After chopping orcs and elves for who knows how long, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines was a breath of fresh air. More like a gust in fact. The setting is unique and gripping, and a perfect fit for an RPG. Even though it has its shortcomings, the good outweigh the bad by so much, that everyone should give this game a try, no matter what their preferences. The gameplay in Bloodlines is truly awe inspiring. Once you get past the relatively simple melee system and clunky shooting (this is an RPG after all), you are rewarded with some of the best questlines this side of Oblivion, one of the most gripping and satisfying storylines and the most intriguing setting you could wish for. Playing as a vampire in modern day LA, with different factions vying for power and you caught in the middle is a thrill ride like none other. The guys at Troika have really dipped into their bag of magic tricks, coming up with unique quest after unique quest (one of my favorites was trying to find a prostitute for a zombie hunter named Romero). Not once does an NPC tell you to go to Point A and kill B amount of boars and return to Point A. In between quests you get to explore various districts of LA and interact with fascinating people. Combat consists of melee and ranged, with various powers, called Disciplines, thrown into to provide support. Although melee simply consists of equipping a weapon and bashing away, there's a certain amount of pleasure to be had watching the rag doll death animations after a successful chomp with an axe. And even though ranged combat feels clunky and unresponsive when compared to shooters, it is still performed adequately well. And there's really no need to shoot at all if you don't feel like it. Graphically Bloodlines is no looker, when compared to a certain other Source-powered game. It also has a number of bugs and glitches, but it's reasonably easy to find user-made patches on the internet. The game certainly feels a tad unpolished at spots, with a fair number of misspellings and other minor grievances, but it hardly detracts from the unbelievable gameplay. Nevertheless, this is a fine looking game that paints a believable enough setting for you to immerse yourself. Character models, and especially faces, get a special shout out. The sound in Bloodlines is on the whole, excellent. Voice overs are done by professionals, with varied and believable dialogue. Likewise, ambient sounds are done well and add to the atmosphere. Whether it's the moan of a zombie in a deserted graveyard, the ghoulish cry of a dead child haunting a hotel or just the beating bass of the rave party in a church, nothing feels out of place or cheap. A chapter all it's own is the music. While it doesn't really linger with you after you quit playing, the haunting, eerie soundtrack is a perfect match for the game, and adds layers to the atmosphere and experience. Simply put, this is one of the most engaging and satisfying RPG experiences of the 21st century, and to not give it a try would be the biggest mistake of your gaming life. The singleplayer experience is rich and long enough to keep you engrossed and drawn in for months, making Bloodlines easily worth it's price of admission. Buy it now!
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