Review Bloodlines okayed at Games Domain

[Spazmo]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

<a href=http://www.gamesdomain.yahoo.com>Games Domain</a> have their <a href=http://gamesdomain.yahoo.com/pc/vampire_the_masquerade__bloodlines/review/54105>review</a> of the current hottest thing in town, Troika's Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines. Their verdict is a strong <b>8 out of 10</b>.<blockquote>In many ways, Bloodlines' open-ended approach, combat system, and dialogue options make it feel a lot more like a successor to action-RPG classic Deus Ex than the recent sequel did. Ignore the problems and frequent loading pauses, and you'll be rewarded with a long, highly replayable RPG with a fascinating setting and first-rate writing. Don't miss it.</blockquote>Much of this is true. Bloodlines is a quite good game, but there's so many things that could be better. One really tremendous improvement that needs to be made is a removal of all the infinite enemy respawning.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPGDot</A>

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

All this news of enemy respawning is scaring me.

I didn't mind the Plaguebearer hotel or Romero's cemetery much simply because zombies fell like kindling before my axe. That was not a problem. But enemies later in the game.... well, I can see where that WOULD pose a problem. Just one question though.

They don't have any spots where you come against respawning vamp types, do they?

 

[miserychick]

Not that I remember, but there were a couple sections that I just threw on Celerity and bullet-timed my way past the enemies. Mostly becuase I love how celerity works. The bullet-time effect is just too fucking cool.

 

[Sol Invictus]

They don't have any spots where you come against respawning vamp types, do they?

Nah, nothing that hard. There's only one part in the Warrens where some facewalkers respawn in 3's, but that's only if you stand at the bottom of the treadmill and kill them as they come. Just go the other way and you should be fine.

There's some respawning vampire hunters that come in 2's (not the Katana types, though) in the Asp Hole sewer instance, but they're gimps and moving past them will stop them from doing that.

Nothing serious. Just mild annoyances.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Not that I remember, but there were a couple sections that I just threw on Celerity and bullet-timed my way past the enemies. Mostly becuase I love how celerity works. The bullet-time effect is just too fucking cool.

Yeah, I like Celerity as well. Both my other disciplines are still at their original skill level. Auspex really doesn't matter to me. The only time I even use it is when I'm in some dark corner and want to see what's there. Presence seems nifty, but I'm a stealther and therefore avoid all combat when I can. So, when stealth fails, I have Celerity to fall back on. Besides, I've been putting all my points into raising feats. Just finished the Warrens and I feel I've got quite an impressive character already. Besides, when it comes down to combat, firearms of 9 and the .44 Desert Eagle do the trick.

Exitium: Okay. Good. The Warrens were no problem. I snuck through there without a hitch. The Asp Hole sewers were not a worry either. My biggest concern there was that I might accidentally hit my ally. As long as there's no horde after horde of vampires, I'll be good to go. Two or three vamps at once poses a challenge for me, let alone a bazillion of them :shock:

 

[Flink]

The Respawning Katana fellas and the SWAT-troopers can be quite tough though. At least if they're in large groups.

 

[Mendoza]

The Respawning Katana fellas and the SWAT-troopers can be quite tough though. At least if they're in large groups.

It really depends. My Ventrue had maxed fortitude and none of the ninjas were able to hurt me, bar the ones with the flaming stakes. In fact that power made pretty much every non boss fight trivial, although I guess with the right skill choices any bloodline could hold their own in combat. It might have made it more interesting if I'd had to use some tactics in general combat.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Suicide (and better yet, Mass Suicide) works rather well on the SWAT fellas. They will go down in a second. Though, I prefer a shotgun blast to the head.

 

[Spazmo]

Mild annoyances?! The late game areas are so fucking annoying I turned on god mode because it got so stupid. Endlessly respawning ninjas who shoot flaming crossbow bolts is a bad design decision.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The ninjas would probably disagree with you

 

[dojoteef]

Yeah, I'm sure the ninjas were having a blast.

 

[Jinxed]

Those weren't ninjas, ninjas are Japanese and those guards were Chinese.

 

[Flink]

They where still annoying as fuck, regardless of nationallity.

Isn't there a none horde slaying ending? What if you join with the Koei-Jihn?

 

[Mendoza]

They where still annoying as fuck, regardless of nationallity.

Isn't there a none horde slaying ending? What if you join with the Koei-Jihn?

I imagine you have to slay hordes of LaCroix's security guards. All the big cheeses have to have hordes of ineffective guards.

 

[Jinxed]

You can't side with them Flink. At least not that I know of. Maybe if you choose the independant route... But it's highly doubtful given how the end has sloppy design.

 

[Mendoza]

You can side with them. It's one of the 5 endings.

 

[Jinxed]

That's cool. Although that would mean a betrayal.