Review RPG Codex Review: Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption

[Harold]

Grunker

7 new clans, new areas, slight story modification, some rebalancing I think. If you haven't, you can check out The Final Nights, which is already out (has been for quite some time). Same idea. I like many of the balancing changes it implemented, though some are pretty derp and you should bear in mind it adds a few ~fan voice-acted characters~ which, as you can imagine, stick out like a sore thumb in Bloodlines. Just make sure you don't read anything in their mostly defunct forums to avoid sanity loss.

 

[Grunker]

Sounds dodgy. Guess I'll take a look one of these days, thanks. Some of the new models look at bit too fanboysie though.

 

[Grunker]

Wow, this looks really nice:

Yeah, looks pretty pretty. Going to be awesome if they complete it. Should also make modding a breeze compared to now.

 

[clemens]

However, as amazing as that sounds, the Storyteller Mode fails horribly in its task.

No, it was fuckin glorious. Best multiplayer game sessions I've ever played. Mods would allow you to DM sessions with 10+ players, cooperative gamemastering. It was truly majestic.
So yeah, the actual interface of the multiplayer dm mode was a pain to use, but so what ? All those modded maps and skins and disciplines... This game had a nice modding community.

so your only choice is playing on LAN, or using "online LAN" websites such as Tunngle.

Or Hamachi, or any other vpn. It's really not that hard. Though I still remember WON.net fondly, nostalgia and all that.

 

[Lhynn]

Redemption wasnt that bad, just bland and forgettable, the kind of game you play while you are looking/waiting for a good game.

 

[felipepepe]

No, it was fuckin glorious. Best multiplayer game sessions I've ever played. Mods would allow you to DM sessions with 10+ players, cooperative gamemastering. It was truly majestic.
So yeah, the actual interface of the multiplayer dm mode was a pain to use, but so what ? All those modded maps and skins and disciplines... This game had a nice modding community.

Bro, you had fun despite the limitations and failures, not because of them. Looking at it today, the Storyteller Mode really sucks.

 

[clemens]

No, it was fuckin glorious. Best multiplayer game sessions I've ever played. Mods would allow you to DM sessions with 10+ players, cooperative gamemastering. It was truly majestic.
So yeah, the actual interface of the multiplayer dm mode was a pain to use, but so what ? All those modded maps and skins and disciplines... This game had a nice modding community.

Bro, you had fun despite the limitations and failures, not because of them. Looking at it today, the Storyteller Mode really sucks.

True, but still it was better than what passes for multiplayer modes these days. It could have been better implemented, but you could do a lot of things with it if you were willing to put some effort into it (and look past the frequent crashes and the general suckiness of the internet connections of the day.) I'll admit it's mostly nostalgia for the good old WoD, though.

 

[VioletShadow]

Deuce Traveler

Thanks for writing the review, also felipepepe for his input, always cool to read kodex kontent. It's a forgettable, mediocre game imho, not even close to the level of Bloodlines. Still worth a playthrough, I guess.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Deuce Traveler

Thanks for writing the review, also felipepepe for his input, always cool to read kodex kontent. It's a forgettable, mediocre game imho, not even close to the level of Bloodlines. Still worth a playthrough, I guess.

Thanks! I love how this game has caused an argument about whether or not it is good. It is mediocre and forgettable. Note how quickly this thread left being a discussion of Redemption and became a discussion about how great Bloodlines is. That should tell you all you need to know about Redemption.

 

[Grunker]

I agree that it is mediocre, I think many who feel that that estimate is unfair do so because the game tries and almost sheds the rags of mediocrity. Had it done so it could have been something great.

 

[Jaesun]

I still like this game. And no, it is NOT anywhere near as great as Bloodlines. It just still hold a special place in my heart..... or something.

Good review Deuce Traveler

 

[Western]

Game is much better than depicted in the review. Not flawless, but has a great atmosphere, music, and artstyle. It also uses the World of Darkness system better than Bloodlines. Not the non-combat skills, but just look at how dumbed down the disciples system in Bloodlines compared to Redemtion. Also, Deuce Traveller sucks at managing a rather straightforward UI. This game is more of like Diablo than a proper cRPG, so i don't think that the lack of C&C is a huge sin (C&C is overrated anyway).

TL;DR: review is shit.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Seriously, this is a fun game.

I'm going to back you up and not throw you under a bus for once J_C, it's certainly not a perfect game and I prefer Bloodlines, but I still find the game quite enjoyable, especially the first half.

I also like the cheesiness, massive skill selection, and ganky party based combat.

 

[J_C]

Note how quickly this thread left being a discussion of Redemption and became a discussion about how great Bloodlines is.

Actually the discussion is not about Bloodlines being great AT ALL. First, it was about Bloodlines being good or not, then about a side-mission, and after that about a mod.

 

[ghostdog]

Yeah, I had a lot of fun with this one too. Sure, it's flawed and the diabloesque party combat can be annoying at times (the game just begs for TB or even real RTwP) but other times it can also be pretty enjoyable. Smacking enemies with the severed hand of --insert ancient powerful vampire, can't remember-- never ceased to amuse me. I too found the atmosphere great.

 

[Cyberarmy]

I still like this game. And no, it is NOT anywhere near as great as Bloodlines. It just still hold a special place in my heart..... or something.

Good review Deuce Traveler

Same here, Redemption has some really good moments, mostly atmosphere wise but gameplay really bothered me back then. Remembering cheesing my way through knights and such mostly by pulling them one by one and draining them dry.
Also fucking crocodiles...

 

[Archibald]

Most of the time people talk about this is game is when:
a) Someone is looking for vampire games.
b) Someone finished Bloodlines and asks if there is anything similar.

Sometimes I wonder would anyone even remember it existing if it didn't had vtm license?

 

[Wyrmlord]

Is the Codex ever gonna do a Return to Krondor review as well? It's also in the category of game related to a very good game, but otherwise probably not worth trying. Hence, curious for an opinion.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Is the Codex ever gonna do a Return to Krondor review as well? It's also in the category of game related to a very good game, but otherwise probably not worth trying. Hence, curious for an opinion.

Someone's gotta play it.

 

[V_K]

Is the Codex ever gonna do a Return to Krondor review as well? It's also in the category of game related to a very good game, but otherwise probably not worth trying. Hence, curious for an opinion.

Someone's gotta play it.

I did actually. It's not that it does something particularly bad, it's just really boring and linear. Given how the original's charm came from having both good story and open world, it probably made RtK even more disappointing than Betrayal in Antara.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Saw the title and though it was recovered Phage's review. No matter, still good.
And game was servicable till second, modern part, when it become absolutely boring, unbalanced shootfest. Would be good in these time when you don't have much games to play or something.

 

[Jaesun]

Sometimes I wonder would anyone even remember it existing if it didn't had vtm license?

I probably would then never had heard of this (at least back in the day). I'm a huge V:TM PnP fan and when I heard this game was being made I was so fucking excited.

 

[Archibald]

Given how the original's charm came from having both good story and open world, it probably made RtK even more disappointing than Betrayal in Antara.

Might be, I played it before Betrayal and found it okay game. Would recommend it over Redemption.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

For Halloween games, I'd also like to cover SCP- Containment Breach, but it's really not the kind of game (RPG/strategy/adventure) that this site would normally cover.

 

[Surf Solar]

Game is much more enjoyable than many rpgs released today. To me it looked like they ran out of time vur it was crafted with love and respect to the franchise (despite some lore shortcomings) Multiplayer was also very good. Damn I even remember reading the beefy manual that came witht the game, sweet nostalgia.

Reviewer seems a bit like a sordid C&C fag to me. FFS not everything has to be 'reactive'

 

[MicoSelva]

That was an interesting piece of content. I do not remember the game to be that bad, but as it was ~15 years ago, I probably had different standards of quality back then. Anyway, good job, Deuce Traveler (and felipepepe).