the games couldn’t be more different. Also, all the NPC dialogue is fully voice-acted and lip-synched, making conversations seem genuinely real, and the quality of the voiceovers are uniformly excellent – easily on a par with Half-Life 2. Bloodlines utilises its facial animation engine beautifully, and it adds an extra dimension to the character interaction, as you can see precisely what a character is thinking by reading their expressions. This weight of emotional engagement comes through the use of Half-Life 2’s Source engine. This is basically an in-game tutorial, but an enjoyable and well-executed one, particularly since it’s spent in the company of the very engaging Anarch, Jack. This first sequence introduces all the basic elements of the gameplay: from the use of vampiric disciplines, to the use of skills. No time is wasted introducing the politics of vampire society, as your initial mentor, Jack, informs you of what The Masquerade is, and also briefs you about the Camarilla and the Sabbat – the two main vampire factions in the game. You start the game having been newly sired, having woken up that morning a mortal, and having gone to bed that night with someone who wasn’t quite as alive as you thought they were. Bloodlines completely rewrites the vampire rulebook, meaning that you don’t have to worry about people wafting garlic in your general direction (though a 12-gauge shotgun is a completely different matter).
What also becomes clear, within the first five minutes, is that everything you thought you knew about vampires is poppycock. As first impressions go, this is tantamount to visiting your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, getting drunk, hitting on her 15 year old sister and vomiting over the Persian rug.įortunately, it quickly becomes apparent that despite the technical problems, Bloodlines is a first rate RPG.
Inexplicably wafting clothing, characters that glide instead of walk, utterly pointless momentary fades to black, and some truly awful video-audio synchronisation. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that as introductory cutscenes go, the one for Bloodlines sucks (if you’ll pardon the pun). The opening cutscene is of critical importance in a game, setting the mood for the entire game and giving the player an indication of the quality of what’s to come.
In that case, if you were to judge Vampire – The Masquerade: Bloodlines on first impressions, it wouldn’t be a very favourable judgment.