So, gamefly has VtM: Bloodlines on sale - why haven't you played it yet?

[DoPo]

In case you have, in which case that question doesn't concern you. But for the rest of you, Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines is $5 (or £3.75, if you're at least 20% more awesome). I'm not going to give links, in case somebody whines about advertising. Besides, you're all big people, you can spend the 10 seconds needed to get to the sale page.
Subliminal messaging: ON
Just make sure you grab the latest Unofficial Patch [http://www.patches-scrolls.de/vampire_bloodlines.php].
Listen to my words!
But Bloodlines is one of the best RPGs I've played. I have literally lost count of the runs I have through it. While certainly not perfect, it's one very good game - has:
Blodlines is awesome!
- interesting characters
- multiple solutions to problems
- intriguing story
- zombies
- a nice dose of humour
And has one of the best takes on vampires!
All set in modern day LA. And did I mention it's $5?
$5 is not a lot of money!
I have the feeling that it wouldn't catch the attention to a lot of people but even if one takes notice, I'll have done my good deed for the month.
You will now forget me brainwashing you!
But anyway, what's your excuse for not playing Bloodlines?
You, heathens.

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

Because it was a clunky mess.

I chose a character, I had no clue where to go after the first quest on the beach and people opened fire for no reason at me in a clinic.

My words were "fuck this game". I can take exploration but I mean, at least Morrowind had road signs.

EDIT Also, due to the race I picked everyone wouldn't talk to me so that made it that bit more awkward and shit.

I can tell there is a good game underneath it all but I couldn't be bothered to find out.

Right after you finish that quest Mercurio directs you to go to The Asylum and talk to Therese Voerman. There are road signs in the game, in both the sewers and the streets. And of course they shot at you, you were playing a friggin' Nosferatu.

Also, already played it and beat it as Ventrue, Brujah, and Tremere, and played around as Malkavians, Nosferatu, and Gangrel. No real interest in Toreador.

 

[Eddie the head]

If I recall what it is correctly it makes me uncomfortable to watch it. Like bayonetta it just kind of cheeped me out.

 

[chocolatekeith]

Well I tried this game out after somebody recommended it to me.

Spoiler

It was goddamn wonderful. Seriously if you like hub based RPGs, you must play this

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

Because it was a clunky mess.

I chose a character, I had no clue where to go after the first quest on the beach and people opened fire for no reason at me in a clinic.

My words were "fuck this game". I can take exploration but I mean, at least Morrowind had road signs.

EDIT Also, due to the race I picked everyone wouldn't talk to me so that made it that bit more awkward and shit.

I can tell there is a good game underneath it all but I couldn't be bothered to find out.

Right after you finish that quest Mercurio directs you to go to The Asylum and talk to Therese Voerman. There are road signs in the game, in both the sewers and the streets. And of course they shot at you, you were playing a friggin' Nosferatu.

I sure as shit couldn't see them.

Another complaint I have is with the gunplay. I mean, I could understand if you had broken wrists but your character cannot aim for shit even with a few points in guns. Deus Ex did a similar thing but if you waited long enough you could get an accurate shot off, as far as I remember the reticule stayed huge in VTM.

Also, already played it and beat it as Ventrue, Brujah, and Tremere, and played around as Malkavians, Nosferatu, and Gangrel. No real interest in Toreador.

Oh, so no bias here. :/

If you played it that many times you probably can't even see the flaws in it any more.

Oh, there are flaws in the game. Huge, gaping flaws. Bugs the size of planets, and the endgame is really pretty shoddy. But what you're complaining about isn't flaws, it's you going into a game you don't know how to play and setting it to the absolute highest difficulty setting. I'd put that half down to you making a poor choice and half down to you not really thinking it though at all.

And yes, the gun thing is problematic. The .38 is almost completely useless if you aren't stuffing it down the enemy's nosehole, even with a 10 in your Firearms ability. You need the pump-action shotgun and you don't get that until you're almost done with Santa Monica. Fortunately, Santa Monica is pretty short and doesn't have all that much fighting, and even when you do get into a fight the nastiest enemy you'll face are armed with knives and .38s. You can get by in the two unavoidable fights with inaccurate gunfire and untrained use of tire irons, baseball bats, and knives, since Humans have almost no health and go flying through the air in an adorable fashion.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I did play it. I finished it too, despite the fact it was a train wreck at the time of release. Just a terribly buggy game. And it was haunted by the same stuttering bug that crippled HL2 for a lot of people at release. Bloody source engine.

 

[Verzin]

It is an amazing game. Buggy, clunky. Poor UI. but it is an AMAZING RPG. I cannot stress this enough: if you like old-school RPGs you must play this game.

 

[The_Lost_King]

Cause I am too busy playing KotOR 1 and 2. Also as far as old school rpgs i want to check out Bloodline is pretty low on the list

 

[DoPo]

(Don't hate me for saying this, you did ask!)

It doesn't matter, I've dispatched the rabid squirrels to your address!

I wasn't aware choosing a certain race could fuck you over for the whole game, it would be great if it told you.

:/ For all it's faults, this isn't one of them. The description says that Nosferatu hide from mortals...

The game doesn't tell you what skills are truly useful, which are shit or anything. It's just "allocate these stats, deal with it". It's easy to see why I was put off. Like I said if a game is logical I can deal with it but you pretty much need to use a walkthrough at the start to avoid having to reset your character.

Yeah, that sucks. As a rule of thumb, you need a social skill, a combat skill and you can pick two Disciplines to focus on - then everything else is up to you. It would have been good if it actually told you that or something along those lines, at least. At the very least, there are few useless skills - from most to least - Investigation (makes objects and switches glow, so you can see them more easily), Finance (unless you're using firearms a lot, there should be enough money), Intimidation (the least useful social skill) and arguably Stealth (those with Obfuscate would just use that, otherwise, Stealth is incredibly imba, so you wouldn't need more than 4-5 points in it).

 

[DoPo]

LOL. How is Bloodlines an 'old school rpg' when it has action-y gameplay ?

I don't know, really. I always called it an RPG. I mean, I'll just feel bad for myself if I consider it "old". Then again, it came out 8 years ago but still isn't on par with what I'd call "old school", which leans more towards Baldur's Gate if not back even more towards Eye of the Beholder and Co. However, as VtM, it is certainly...well, classical, at least.

 

[DoPo]

:/ For all it's faults, this isn't one of them. The description says that Nosferatu hide from mortals...

Yeah I saw that, I just didn't think it would be so severe. :/ I agree that was my fault on that one.

In all fairness, what did you expect? The Nosferatu look like a mutant experiment gone wrong. On the other hand, that makes playing them so much more awesome. You stumbled in one of the few instances where it's bad. Usually, if the people don't see you, it's fine, and you have to be close enough for them to smell you for that to happen. Other than that, they can have no issue strolling through the streets.

And interacting with NPCs and especially seeing their reactions is just great. One old lady straight up has a heart attack. Maybe I'm going to hell, but I laughed hard then. At another point, you can talk to a girl in a bar. Every other clan can (attempt to) hit on her in order to feed but when she sees the Nossie, she just goes "Huh? AAH!" and you can go in a typical mocking fashionwith one of these.
"C'mon, I like cuddling and long walks on the beach."
"It's all about looks isn't it?"
"What? We'll leave the lights out!"
"You're just like all the rest."

Bit maybe another clan would be easier for a first time play. Brujah, seem popular - they are more tailored to close combat but it's not really excluding ranged. And Toreador are basically the ranged equivalent of the Brujah.

 

[ramboondiea]

bloody loved this game, even if it is a buggy mess, i swear i need to use the the quick save button more then any skills in that game just to be on the safe side.

some amassing mods out there for it, and some that even restore some of the potential content that where never properly implemented in the original.

makes me said that developers when out of business, this and arcanum are fantastic rpgs

in summery: GO buy the damn game!