So after finally getting a laptop which can play games made after 2010, I decided to do game reviews on this site for each game I play.
First one is gonna be Bloodlines 2.
Bloodlines 2 is a sequel to Vampire the masquerade bloodlines. For those who don't know, Vampire masquerade bloodlines was quite fascinating game in it's time. It had huge replay value because you pretty much had to play game multiple times to experience playing as each vampire. I admit some vampires were a lot less interesting than others, but game pretty much included all sorts of vampire powers, including but not limited to: time slowing which enabled dodging bullets, and was pretty much overpowered because it worked against everything in the game, and there were bunch of other vampire powers usually unique to each vampire, hence the replay value. Game felt entirely different with each vampire, and some mods later added more vampire powers.
So after a two decade long wait, finally, we get Bloodlines 2.
Now, there is a lot of hate directed towards this game. First, the game lacks experience point system previous game had. Previous game wasn't just about vampire powers. You could also invest point in fists, weapons, guns, finances, or if you wanna be really tanky, then all points in defense. Vampire powers were optional. You could play game entirely as a first person shooter, sword wielder, or even just fists.
New game entirely lacks that. Other than points in vampire powers, new game lacks any other point spending.
Another hated thing about new game is apparently that it lacks any big inventory. Previous game had inventory where you had not just money, but also could store guns, blood packs, even jewelry to sell later for money, and even books you could learn from.
New game doesn't actually let you even wield guns properly, and the only weapon you can wield are knives and similar, but there is even issue there because you don't have inventory, so it only works when you pick up a knife and stops working once you drop it. No inventory whatsoever to cycle between weapons.
But now when we are done with all the reasons people hate the new game, let's focus on why the game is actually good.
First, there is the way better movement. Old game didn't really let you jump high or run fast. New game lets you jump and climb buildings, jump very high, glide, run extremely fast, dash while kicking into people during dashing.
New game also has improved masquerade breaking system. It's much easier to not break masquerade because there are no limits to how many times you can break it, as long as you don't over do it in one single time which is when you die.
Then we come to crucial element, which is the combat. Game combat system is pretty amazing. Your fists can send people flying 5 meters. Tremere gets some blood attack instead of fists later. You can also do kicks, stealth kills, attack by jumping from above, dash during combat, and you can even throw stuff at people.
And then comes probably the most important element of new game. Vampire abilities.
New game has way more vampire abilities than previous game. Not just that. Abilities use a different blood system where each ability gets its own blood pool instead of shared blood pool for all. Also, abilities are very amazing. I didn't yet try them all, but tremere blood strikes seem to be a bit overpowered so far. Also, abilities look way better than in previous game. What's also great about abilities in new game is that there seems to be a wide range of abilities which do some useful stuff, and vampire gets to have more of those abilities sooner in the game. Ability level up is pretty damn fast, you quickly reach the state of overpowered vampire.
Then there is final part. Graphics. The game has pretty good graphics and much more realistic NPC behavior than previous game.
How would I rate this game?
9/10
It would be 10/10 if it had experience point system of previous game, and if it had decent inventory system.