Review Bloodlines okayed at CGN

[Spazmo]

Tags: Troika Games; Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

<a href=http://www.cgno.com/index.html>Cyber Gaming Network</a> (doesn't having the world 'cyber' anywhere near your site kind of kill any chance you have of being taken seriously?) have a <a href=http://www.cgno.com/reviews/604.html>review</a> of Troika's Vampire action-ish RPG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. They pretty much liked it in spite of its issues and give it <b> 4.0/5</b>.<blockquote>Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is a great game, but it could’ve been better. Inexplicably poor framerate, horrendous load times, frequent subtitle typos, and the odd bug indicate a rush through the quality assurance phase. Luckily, all these problems are patchable and Troika is rumored to be hard at work on one (and, by the time you read this review, it may have already been released). Hopefully the patch will elevate the game to what it could have been – one of the most compelling, memorable RPGs of 2004, and of all time.</blockquote>Well, it's not quite there even with the patch, but the game could get a lot better very quick if they'd just axe the infinitely respawning baddies.

 

[jiujitsu]

Lots of people around here complain about the parts where enemies respawn. I don't understand, though. They don't respawn everywhere. In fact, they respawn only in a couple of places during the game.

It just never bothered me. Probably because I was expecting it to be way worse due to the crying here. It was made out to be 'teh werst evar' when it was barely there at all.

I'm interested in knowing why some of you had such a problem with it?

 

[Spazmo]

Have you finished the game yet? Specifically, the Kuei-Jin temple (possibly) at the end? That's my major respawning gripe. Same thing in a couple rooms of Ventrue Tower. The respawning zombies are annoying but are reasonably explainable (you can cut up a zombie real nice, but he'll just get up again later). The endlessly respawning fire crossbow monks and SWAT team... no.

 

[chiefnewo]

Its just kind of annoying to have an enemy suddenly turn up on your arse from a room you just cleared. Also, I don't like leaving enemies alive behind me.

 

[Volourn]

" In fact, they respawn only in a couple of places during the game."

You jokin' right?

 

[jiujitsu]

No, Volourn. I am not.

I never had the respawn issues at the temple or at ventrue tower. The only way they start respawning like mad is if you are seen. If you silently kill all of them they stay dead and that's the end of it. Oh, and I did it with a sneaking skill level of 1. I was a Tremere clan.

The only place they respawned for me was the zombies. They were one hit kills and really slow though so the only issue I had with that was sluggishness.

 

[Sol Invictus]

Respawns I remember:

1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.
2) Zombies in the death cult building.
3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.
4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest
5) The Warrens (this place is fucked up)
6) The Ventrue tower
7) Fu Syndicate
8) Society of Leopold
9) Kuei-Jin Temple
10) (optional quest) The Living Dead in the Hollywood Graveyard respawn non stop for 5 minutes. Unless you have the speed buff it's almost impossible to complete this one because they flood too fast.

Two, eh? Learn how to count.

 

[Shinan]

Of yourr list I only enoucntered respawnings in the Ventrue Tower, the Kuej-Jin Temple (And that was only two guys with crossbows. The rest of the Temple was empty by the time I finished it 8^) and the zombies.

However I never did the Graveyard quest, nor the taking Ash through the Sewers.

Nothing ever respawned in the Warrens or in the Malky Mansions for me (I expected it all the time after reading here but it never came), the first time I noticed respawning (except for the Death Cult zombies) was in the Kuej-jin Temple.

I also almost emptied the Society of Leopold without any respawnings anywhere. Could be that I was lucky and got a copy without respawnings, or then I was lucky and played in through in a way that I never enoucntered the respawnings...

 

[Circuitbreaker]

Respawns I remember:
1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.
3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.
4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest

1) Could you explain that one ? On the way in I killed all of the thugs I could possibly waste except for the ones in the warehouse itself (too difficult and not necessary anyway). After you activate the astrolite, a few real Sabbat folks, so vampires, *appear* rather then regenerate to prevent a too easy escape.

3)Haven't seen any regenerate effects here either.

4) Simply use the change clothes solution so you don't have to use the sewers at all. Makes for a nice TV item as well (" customer staked at...").

Are you talking about version 1.2 or the unpatched Bloodlines ?

 

[Eclecticist]

I encountered all of the ones in Exitium's list but it didn't really bother me as much. At the time the temple was pretty annoying, but in retrospect I don't really care.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.
3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.
4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest
5) The Warrens (this place is fucked up)
6) The Ventrue tower
7) Fu Syndicate
8) Society of Leopold
9) Kuei-Jin Temple

Funny thing is, I only got respawns on two of the places in your list and I played through the whole game twice. I played through the first area at least five times and never once did I get respawning in the Warehouse. Matter of fact, I don't know anyone who has. You kill the thugs, they stay dead. Same with the Warrens and Malkav mansion. The Ash quest did not have respawns either as long as you kept moving forward. If you backtracked or stood around in a spot for too long, then it would make some hunters come from around a corner after you, but that was the extent of it. The other spots listed above only respawned, as Jiujitsu said, if you were seen. The ONLY spots I encountered massive respawn action were the two zombie areas and that was not a problem for me. Zombies are fun to kill. :D

Edit: Actually, the Malkav mansion did have some spawns, but they weren't respawns, just scripted events when the place was burning and you were escaping. There were two spots that, if the flaming psycho ahead of you was alerted to your presence, one or two more would spawn back a ways from where you came and come after you, kind of like they were in one of the rooms you passed and came out when they heard their buddy's battle cry. It was alway around a corner out of site though.

 

[Andyman Messiah]

1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.

Nope.

2) Zombies in the death cult building.

Yup, unless you hit them in the head and they blow up.

3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.

Nope.

4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest

Nope.

5) The Warrens (this place is fucked up)

Absolutely nope. Don't know why everybody has to throw a fit whenever talking about the Warrens, I didn't have any problems there.

6) The Ventrue tower

Yeah, the last level (before dealing with the Sheriff) got respawns.

7) Fu Syndicate

Nope.

8) Society of Leopold

Nope.

9) Kuei-Jin Temple

Yes.

10) (optional quest) The Living Dead in the Hollywood Graveyard respawn non stop for 5 minutes. Unless you have the speed buff it's almost impossible to complete this one because they flood too fast.

Well, they're zombies and it IS a graveyard. You'd think there's plenty of reason for them to respawn, eh?

Btw, the only irritating respawn-places for me where the Kuei-Jin-temple missions.

 

[Whipporowill]

There were respawns in the warehouse, but only inside just by the office (on top of stairs) - not sure why as it was just an minor annoyance to people that took to much time to place the astrolite after beating the crap out of the thugs. The Sabbat Vampires is another matter, they spawn afterwards.

I also remember one actual location in the warrens that seemed to have a bit of respawning - last turn before the computer lock had headwalkers pop up if you left and came back.

The Kue-Jin temple was the only place I was actually bothered by it and I expect it might be the same way with Venture Tower.

 

[Smiffus]

Respawns I remember:

1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.
2) Zombies in the death cult building.
3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.
4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest
5) The Warrens (this place is fucked up)
6) The Ventrue tower
7) Fu Syndicate
8) Society of Leopold
9) Kuei-Jin Temple
10) (optional quest) The Living Dead in the Hollywood Graveyard respawn non stop for 5 minutes. Unless you have the speed buff it's almost impossible to complete this one because they flood too fast.

Two, eh? Learn how to count.

yup, all those had respawning. At least in my game they did.

 

[Surlent]

From first look to the list I'd say Rex is right.

The thing is most ppl don't encounter those parts or just are fast enough to walk away, so they don't notice the enemies coming back.
Though it's quite hard to not see them in some areas, like in Ming Xiao's place.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

There were respawns in the warehouse, but only inside just by the office (on top of stairs) - not sure why as it was just an minor annoyance to people that took to much time to place the astrolite after beating the crap out of the thugs. The Sabbat Vampires is another matter, they spawn afterwards.

No, the humans on the ground floor respawn also. I wiped out all the humans on the ground floor and decided to explore around for a while. I went around that little area with the forklift and looked around for possible hidden stuff. When I came from that side area, and openned that door on the ground leading in to the area where you come in at, and it was full of human baddies that had respawned.

 

[zenslinger]

Respawning enemies is:

a) a mortal sin of game design

or

b) a game designer's way of telling you to move along.

 

[jiujitsu]

Respawns I remember:

1) Sabbat thugs in the warehouse in the warehouse mission.
2) Zombies in the death cult building.
3) Lobotomized psychos in the Malkavian mansion.
4) Sewers under Hollywood during Ash's quest
5) The Warrens (this place is fucked up)
6) The Ventrue tower
7) Fu Syndicate
8) Society of Leopold
9) Kuei-Jin Temple
10) (optional quest) The Living Dead in the Hollywood Graveyard respawn non stop for 5 minutes. Unless you have the speed buff it's almost impossible to complete this one because they flood too fast.

Two, eh? Learn how to count.

1) Not for me.
2) They are one hit zombies. Just run past them.
3) Not for me.
4) Not for me.
5) Not for me.
6) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
7) Not for me.
8) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
9) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
10) That's the point. I beat it with my Tremere the first try using a knife and blood boil. I don't count this as one either because you can pimp as an alternative.

That's two. Zombies. Cry about it.

 

[Jinxed]

It's quite clear to everyone that respawning is present in the Temple and Ventrue tower. Most annoying at the temple.

The zombies are non debatable.

Dunno about ash.

But the rest in Exit's list is dubious, except the warrens where there is 2 (I think) dead end locations where the head walker things seem to spawn endlessly until you leave the area or walk to see the dead end wall.

I cleaned out the society of leopald plenty times and I never witnessed any respawning.

The Fu Syndicate spawning is not really annoying at all. Enemies spawn twice while you hack the computers and that's it.

Same with Grout's mansion, I cleaned it out many times.

And the Sabbat? I didn't notice any respawning either. I cleaned it out once, but I never checked it out after the timer started, because if I would be more concetrated at fighting some dudes I would get my ass blown off.

 

[Smiffus]

But the rest in Exit's list is dubious, except the warrens where there is 2 (I think) dead end locations where the head walker things seem to spawn endlessly until you leave the area or walk to see the dead end wall.

nothing dubious about it, it's a matter wether it was annoyingly noticable. some people already mentioned this.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I think the #7 is where the Fu Syndicate kills the informant guy who runs the import business. Those guys respawn like crazy. In fact, that's one of the areas where they'll respawn right in front of you.

I've seen it in the Sabbat warehouse personally, so I know it's done there. I didn't just rush in to the office right away to set the timer, though.

 

[Sol Invictus]

1) Could you explain that one ? On the way in I killed all of the thugs I could possibly waste except for the ones in the warehouse itself (too difficult and not necessary anyway). After you activate the astrolite, a few real Sabbat folks, so vampires, *appear* rather then regenerate to prevent a too easy escape.

If you move through the same area more than once, especially the office room where you have to plant the Astrolabe, some of the guys you killed earlier will respawn and enter the room after you plant it. But as Saint mentioned, they do spawn on the ground floor and elsewhere if you decide to explore instead of heading straight into the office. It just takes awhile for them to do so.

3)Haven't seen any regenerate effects here either.

I killed every single zombie before entering the room with the staked Malkavian but when the house caught on fire, some the rooms were repopulated again and the flaming zombies will keep respawning non-stop.

4) Simply use the change clothes solution so you don't have to use the sewers at all. Makes for a nice TV item as well (" customer staked at...").

I do not consider this solution to be ideal.

The respawning occurs in both unpatched and patched versions.

The reason I encountered so many respawns and the reason they bothered me was because I liked to explore the area instead of running head on into the next area. There were plenty of 'secret items' that you could miss if you moved too fast, even if those secret items consisted of ammunition and money clips I liked to get everything.

 

[dunduks]

I think the #7 is where the Fu Syndicate kills the informant guy who runs the import business. Those guys respawn like crazy. In fact, that's one of the areas where they'll respawn right in front of you.

No they don't, if you noticed, there are 4 doors for pick up trucks - each time you kill all of the attackers, new truck arrives and unloads - it does it 3 times and thats it.

 

[Sol Invictus]

It's still pretty lame, especially for an RPG. My speechy character had so much hell to deal with. What, did they think they were designing Max Payne 2?

 

[suibhne]

1) Not for me.
2) They are one hit zombies. Just run past them.
3) Not for me.
4) Not for me.
5) Not for me.
6) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
7) Not for me.
8) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
9) Not for me. Not if you sneak.
10) That's the point. I beat it with my Tremere the first try using a knife and blood boil. I don't count this as one either because you can pimp as an alternative.

That's two. Zombies. Cry about it.

What the hell are you on about? I ran into a ton of respawning in both the Temple and the Tower, and I sneaked through the whole thing. I suppose you won't see any respawning if you don't kill anything, that's true, but the respawning occurs ad infinitum whether you execute stealth kills (and remain hidden afteward) or march in and slaughter everyone to their faces.