What makes or breaks it?: A look at Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines part 1

Since I saw an article about Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines on the Net again, I’ve decided to take a look at the aforesaid game. This will probably be another series where I take a look at some games I like and explain why I like them so much. Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines is available on PC on GOG and Steam. The pictures in this post are screen-caps I took while playing.

Here’s the title screen. The version I’m playing is the Steam version with the latest Unofficial Patch version (9.5 to be precise) installed. I’m also using the Plus Patch so this may showcase some of the Plus Patch features that has been added to it. I have also played through this game several times so I am not going through this blind.

The game always starts out with a few words about the World of Darkness, a table-top setting similar to Dungeons and Dragons. The version of the World of Darkness used in the game is that of the Classic World of Darkness/Old World of Darkness (CWoD/OWoD), not the current version that exists. The word that summarizes this world is dark. The setting is a dark and grim reality filled with horrors and abominations that humanity does not stand a chance against. This part of the CWoD focusses on the titular vampires in the setting.

Like most RPGs (role-playing game), the game starts out with a character creator that offers two ways to handle the creation process. The first involves a bunch of questions that the player can answer to determine their optimal clan. The second option (that most experienced players use) is to fill up the character sheet themselves. Seeing as I have an idea on how I want to play, I’ll pick the latter. First time players can choose the first but if the results are unsatisfactory, the character sheet is available.

As the voices whisper to play a Ventrue, a louder resounding chorus sang out to the one voice in control of the body we inhabit on what we should play as: Malkavian, progeny of Malkav. The feature inserted by the Unofficial Patch is the Histories segment that act like the traits in TRUE Fallout games adding bonuses to certain abilities while tacking on additional hindrances to balance out the bonus. Here I decide to be an Occult Nut which grants bonuses to some stats and experience gain but makes us so much more irritating than usual to everyone else in-game.

Here lies the character sheet. The feats highlighted in blue have been boosted by the trait we choose. As for the rest, we have decided on this particular build. One of the good features of this game is how important these stats and feats are to resolving quests as more options are made available through the way the player builds their character...

This loading screen is probably unimportant. I’m not going to narrate like a Malkavian since I am not skilled enough to write like a true madman.

Or not… What had started out as a one night stand ended in an Embrace as defined by that loading screen.

Looks like things got frisky. Mark’s Sire even went out of her way to rip his hair out like that. Take note of the handcuffs. They serve no relevance to the story.

Before she can even explain the teeth-marks, some men burst in and stake our Sire through her heart. Well, that settles it then. Now let’s hope that Mark will be allowed to explain-

And not… Well that ends the tale of Mark Flavian, fledgling vampire.

Or not… Looks like there is a vampire community gathering in a community theatre to have a discussion about Mark and his sire.

One nice thing about replaying the game is that we can recognise several characters here as we meet them later for certain tasks. It is some clever bit of introduction especially if the player recognises several of these vampires.

From this we can see that within this apparent community, there are layers of politics and differing opinions surrounding the vampires (even if they claim to not follow political structures). Also, the downside of subtitles is that the names of these characters are revealed too early.

Yes, the player can meet her as well and yes, her outfit actually reflects her career.

This reaction to the lady vampire’s blowing kiss is always amusing.

Ain’t nobody’s got time for this!

She seems deceptively important.

Turns out Mark’s Sire went against the laws governing vampire society by Embracing him. As a result, she is in a lot of trouble and that giant vampire with the giant sword certainly hints at her fate.

“I’m standing right here, you know?”

Fun fact: Some of the characters here are actually character models for player characters from other clans. Imagine my surprise at seeing my old Toreador character wearing his casual outfit at certain points of the game.

Guess a plea for mercy is out of the question. I guess that this vampire went to the same school Cloud Strife went to.

One thing interesting here is how the scene sets up the stances that some of these vampires take towards the laws and the society they have at present.

This person is totally NOT IMPORTANT to the story at all. In other news, air does not contain any oxygen at all.

Good to see that someone is sticking up for the poor fledgling on stage there. I mean how else would the game proceed, Mark Flavian as a vampire wraith?

The crowd’s reaction to the vampire has already changed the mood in the room. The Prince recognises this and this shows through rather decent animation here.

Mark breathes a sigh of relief for not going through the makeshift guillotine.

The crowd thins out and the last of the main players fade back into the night.

After a speech by Prince LaCroix, Mark is given his first task. He is to find Mercurio in Santa Monica and accomplish any tasks that the Prince will communicate to him later.

This loading screen seems important.

And now for actual gameplay. This part will cover the tutorial.

I was obviously lying about this vampire being unimportant. He is the one presenting the tutorial. Even though I have played through this game several times, I always replay the tutorial for a couple of reasons. Also, notice the weird dialogue option here. There is a reason for it.

As mentioned before, Mark Flavian had been Embraced by a member of the Malkavian clan, a clan of vampires infamous for their lack of sanity and inversely their wealth of insight (Take out the “r” and “f” and rearrange the words…). Note that certain conversations may change depending on the chosen clan (a feature I do like since it adds replay value).

Unlike the other clans, Malkavians have a unique way of speaking. Due to this, Malkavians tend to not be good choices for first time players as the player would have to decipher their dialogue (and their insight provides spoilers for the game so Malkavians tend to be more fun after a full run through the game). I recommend Brujah or Toreador for a first time player since the former plays like a simple fighter with abilities based around that while the latter plays like most diplomatic characters (with an over-powered ability that gets more powerful if levelled up).

I’ll leave these messages up for interested readers. If the reader is not interested to read them here, these can be found in-game as well.

Another tutorial message.

Now for the blood-sucking bit of any vampire story. Note that this animation does not freeze the game and takes place in real time so be cautious when picking a meal off the streets.

Outside combat zones, humans who have their blood sucked often end up in a trance afterwards. This can be useful at times.

Jack here will explain the features of being a vampire.

Basic vampire benefits listed out here. Not added here is the unique abilities of each vampire clan. The player can ask about this.

Here is where some of the typical vampire weaknesses are averted. This part also explains why being staked in the heart does not kill.

Here are the actual weaknesses of vampires in this setting: Extensive bodily trauma, fire and worst of all, sunlight. (The latter is not faced in actual gameplay since the progression of time is only stated in dialogue rather than having it occur via a day-night cycle)

Tutorial message.

Yet another.

Another one. This one is rather important to know so the first time player should not click so quickly to continue.

Here is one of the advantages of doing the tutorial: The player can get certain items for free. Like this lockpick.

Here is the player’s introduction to the Sabbat. According to certain parts of the Net, one of the criticisms aimed at the game is how the Sabbat in-game are portrayed as “mindless bloodthirsty” beasts rather than representing every aspect of them. I have not done as much reading into CWoD so I’m not sure if I can be the judge of that.

Here are the typical members of the Sabbat.

Here is the giant vampire that killed Mark’s sire. Seems his sword is gone. He won’t stand a chance!

The Sabbat seem confident. I’m sure that they will win here. [Do note the dated facial animations, this can be a deal-breaker for some so I will point it out here.]

Did I mention that I tend to be sarcastic at times? Of course that vampire would kick their fangs in. With spectral wolves! Note that there are only two wolves.

This vampire has one more trick up his sleeves.

What is not pictured here is the aftermath of the Pestilence ability on the last Sabbat vampire. His death is instantaneous.

Complimentary tutorial message.

Locked tutorial message.

Lockpicking tutorial message.

Here is how lockpicking looks like. Last time I checked, there are mods to change the hand model here. I did not get them.

Here Jack explains the Masquerade, the one law that most vampires follow. Humans outnumber vampires and despite their powers, vampires are not indestructible (plus they are not alone in the CWoD). So, the vampires have been hiding in plain sight.

Here is a brief introduction to the Camarilla, the primary vampire sect in CWoD. Others exist like the Sabbat but the player was Embraced by one of the clans that usually make up the Camarilla.

A basic summary of what the player will be doing from now on.

Tutorial message. This is rather important as well.

It actually takes effort to break the masquerade quickly but it adds some difficulty to the game due to the presence of hunters who have been made aware of a vampire showing off in public.

Read the tutorial message if that is what the reader wants.

A tutorial message about old computers.

Same as before but this one details hacking.

Like Deus Ex, Bloodlines also allows direct player input by allowing them to type out the commands themselves.

Here is the password screen. Below lies the shortcut keys to start hacking.

The paper from earlier stated that the password was “chopshop” so using this allowed Mark to access the safe security controls.

Tutorial about containers.

The key inside the container/safe.

Inventory tutorial.

When the door icon changes to something like the one pictured, it means that you have the key (unless the icon is a padlock).

These Sabbat goons were waiting in ambush. Fortunately, Jack was keeping watch from above so he takes care of one while showing off.

Pictured here is the use of Potence, a Discipline that enhances strength to lethal proportions.

Health bar tutorial.

The most dangerous type of damage as explained by the above.

Here is the first proper mention of different pedigrees of blood.

I wonder if storing blood in wine bottles is still a thing. Different classes provide for different vintages.

The first time the Humanity mechanic is mentioned in full.

The first mention of the Beast, the name given for the primal predatory instinct in all vampires.

In gameplay, this translates to the player losing control over their character as it attacks a random human in order to feed. Not only does this draw the cops, it breaks the Masquerade if the mindless player character is spotted feeding.

Good to know that the Beast acknowledges the principles of self-defense.

The equivalent of a karma meter in this game is Humanity which affects how difficult it would be to submit to the Beast and Frenzy. Low Humanity even affects conversation options as well which is a nice touch.

Tutorial about Humanity and Frenzy.

Here’s some bum-sucking.

Onto rat-sucking!

Unless the player is playing a Ventrue vampire who can only drink from high class humans due to their excessively refined taste.

Here is a rat.

There goes the rat.

Now for a mechanic I do not like in this game. The Sneaking skill is heavily dependent on illumination (which is normal) and statistics. If the player character’s stealth stat is low, Sneaking will often fail and in levels requiring stealth, this gets annoying since line of sight is not the only factor to stealth. There will be times when the player believes themselves to be unseen only for the meter to change after taking a single step forward. This can get annoying.

Illumination meter.

There is only one real way past this segment. Simply sneak up to these crates and wait for the nearby vampire to walk over to trigger an explosion. The explosion knocks him back, providing an opportunity to sneak past him.

Here is the beginning of the combat tutorial, another poor aspect of the game.

Fist-text.

Unarmed combat tutorial. I do like that there are different combinations. I just wish they were more effective.

This is the aftermath of the battle. The reason for Mark’s low blood pool is due to using the Malkavian’s Disciplines.

Tire irons are quite important… To sell that is.

Equipping the tutorial message.

This part appears to have ben added added into the game by the Unofficial Patch. Based on certain levels of social feats, it is possible to create a different outcome using the right dialogue option.

The stealth kill tutorial. I do appreciate the fact that different weapons have different animations for their stealth kill.

Like the tire-iron’s choke of death.

The Disciplines tutorial.

Bloodbuff is probably the most useful Discipline due to how often it tends to be used especially for lockpicking.

These are the special abilities of a Malkavian. Other clans have different unique abilities like Thaumaturgy (blood magic) for the Tremere clan or Protean for the Gangrel clan. I forgot to take a screenshot of the Auspex tutorial message so the brief summary here will have to suffice.

At higher levels, this ability will be a godsend on missions requiring stealth and for clans like the Nosferatu, Obfuscate is mandatory. At level 1 though, it is not as useful.

The Malkavian’s special ability is Dementation as described above. What is not mentioned here is that Dementation can also be used in certain conversations.

Since I got an extra level of Dementation, I can use the level two Dementation ability.

Here is the part where Bloodlines reminds players that it was made on the Source engine as well. There is a whole sordid history about this game’s development that contributed to its troubled release. It is an interesting read for the more curious readers.

I accidentally skipped the tutorial message so here is a disembodied hand holding a tuna can.

Tutorial for guns.

A common tip among players is to focus on the Ranged Combat feat as the game draws to an end due to enemies hitting too hard. I can agree to that though melee can be a viable build (though this may require some form of Celerity).

Another tutorial on guns.

Mandatory target practice. There is an invisible wall that prevents the player from progressing unless the player hits a bottle.

Not pictured here is the two human thugs Mark has to kill with the gun and some blood-sucking.

Thus ends the first night of Mark’s undead existence.

Another addition by the Unofficial Patch is the ability to ask Jack for his gun so that the player can start out with a gun, albeit a lousy one. Better to sell it at the first opportunity.