Review RPG Codex Review: Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption

[Morality Games]

the other is trying to be vampire Deus Ex

...and fails at it, degenerating into pure FPS pretty fast.

To the extent that is true, so does Deus Ex. In both cases you have to choose to play the game the "hard way." I will concede that unlike Deus Ex, the narrative stops supporting multiple styles of role-playing in the last third and becomes a grind fest, but the process isn't "quick" -- abrupt, though.

 

[Grunker]

...and fails at it, degenerating into pure FPS pretty fast.

"Pretty fast?" Bloodlines doesn't become an FPS until the mission to find the sewers way into Act 3.

 

[V_K]

"Pretty fast?" Bloodlines doesn't become an FPS until the mission to find the sewers way into Act 3.

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission. And the first combat slog, lacking any kind of alternative solutions, happens at the end of Act 1, IIRC.

 

[Serious_Business]

I haven't even played Bloodlines

Negro say whaaaaaaaaaat

Unacceptable

Fucking great game mang

 

[felipepepe]

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission. And the first combat slog, lacking any kind of alternative solutions, happens at the end of Act 1, IIRC.

AFAIK, ALL combat in Act 1 can be avoided, with the exception of the painting guardian.

 

[Grunker]

"Pretty fast?" Bloodlines doesn't become an FPS until the mission to find the sewers way into Act 3.

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission.

"The zombie mission"? Are you talking about the graveyard in Act 3 that's an optional quest? That can be solved in non-violent fashion?

 

[Zero Credibility]

Probably the infested hotel in Act 2. You don't have to kill everything there though.

 

[Ninjerk]

"Pretty fast?" Bloodlines doesn't become an FPS until the mission to find the sewers way into Act 3.

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission.

"The zombie mission"? Are you talking about the graveyard in Act 3 that's an optional quest? That can be solved in non-violent fashion?

I never did that quest. I figured it was a combat trap as soon as the guy asked for help or w/e.

 

[Grunker]

Probably the infested hotel in Act 2. You don't have to kill everything there though.

Those are not zombies, they're ghouls, and everything about that place is really cool. The combat isn't overwhelming inside the mansion either.

Game's combat is pretty easy anyway, and it's not as bad as people say (though it isn't great either).

"Pretty fast?" Bloodlines doesn't become an FPS until the mission to find the sewers way into Act 3.

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission.

"The zombie mission"? Are you talking about the graveyard in Act 3 that's an optional quest? That can be solved in non-violent fashion?

I never did that quest. I figured it was a combat trap as soon as the guy asked for help or w/e.

Nope. You can solve that quest in two non-violent fashions IIRC.

Spoiler

I know you can get him a prostitute, and I think there's also another option.

 

[Zero Credibility]

We're talking about different places. This place was in town, a hotel of some kind where that Bishop character has made his lair.

 

[Grunker]

We're talking about different places. This place was in town, a hotel of some kind where that Bishop character has made his lair.

Also a sidequest I believe.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

If there were brofists, Aeschylus' post would now have a bunch of them. Instead we have 3 to 1 in favor of a mediocre game.

Notice how the lack of brofists can completely alter a reader's perception of a thread, and by extension of popular Codex opinion in general. They really are a valuable tool.

 

[Ninjerk]

Infinitron would defend brofists, given how many he's harvested with newsposts. In the old days, I would have gotten a brofist for this.

 

[Zero Credibility]

We're talking about different places. This place was in town, a hotel of some kind where that Bishop character has made his lair.

Also a sidequest I believe.

It is, and you don't have to (and can't because they also respawn) kill every zombie. I remember that finishing it is necessary for Camarilla and Anarch endings.

 

[V_K]

Probably the infested hotel in Act 2. You don't have to kill everything there though.

It's more like you can't kill everything there - they respawn indefinitely.

We're talking about different places. This place was in town, a hotel of some kind where that Bishop character has made his lair.

Also a sidequest I believe.

Yep, the Brotherhood.
It's semi-optional in that IIRC you have to do it to get the Tremere ending.

Edit: ninjaed by Zero Credibility.

 

[V_K]

I dunno what happens in Act 3, I got fed up with it by the zombie mission. And the first combat slog, lacking any kind of alternative solutions, happens at the end of Act 1, IIRC.

AFAIK, ALL combat in Act 1 can be avoided, with the exception of the painting guardian.

I might be wrong on that, but I remember lots of unescapable fighting involved in blowing up the warehouse.

 

[Zero Credibility]

No, you can sneak by through that entire mission (and get bonus xp points for doing just that). The blood guardian and the ambush at the diner are the only forced combat parts that I remember in Act 1. Plus a few more that are optional (the chinese spy and the prosthetic psycho).

 

[Harold]

All combat, except boss fights, can be avoided with stealth and/or obfuscate. There are only two missions when you need both stealth and obfuscate to avoid combat and they are both very late game: Hellowbrook Hotel and the Blood Hunt before getting in the cab. (maybe Andrei's little creepy crawlers as well but I'm not so sure)

Obligatory IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TOTALLY AVOID COMBAT IN BLOODLINES REDEMPTION

 

[felipepepe]

No, you can sneak by through that entire mission (and get bonus xp points for doing just that).

Yes, and the layout of the level is quite nice for that. The time limit once you plant the bomb also impose a fun challenge.

 

[Grunker]

Been a while since I played Bloodlines. I recall wanting to go through it a year or so ago but thought I'd wait for this.

Dead?

EDIT: Yep, seems so: http://bloodlinesresurgencemod.com/news

EDIT2: Or wait... maybe not? http://www.projectvaulderie.com/

 

[Harold]

Been a while since I played Bloodlines. I recall wanting to go through it a year or so ago but thought I'd wait for this.

Dead?

EDIT: Yep, seems so: http://bloodlinesresurgencemod.com/news

EDIT2: Or wait... maybe not? http://www.projectvaulderie.com/

You should wait for http://bloodlinesantitribu.com/ instead.

 

[Grunker]

Been a while since I played Bloodlines. I recall wanting to go through it a year or so ago but thought I'd wait for this.

Dead?

EDIT: Yep, seems so: http://bloodlinesresurgencemod.com/news

EDIT2: Or wait... maybe not? http://www.projectvaulderie.com/

You should wait for http://bloodlinesantitribu.com/ instead.

Why?

 

[Harold]

Why?

It has some cool ideas. Otherwise just go ahead and replay it with a Tessera nude mod or somethin', it's not like you're doing me a favour.

 

[Grunker]

It has some cool ideas. Otherwise just go ahead and replay it with a Tessera nude mod or somethin', it's not like you're doing me a favour.

No, I mean it. I couldn't find an About page with a quick summary of the mod on their site. What is it? TC a la The Nameless Mod?

 

[felipepepe]

Wow, this looks really nice: