Review Bloodlines praised at ConsoleGold

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Another very positive <a href=http://www.vampirebloodlines.com/>Bloodlines</a> <a href=http://www.consolegold.com/Reviews/review/293.html>review</a> comes from <a href=http://www.consolegold.com>ConsoleGold</a>. The score is <b>94%</b> and the verdict is "Vampire is a title you’ll be playing for a long time, and then playing again and again shortly thereafter". Doesn't sound too bad, does it?
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<blockquote>As you move through the four hubs of the game you will complete the basic delivery quests as in any other RPG; the twist is in the Troika. In one mission you have to take on a ghost and retrieve a pendant. You can give the pendant to one person and make them happy, but you are sure to upset somebody else that you might need help from later. If you don’t complete the mission at all you will be hard pressed to find an alternate way to accomplish the same goal, but it can be done. Even simple delivery missions can turn out to be incredibly altering to the entire path of the gameplay. The speech options you pick, how you interact with people, and who you chose as enemies and friends make a massive and long lasting difference on the overall story arc. I have to admit that I was worried that the options would be shallow and wouldn’t change any outcomes within the story structure, but as I played for hours and hours it became very apparent that my actions had lasting consequences.</blockquote>
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That sounds even better. Looks like the first RPG of 2004 has finally arrived.
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[Whipporowill]

The RPG of the year...

 

[EEVIAC]

Doesn't arrive in the Antipodes for another week, dammit. Anyway, I'm not sure whether to trust this review. From the "pros" section at the end of the review :

Gameplay is rumored to reach 60+ hours

Rumoured? Isn't this something that shouldn't be known?

 

[Pope_Viper]

It's a pretty type game, played a couple of hours so far, and am thoroughly enjoying it.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Gameplay is rumored to reach 60+ hours

Rumoured? Isn't this something that shouldn't be known?

That would actually involve playing the game. It's just too damn hard.

 

[Limorkil]

I have to admit that I've paid no attention to all the Bloodlines news at the Codex. I generally avoid getting involved with games until they are released, and I think the entertainment industry's fascination with vampires is getting a little over done.

However, Bloodlines looks and sounds amazing. I particularly like the storytelling elements, the choices and how your actions have consequences. Add that to the fact that the most recent RPG I've played is Kotor because theres been nothing much worth buying for ages and I'll be checking this one out for sure. I only hope my poor old PC can handle it because I don't have any money to buy another and its upgraded as much as it will go.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

This is gonna be sweet when I get my copy.

 

[kumquatq3]

I only hope my poor old PC can handle it because I don't have any money to buy another and its upgraded as much as it will go.

I found this:

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

3D hardware accelerator card required - 100% DirectX® 9.0c-compatible 64MB video card and drivers
1.2 GHz Athlon(tm) or 1.2 GHz Pentium® III processor or higher
384MB of RAM (512MB of RAM recommended)
Microsoft® Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP
Quad-Speed CD-ROM drive (600 K/sec sustained transfer rate) and drivers
3.3 GB of uncompressed hard disk space for game files and saved games (plus 1.4 GB for Windows® swap file)
100% DirectX® 9.0-compatible 16-bit sound card and drivers
100% Windows® 98/ME/2000/XP-compatible mouse, keyboard, and drivers
DirectX® 9.0c (Included)

Supported Chipsets for 98/ME/2000/XP

All ATI® Radeon® Chipsets
All NVIDIA® GeForce(tm) Chipsets
Matrox® Parhelia(tm) Chipset

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

1.4gb swap file! :shock:

 

[Limorkil]

I suppose those are the minimum requirements. My PC meets those but not by a wide margin. It does better than I expected though because of all the upgrades over the years.

Cool. Now all I need is some time to play. Guess I'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving.

 

[Kamaz]

Since Doom3 went OK on my machine, I hope Blo will run at least +/- fine. Though that phrase about DX9.0c compatible graphic-cards...my gf4200ti is old dx8.1 card, but I think, it will tolerate that game.

 

[Brizock]

IGN has a "HL2 Optimization gude" up which would help performance for just about any pc game. I'd recommend doing this stuff before you install HL2, Bloodlines, etc:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/554/554744p1.html

Also, if things run a bit slow in Bloodlines, turning off "Environmental Effects" in the "Audio" tab will net you a good speed boost, probably the best bang for the buck if you are CPU bound. If you're render bound (i.e. slow video card but vast CPU), then of course you'll want to tweak the "Visual" options settings.

I hope that helps! I'm glad to hear people are having a good time!

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Yeah Brizock, another post from a troika man!

 

[Elwro]

It's strange because on Halflife 2 box it says that the minimum requirements include a graphic card that is compatible with DirectX 7, not 9. Did you guys add some compulsory effects or what?

Anyway, here in Poland Halflife 2 is already out and Bloodlines will arrive on the 26th. I've never seen any game disappear form the shelves as fast as HL2. It's expensive, though; I have grim suspicions that few Polish gamers will buy Bloodlines right after its release.

edit: when converted to US $, HL2 costs 40$ here, and Bloodlines will cost 50$. That's a horrible amount to pay for a game in Poland and I'll certainly wait. Morrowind was 30$ on release.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I'm not sure when it's slated to come out in Portugal. It may have come out already but I'm so freaking alienated from the world outside my home and university that I don't know.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

Anyone lucky enough to get a copy mind commenting on the bugginess (or lack thereof) of the game? Is this a third-time's-the-charm for Troika, or are we going to be disappointed yet again?

 

[Briosafreak]

I'm not sure when it's slated to come out in Portugal. It may have come out already but I'm so freaking alienated from the world outside my home and university that I don't know.

HL2 is in stores, although i haven`t seen it on the public displays, just asked a Worten guy, and FNAC already is sending the copies by mail.
Bloodlines is no where to be seen...i`ll try to ask the guy that owns the local D&D and Warhammer store tomorrow, he sells PCRPGs too.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Oh, cool Brios. Thanks 8)

 

[Araanor]

Anyone lucky enough to get a copy mind commenting on the bugginess (or lack thereof) of the game? Is this a third-time's-the-charm for Troika, or are we going to be disappointed yet again?

I think the extra time they got because of HL2's delay did the trick.

 

[Briosafreak]

IGN has a "HL2 Optimization gude" up which would help performance for just about any pc game. I'd recommend doing this stuff before you install HL2, Bloodlines, etc:

http://gear.ign.com/articles/554/554744p1.html

Also, if things run a bit slow in Bloodlines, turning off "Environmental Effects" in the "Audio" tab will net you a good speed boost, probably the best bang for the buck if you are CPU bound. If you're render bound (i.e. slow video card but vast CPU), then of course you'll want to tweak the "Visual" options settings.

I hope that helps! I'm glad to hear people are having a good time!

Has anyone tried these drivers, will they help?

 

[Sol Invictus]

It isn't buggy for me, at least I haven't encountered any bugs, so far.

 

[Lord_Santa]

having (like most of us) waited for this game for a loooong time, I must say that I'm both thrilled and dissapointed.

thrilled that it finally came out
even more thrilled that it's a Troika release (mind you I haven't played any of their games after Fallout)

but seriously, don't go around calling this an RPG
this is an adventure game, not an RPG

it follows the same trend as Beyond Good & Evil and Vice City, with the slight difference that you can distribute points.

"One of the most frequent questions we get from Vampire fans is exactly how 'linear' this game is going to be," Boyarsky said. The subtext of that question, of course, is that "pure" RPG gamers would like something that's currently impossible -- total freedom to explore a world that's totally responsive to the player. Until somebody invents Star Trek's holodeck, though, Troika is offering the next best thing -- experiential choice."
- Quote Gamespy preview

it's linear... very linear.

how can it be impossible to create an interactive world, when Morrowind has already proven them wrong?

Morrowind in this case is perhaps (considering Bethesda has the Fallout license) a bad example

Anyone in here ever heard of Gothic? Gothic II?

I cannot for the world understand why they did not choose the Gothic II (at least) engine instead of HL2's source engine.

Gothic (both I and II) has a total freedom of choices, meanwhile it offers a huuuuuge world to explore and NPC's who actually (surprise) have PERSONALITY!

I'm not saying that Vampire doesn't offer personality to the NPC's, but it's just not enough!

It's a HL2 game, neatly packed in with vampiric skills

The only reason I can see, why Troika chose HL2 engine was because of the popularity of the engine (before it was even released) and the graphics!

mind you I am a man who like my FPS crisp with the latest graphics and sound technology, like my RTS isometric or top-down and my RPG's with FEELING!

RPG's don't need all that fancy graphics, they could've settled with the Gothic II engine and thus created a game that is actually ALIVE!

in Vampire I hear cars all the time, honking and driving, but I see only one! A cab which will take me to the next "hub" (which loads forever, even on my Athlon XP 2800+ ATI Radeon 9600 PRO with 256 mb on graphics board and 512 on main)

I see people standing still in the streets, except for the occasional hobo walking his fine defined route.

It feels as if I'm playing with dead people :shock:

A given example from both games:

Vampire: Bloodlines;

I walk the streets carrying a HUGE 2-handed fire-axe
See a cop and approaches him
NOTHING happens.

Gothic:

I walk into a guarded area of "Old Camp" with my sword drawn.
EVERYONE feels threatened by me walking by, thus pulling their swords and telling me to either put my weapon down or face consequenses.
Not to mention how the guards react!

Another shining example;

Vampire: Bloodlines;

I walk down to the beach to meet up with the "thin-blood"
they stand there, all the time. They DO NOT MOVE, at least not from the spot around the fire-place.
Same goes for all NPC's in the game

Gothic (1 may I remind you... years old);

I walk down the camp at day, people are standing (and sitting) drinking beverage and talking about this and that.
As night-time comes crawling they either gather around their fireplaces or go to bed (yes they actually do SLEEP)

I could go on for hours.... and hours... and hours....

in the end I'm not trying to say that Vampire is crap, I'm only saying it is NOT and never will be an RPG

Should it be stated that it is, then we might as well call Vice City an RPG and Beyond Good & Evil, etc.

just because you have quests and side-quests doesn't make it an RPG
especially not a game with such linearity and all answers will eventually lead you to the same thing in the end

Vampire is a great game, but it's not the "rpg of the year" or even close to it.

I for one is dissapointed in Troika that they made the fatal mistake of prioriting engine above gameplay.

for anyone who wants a REAL RPG, visit;

http://worldofgothic.com/

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

it's linear... very linear.

You're bitching about Bloodlines being linear out of one side of your mouth while praising Gothic out of the other? Gothic was UBER linear. Once you pick a faction, there's very little else other than marching the plot line.

how can it be impossible to create an interactive world, when Morrowind has already proven them wrong?

What was interactive in Morrowind again?

Gothic (both I and II) has a total freedom of choices, meanwhile it offers a huuuuuge world to explore and NPC's who actually (surprise) have PERSONALITY!

Freedom of choices? What? You can pick a faction, which amounts to picking a class. You can buy some skills, but most of those amount to simple fighting skills. Sure, there are skills like skinning, but where are the speech skills? Hell, I don't even remember Gothic having thief style skills.

The only reason I can see, why Troika chose HL2 engine was because of the popularity of the engine (before it was even released) and the graphics!

Or because Activision approached them saying, "Hey, we got this license for Vampire, and we also got the rights to make Source Engine games..."

just because you have quests and side-quests doesn't make it an RPG
especially not a game with such linearity and all answers will eventually lead you to the same thing in the end

As opposed to Gothic where there are no stats or skills that affect dialogue? The only thing that impacts the dialogue in the game is which faction you join, but that's merely cosmetic and has no affect on the game beyond that.

Gothic may have NPC scheduling, but let's get real here. Gothic is las linear as it gets and the speech options are extremely limited. In fact, there's no much in the way of NPC stuff beyond once you pick a faction.

I haven't played Gothic 2, but you're saying Gothic is an RPG while Bloodlines isn't - all the while complaining about linearity and NPC personality. Going to bed doesn't make for a personality, neither does cooking lunch.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Also, most quests in the Gothic series only had one or two ways of going about them and all the alternate ways offered was just that, alternate ways and nothing more. No concrete impact one way or another on the gameworld.

 

[Vault Dweller]

What Saint said, only I did play Gothic 2 recently, and it's so fucking linear it's boring. There are a few choices here and there but they affect very little. Sure in both Gothic and MW you can explore the world killing things and looking for loot, but that gets old very quickly.

I didn't play Bloodlines yet, and if it's uber linear that sucks, but neither Gothic nor MW is a shining example of non-linearity.