Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines

Developer(s)	Troika Games
Publisher(s)	Activision
Designer(s)	Jason Anderson (creative director), Leonard Boyarsky (executive producer), Tim Cain (design), Brian Mitsoda (lead writing, design)
Engine	Source engine (modified alpha)
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	NA November 16, 2004 EU November 19, 2004
Genre(s)	action role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	BBFC: 18 ESRB: M OFLC: MA 15+ PEGI: 18+

The following review will be an experiment. I originally planned on only reviewing visual novels that interest me here in GGE but I’ll try reviewing an actual PC game to see how that fares. And now, without further ado, I give to you Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. This will be a long one so only read it if you’re interested in an action RPG where vampires don’t suck or sparkle at all.

You begin your journey this time in modern day Los Angeles as a newly embraced vampire. By creating you without the consent of your clan’s Elders, your sire has violated one of vampire society’s most hallowed laws. As punishment for the crime he has been put to death. Normally you would be expected to share the same fate but the newly installed Prince of Los Angeles thinks you might have some merit: you’re a newly embraced vampire with no sire to guide you; you are unfamiliar with the world of vampires and their laws and customs. You would be useful and expendable pawn in his grand scheme.

System requirements

1.2 GHz Athlon or 1.2 GHz Pentium III, or higher; 384 MB of RAM, Quad-Speed CD-ROM, 3.3 GB uncompressed hard disk space and 1.4 GB for Windows swap file, 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible videocard; 16-bit sound card and drivers.

Gameplay: To summarize what the game’s content and gameplay’s like, here’s a simple equation:

This game can be played either in 1^st or 3^rd person and available to switch in between. You will employ a variety of firearms and skills such as computer hacking and lock picking as well as your devastating array of vampiric powers called Disciplines (Your special abilities and magic.) And what would a game about vampires be if there wasn’t some blood drinking?

Of course since this is an RPG, aside from the main story quests there are various sidequests throughout the game and you have complete freedom of which ones you wish to partake in. The missions range from something simple like feeding a dying woman your own blood thus turning her into a Ghoul, to major missions like stopping a citywide plague. The things you’ll be doing in this game are both varied and creative at the same time using the supernatural them to full extent. Not only will you be fighting thugs and other vampires but also other monsters like zombies, mutants and “Critters” look-alikes…ugh, the Critters.

The equation above mentions Deus Ex because like said game Bloodlines’ mission objectives can be completed in many different ways. The player is given the freedom to complete missions in any way he/she desires. You can either go gung-ho and blast everyone to smithereens, be as quiet as a mouse and sneak past all enemies to your destination and sometimes if your “Persuasion”, “Seduction” (Most useful for females obviously) or “Intimidation” stats are high enough, talk your way out of a fight if there’s a dialogue that usually results in a fight.

For example: There’s a mission where the prince will order you to infiltrate a museum and retrieve a special artefact. However, he instructs you to do it as discreetly as possible. During the mission, you’ll reach a door that leads to a room with security lasers. Next to said room there’s a security room with a guard and a computer that operates the lasers. If you touch them, not only will it alarm the guards but also lock the entrance to the artefact. There are 4 different options you can take here. Will you either:

A: Punch the conveniently located fuse box in the laser room, causing the lasers to malfunction and randomly turn on and off, giving you the chance to slowly cross.

B: If you have a vampire with the “Obfuscate” at level 3-4 (Which turns you invisible for a short time), you can break the glass to the security room without the guard noticing and while invisible sneak to the computer, type in the acquired password, OR hack it if your hacking skills are high enough, disable the lasers and be on your way.

C: Same as B, except you’re using a Vampire with a Discipline that temporarily paralyzes the security guard and he doesn’t notice you such as the Malkavian’s Hysteria.

D: Forget about being discreet and just incapacitate the guard, recommended by sucking him dry of all his blood instead of fighting him.

And this is only one section of the same mission. You still need to find a way to reach that area of the museum and how you do it is completely up to you. Aside from ambushes and boss battles, most missions have different ways the player can choose to complete them. The freedom isn’t as vast as the Deus Ex trilogy but it’s VERY similar.

Clans:

You choose to play as a member of one of seven diverse and specialized vampire clans and you’ll need to employ all of your preternatural skills to survive. You’ll need to charm, sneak, intimidate and fight your way through the dangerous world the vampires inhabit and along the way decide just who you really owe your allegiance to.

The controls are quite responsive and make it very easy to play on a keyboard. I haven’t tried using a gamepad but I assume it’s possible.

The music: Gothic rock and dark music. Even if you’re not into this music, you have to admit it fits the game perfectly.

With a game with up to 50-60 hours’ worth of content and 7 clans who each provide a very different experience each playthrough, why is it merely a cult classic? It’s full of bugs. When it first came out the game was glitch and it froze many times. The game will sometimes freeze after entering a building. One of my “favourite” glitches is the elevator door: The buttons won’t work and you’ll be stuck in there, forcing you to reload another file or worse, start over. Thankfully there are many unofficial fanmade patches that fix many of the problems but not all of them. They do make the game beatable at least.

In conclusion: Despite the aforementioned bugs, this is one of my all-time favourite action RPGs. With its high replay value, unique premise and the fact it makes vampires look both fetching and intimidating, I see no reason why anyone should deny this game. Heck, even a non-RPG fan can pick this up and enjoy it.

P.S.: I personally recommend picking up the Clan Quest Mod in this link to further enhance the gaming experience with even more content.

http://www.moddb.com/mods/vtmb-clan-quest-mod

P.P.S: For yuri fans…female NPCs, including two important storyline ones…are bisexual and…if you play your cards right…

101st G-View: Kore wa Zombie Desuka?

Hello and welcome to the G-Views, where creativity is respected and Dokuro-chan is rejected. After a week long break, I’m back and ready to roll. So this time let’s take a look at a show that I’ve been eagerly awaiting to review since its 6th episode. This is the Zombie show. I’m too lazy to write “Kore wa Zombie Desuka?” over and over so Zombie Show it is.

97th G-View; CinAnime 6: Vampire Hunter D (1985)

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. As promised, this time we’ll discuss the original cult classic which gave rise to Bloodlust, the 1985 Vampire Hunter D prequel. Since I’m reviewing a prequel of the same franchise, expect many comparisons to be made with the sequel.

Genres: adventure, drama, fantasy, horror, science fiction, supernatural
Themes: demons, fanservice, post-apocalyptic, vampire, Dark Expect some nudity and plenty of blood and gore.
Running Time: 75-80 minutes.
G-Rating: 8/10

Plot Summary: In the year 12,090 A.D technology and the supernatural have overtaken the world. But thanks to the overzealous ambitions of man, the world remains desolate and despotic. What’s left of the human race is divided into various towns and cities living in fear of vampires who compose and exist as the Nobility, fending off the monsters and mutants as a result of their existence. On a night five days after the Count Magnus Lee had harmlessly tasted the blood of Doris Lang and chosen her to be his next wife, she hires a vampire hunter by the name of ‘D’ to rid her of such an ill-gotten fate. As a dhampir (half human, half vampire), there exists a distinct resentment between the hunter and his prey. But as the Count finds out, there is also a peculiar secret behind the past of the Vampire Hunter D.

So yeah, this is the movie that started it all for Western anime fans who haven’t read the novel series. This movie is pretty much Castlevania in animated form, which is a good thing. It’s straightforward in the sense that unlike its successor, it’s not difficult telling the good guys from the bad ones. In my opinion there isn’t as much depth and intrigue as in Bloodlust but that doesn’t stop it from being a very entertaining vampire slayer movie. This one also feels more similar to the live action Van Helsing movie than its sequel does, except not as corny or cheesy as the LA movie. Still, there are a few surprises on both the good and evil side.

Animation: Since it’s old school, don’t expect the same high quality as its successor, but that doesn’t change the fact that the same eerie and spooky atmosphere that was apparent in Bloodlust is present, except it’s much bloodier. The difference is that this movie has a more post-apocalyptic feel to it than its successor. There is a wider variety of mutations and demons in this one than merely vampires. to put it in short, it has an old school action anime feel to it.

The music: Like the animation, the bone chilling and haunting tunes are present in this movie as well, perfectly blending with the dark world the viewer is about to enter once again, although there is a more heroic touch added to the tunes since it includes a Castlevania-ish feel.

The characters: D is pretty much still the same badass, honorable and straight to the point anti-hero he will remain in Bloodlust. the events of this movie do shed a light in the reason as to why he becomes more serious in the sequel. You see, even though he’s the same here, he’s kinda softer which under the circumstances makes sense. His “handdyman” partner does look freakier here although he seems to have a smaller role here. Still, he still has his trademark “sharp tongue” and “handy” ability. Still, there is one question that wasn’t answered in either movie and veterans can pretty much guess which one it is. As for the rest of the cast, not much to say since they’re all straightforward and develop nicely over the course of the movie.

In conclusion: Another good vampire movie for fans to check out when they’re able. It’s not as good as the sequel but still 10000 times better than the Twilight saga, like a majority of non-teen heartthrob related live action movies or literature are. Heck, I recommend watching both VHD movies since they rule!

P.S.: I don’t understand why they changed the name of the half-human, half-vampire breed from dhampir to dunpeal. Oh well, it doesn’t matter that

96th G-View: CinAnime 5; Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. Welcome once again to another episode of CinAnime. This time we take a look at one of the all time greatest animated vampire movies to date. Let’s get our weapons ready and venture into the heart of darkness in the blackest night along with Vampire Hunter D, Bloodlust.

Genres: adventure, drama, horror, romance, science fiction, supernatural
Themes: demon, post-apocalyptic, vampire, Dark
Running time: 97 minutes.
G-Rating: 9/10

Plot synopsis: The Distant Future…Vampires rule the night but their numbers are dwindling. With huge bounties on their heads, a class of hunters has emerged, Bounty Hunters. One hunter is unlike all the others. He is a Dunpeal= Half human, half vampire. At war with himself, feared by all and all alone, he is…Vampire Hunter D!

The main plot involves a nobleman’s daughter kidnapped by vampires. D is hired to recover her. However, One night when he catches up to the vampires’ coach and attempts to rescue her, she strangely refuses to be rescued. What happens next is up to the viewers to find out as D and a group of competing Bounty Hunters chase after and battle against a host of vampires with varying abilities and traits. Although the basic rules of vampirism are intact, you can always count on anime to add special “additions” to the vampires’ combat arsenal.

In most forms of vampire media, vampires are depicted as either good or evil, but this movie in particular has a strong sense of moral ambiguity, meaning that in this movie, things aren’t as simple as counting to ten.

[COLOR="DarkOrchid"]Keep in mind that Bloodlust is the sequel to the 1985 movie: one of the 1st anime movies released in the US. Stay tuned for a review of that movie very soon. For now, let’s continue.[/COLOR]

Animation: The setting is a wasteland type with some Wild West elements added. The visuals are arresting. you can’t help but look at the luscious scenery in both daytime and especially nighttime. It is that gorgeous to look at. the action scenes are abundant, but not an excessive amount to make it seem like an animated version of the Van Helsing or Blade movies.

Music: Haunting, bone chilling and epic at the same time, perfectly fitting for a feature presentation such as this one.

Characters: I won’t go into much detail without spoiling the good stuff so let’s put it like this. First of all, the character development is rich and stunning. Each of them…those who survive till the end of course serve their role well.
For the time being I’ll merely discuss D himself. Pretty much a man of few words who gets straight to the point and kicks plenty of vampire ass, but behind that cold exterior, their lies the heart of an honorable warrior who only battles against those who stand against him and the bounty at hand. Alongside D is his “partner”…let’s just say he’s…quite the “handyman”.

As for the rest of the cast, like I said this movie is rich in development so expect many motives to drive each of them toward their goals. It’s another one of those movies where each role, no matter how small is an interesting one. This is a most thrilling film indeed.

In conclusion: This is a must watch for all vampire fans. no nonsense or lowly humor, it’s all well paced, has an excellent presentation and may surprise you at some points.

72nd G-View: Pro Boyfriend Prisoners Edition 2: Shiki

Hello and welcome to G-Views, where SoL reigns supreme, moe is respected and Dokuro-chan sucks poopie. Vampires rock! Twilight SUCKS! But you all know that, right? Anyway that’s not the point. my point is that the following show that I’m about to review does vampirism justice and it does it in a very good way. Boils and ghouls, this…is Shiki!
Think of this as my late post-Halloween review.

I can’t find a good poster for this show, so check out the 2 OPs to get a general idea of what the show looks like.

Genres: horror, mystery, supernatural
Themes: Tragedy, vampire, Dark
Number of episodes: 22
G-Rating: 9/10

Plot Summary: Sotobamura is a small village with around 1300 residents; so small the village isn’t even connected to a single highway. An isolated village in which old customs, such as the burial of the dead, are still practiced. One day, the bodies of three people are found dead. Although Ozaki Toshio, the village’s lone doctor, feels uncertain, he treats the deaths as a normal occurrence. However, in the days following, the villagers start to die one after the other.

Shiki, in my mind is basically an anime that for the most part does justice to the greatness that is vampirism. Suspenseful, follows each of the classic rules right down the middle and it’s awesome as well in its pacing. It doesn’t rush things and puts you in the right mood of watching something interesting and creepy at the same time. Dance in the Vampire Bund did the whole supernatural romance thing right, Shiki does classic vampire suspense stories right!

The show kinda has a slow pacing sometimes, but I think it’s good because of to me, it’s a steady pace that allows the viewer to enter the world the animators are trying to portray. a world that isn’t family friendly at all. A world where an “epidemic” is taking life after life away. A world where something fishy is going on. It’s that feeling of mystery that keeps me coming back for more each episode.

Vampirism: this is one of the main reasons I love this show. It follows the rules of vampirism right down the middle, for the most part. There are some exceptions, but those apply to the higher ops vampires, so it’s forgivable. As for everything else: If you’re a fan of vampires and are looking for an anime that follows the rules exactly, then this is it. Strengths, weaknesses, origins, rules on trespassing, behavior, etc. I can pretty much label this show as a documentary on vampires and their habits, including how humans who are “reborn” behave once they begin their “new life”.

Also, another thing worth noticing is the show’s obsession with date and time. It’s not exactly important, mostly because it’s hard to follow what’s going on and when. Just try to follow the images during the episode recaps in the intros and try to follow the story from there.

The animation: Here’s one of the very few times that my readers will notice me trying to write something more deep on animation. As those who have watched the OPs have noticed, the drawing style on this show isn’t the usual anime style. It has an odd style in terms of facials and hair styles. The irises of each character, even the vampires themselves look kinda hypnotic. Like its part of the writers’ scheme to get you to watch their show. They didn’t need it, since the show is already awesome enough. Maybe it’s all part of fitting the drawing style with the mood of the anime. As for the hair….well, one picture will tell you all about what to expect from some of the female characters: In short, a picture speaks louder than words.

Now those who are wondering might be asking me “OG-Man, is this show scary?” To that question I respond in the following way: “It all depends on the viewer and whether you’re watching this show in the dark or not.” i think this show isn’t scary, but it is DEFINITELY CREEPY, INTENSE AND SUSPENSEFUL! Believe me, there were moments that sent shivers down my spine because of how disturbing they were. Freaky stuff right here doods.

The music: The 1st OP and ED rock. The 2nd pair are cool, but kinda inferior.
As for the rest of the music on the show, let’s just say this show is best watched in the dark, while wearing headphones.

The characters: Whew, there are so many here that most of them are just the victims. So yeah. You can pretty much divide the main characters from the humans who eventually discover the truth behind the multiple deaths, disappearances and how they act, from the villains and their actions.

The other thing about this show is that it makes you wonder on whether the villains are actually evil, despite their actions. I can’t say for sure if they’re actually bad guys, but at least we can determine from the “newborn” as I call them, whether they’re good or evil.

Oh yeah and as for those wondering what the title of the show means, watch the anime and pay attention, because it is explained in full detail.

In conclusion: this show is a must watch for all who’re looking for either an exciting or freaky, or a show that takes their vampires VERY SERIOUSLY and doesn’t treat them like nonsensical teenage fangirl wallet stealing marketing ploys of pure rickety evilness. So yeah, I could also consider this another Pro boyfriend prisoners edition.