Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

 PC
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1057 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 947 out of 1057
  2. Mixed: 61 out of 1057
  3. Negative: 49 out of 1057
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  1. CascaO.
    Jun 28, 2008
    7
    I love the White Wolf's "Vampire" (Both of them. I know: I'm a freak) And I found this game to be thoroughly enjoyable. I will admit it was plagued with glitches but the 36 (not counting failed attempts, restarts, crashes and the like) hours I spent were worthwhile. The "Jyhad" as the game calls it was ambitious with so many factions and stories crossing over each other but not I love the White Wolf's "Vampire" (Both of them. I know: I'm a freak) And I found this game to be thoroughly enjoyable. I will admit it was plagued with glitches but the 36 (not counting failed attempts, restarts, crashes and the like) hours I spent were worthwhile. The "Jyhad" as the game calls it was ambitious with so many factions and stories crossing over each other but not unlike LucasArts' KoTOR II (Don't take it as a diss or a plug) the ending seemed rushed, as if all their ambition was stifled with a strict realease date. Though there are plenty of opportunities to get through situations by talking, more often than not violence is the only solution so abilities are weighted toward combat and stealth making it hard to end the game with less aggressive characters. The cast is lively and colorful and most of the voice acting is very appropriate. You can really get attatched (Oh how I loved VV) to the people who spend their lives and unlives in you. The final scene(s) despite the scenes leading up to it (Which in and of themselves aren't that bad) is excellent and really the perfect twist. Worth the time getting there. PLay it. A few times actually so you can see all the clans in action since people do respond to your clan throughout (very nice touch) but it's a far cry from perfect. Could have been easily though… Expand
  2. ChrisB.
    Apr 21, 2009
    7
    Graphically interesting, the game suffers from flaws in this engine and can also randomly crash on you unexpectedly, even with the official 1.2 patch. At times the animation can just look outright silly, and some of the cloth effects are rediculous to. Story wise, this game delviers a very interesting and compelling story, though there are several frustrating moments throughout the game Graphically interesting, the game suffers from flaws in this engine and can also randomly crash on you unexpectedly, even with the official 1.2 patch. At times the animation can just look outright silly, and some of the cloth effects are rediculous to. Story wise, this game delviers a very interesting and compelling story, though there are several frustrating moments throughout the game that suffer from severe balance issues for either being a trivial encounter at higher ends of the game, or jsut over whelming encounters that unless you get set up perfectly for you have very little chance of completing. Over all, even with it's imperfections and wonky character animation and design at times (and rather oddly small maps compared to teh characters) the game has a very compelling story to play through.… Expand
  3. EstherN.
    Jan 26, 2005
    7
    Like the reviews point out, the game is undermined by its buggy, incomplete feel. It does curtiously provide you with enough time to put on a pot of coffee while it loads, and reloads. I would be more interesting in replaying it if the game seemed to promise more variety the second-time through, but all I'd really be doing is switching vampires. Good time, overall.
  4. JeffS.
    Feb 16, 2005
    7
    What happened? The first half of the game is pretty good, but then it just starts to get repetitious. The situations and characters are great, as well as the overall storyline. The game feels more like an adventure than a nuts and bolts CRPG, which is actually refreshing. This is a classic Troika Game, where the underlying systems are in place but someone forgot to polish and account for What happened? The first half of the game is pretty good, but then it just starts to get repetitious. The situations and characters are great, as well as the overall storyline. The game feels more like an adventure than a nuts and bolts CRPG, which is actually refreshing. This is a classic Troika Game, where the underlying systems are in place but someone forgot to polish and account for the fun factor in big sections of the game. Very buggy but as a developer I forgive you knowing some EP ass or marketing joyboy or publisher bigwig dropped the ball and under-[planned/staffed/bid] your project. From a DTBWWYG standpoint, it kicks ass though.… Expand
  5. BlakeArius
    Dec 9, 2016
    6
    This game is seriously overated. It's a mediocre deus ex clone at best, and a pile of garbage at worst. The interface is one of the worst i've ever seen and the dirtier art style is just a rip off of "blade". The writing is okay.. but the tone is that of a constant B Movie which ruins any immersion for me. Beyond that there's still a plague of glitches and bugs to waddle through.
  6. AlienSpaceBats
    Aug 2, 2011
    7
    At first glance, Bloodlines is repellent; cutscenes, animations, sound effects & environs are glitchy and of shockingly low quality, character models are hideous and it's hard to believe this thing uses the same engine as Half Life 2. Post tutorial levels, the game finally gets going and whilst the above grievances remain there are exceptions; thankfully most major characters are wellAt first glance, Bloodlines is repellent; cutscenes, animations, sound effects & environs are glitchy and of shockingly low quality, character models are hideous and it's hard to believe this thing uses the same engine as Half Life 2. Post tutorial levels, the game finally gets going and whilst the above grievances remain there are exceptions; thankfully most major characters are well crafted with excellent voice acting, some even have half-decent models & textures. Vampire has the bare bones of a playable and even addictive game, it's just a shame it's such a damned unfinished mess.… Expand
  7. gist95966
    Apr 23, 2014
    7
    If you love games like Fallout or Skyrim, you will probably get some enjoyment out of this.

    There are some key differences though that really bring this game down, and only a few points that bring it up. First off it's not open world - at least not really. You are stuck in a city for each chapter and there aren't many chapters. Skills aren't very well done - some skills are straight    If you love games like Fallout or Skyrim, you will probably get some enjoyment out of this.

    There are some key differences though that really bring this game down, and only a few points that bring it up.

    First off it's not open world - at least not really. You are stuck in a city for each chapter and there aren't many chapters.
    Skills aren't very well done - some skills are straight up better than others and some are almost useless. This results in very similar characters each time you play.
    Equipment is mostly a joke - you don't really get much say in the matter each chapter has a better piece of equipment and you wear that for that chapter. Either that or you wear your weaker armor just so you can feel like you had some choice in the matter.
    Combat is a bit of a mix. Sometimes you feel like your really struggling and have to get the combos just right, other times it's a simple button mash. Mostly the latter.
    Last of the negatives is that the game is rather buggy at times. I once had a game breaking bug where I killed someone before the cutscene and couldn't progress.

    The positives are few but good enough to make the game stand out.
    It's much darker than something like fallout or skyrim. It's bloody and some characters really made an impression of being evil. The characters in general are well done - well except the main character, he/she is a bit cliche. Everyone else though felt like an actual person with believable motivations.
    Races do feel different from each other, though because of the skill systems flaws - some races also feel straight up better than others.

    Don't expect something quite as good as the other titles I mentioned, but I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem.    … Expand
  8. JoeM.
    Jun 13, 2007
    5
    Runs bad, doesn't flow well, isn't too much fun except for a few good scares. How could Half Life 2 have done so much with this engine, and this game did so little?
  9. JamesA.
    Nov 17, 2004
    5
    I'm not sure if the people listed above are playing the same game as I am. Not only does the game run slow on my machine (P4 3ghz, 2 gig of ram, 6800GT) but combat is absolutely awful. Melee feels totally thrown together and never flows very well. Guns, so far, seem worthless since I can't seem to hit someone about 3 feet in front of me. My firearms skill is still pretty low, so I'm not sure if the people listed above are playing the same game as I am. Not only does the game run slow on my machine (P4 3ghz, 2 gig of ram, 6800GT) but combat is absolutely awful. Melee feels totally thrown together and never flows very well. Guns, so far, seem worthless since I can't seem to hit someone about 3 feet in front of me. My firearms skill is still pretty low, so hopefully my bullets will find their mark as I progress. For a game based on the Source engine, I was expecting something a little closer to HL2 in the graphics department. Outdoor environments look nice, but most indoor stuff looks low res and horribly textured. NPCs are a mixed bag as well. While I have run into a few very nice models, most are hideously constructed, with nasty textures. I am quite enjoying the RPG aspects of the game. Most of the dialouge is well written and acted (if not cheesy and cliche' in parts), but once again, combat rears it's ugly head and pulls me out of the World of Darkness and into the world of frustration. … Expand
  10. KingMob4313
    Aug 21, 2013
    7
    A flawed, truncated but engrossing game, carrying hints of the greatness of later FPSRPGs like Fallout and Mass Effect.

    But ultimately disappointing, even with massive mod support from the community.
  11. iddqd4
    Feb 12, 2018
    7
    В свое время не удалось по достоинству оценить эту игру из за пиратского перевода выполненного Промтом, что процветал у нас тогда повсюду.
  12. aalfred7
    Jul 31, 2019
    7
    VTMB is a solid game although a bit overrated. The game has a nostalgic feel to it and has an interesting story as well. The characters are interesting and the pseudo-open world environment has plenty of interesting parts to it. On the negative side, the game has many bugs; the UI and combat systems are often awkward at best. Additionally, many view the ending as a disappointment (as IVTMB is a solid game although a bit overrated. The game has a nostalgic feel to it and has an interesting story as well. The characters are interesting and the pseudo-open world environment has plenty of interesting parts to it. On the negative side, the game has many bugs; the UI and combat systems are often awkward at best. Additionally, many view the ending as a disappointment (as I did) but that depends on your taste. Ultimately, the game has charm despite its flaws and might be worth a look if you're into action role-playing games.… Expand
  13. erdogfu96
    Feb 9, 2020
    7
    It is very old game. Graphics were good for that time. Maybe sounds were not atmospheric and story is not best but you can give this game a shot if you want to roleplay a vampire character. I will give marks in its own category.
    Graphics:9/10
    Sounds: 5/10
    Gameplay: 7/10
    Story: 7/10
  14. Sego
    Jan 29, 2021
    6
    Even with patches bugged AF, don't recommend if you sensitive to such, save can be corrupted or dialogue glitch, but overall game is good for it's time
  15. pooops
    Feb 3, 2023
    7
    although the game has great writing, there's not enough quests and the game is really buggy
  16. agradecemais
    Feb 7, 2023
    7
    Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines é um jogo da série Vampiro: A Máscara e mais uma história incrível da franquia World of Darkness.
    O jogo foi desenvolvido na Source Engine e sinceramente não é um grande jogo, tem muitos bugs, os gráficos são feios, ele trava, crasha e apresenta diversos problemas ao longo da gameplay. Mas para época que foi feito é um game de mapa aberto, múltiplas    Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines é um jogo da série Vampiro: A Máscara e mais uma história incrível da franquia World of Darkness.
    O jogo foi desenvolvido na Source Engine e sinceramente não é um grande jogo, tem muitos bugs, os gráficos são feios, ele trava, crasha e apresenta diversos problemas ao longo da gameplay. Mas para época que foi feito é um game de mapa aberto, múltiplas escolhas, diversos NPC's, diversas formas de progredir no game...Então tem de dar o braço a torcer para época que foi feito alcançando a nota de 80/8,9 no Metacritic.
    Porém o brilho do jogo é realmente a história com vários desdobramentos, finais, caminhos e principalmente ideologias que você poderá seguir ou ir de contra.
    Todos os clãs são representados com maestria e a trama é interessante e cheia de reviravoltas fazendo jus de como é complexo e rico o universo de Vampiro: A Máscara.
    Um prato cheio para quem gosta de boa história, para quem é fã do universo ou para quem não se importa com gráficos ruins e jogo envelhecidos...Recomendo!    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Best PC Game of 2004
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
6
#6 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 61 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. 3DAvenue
    85
    If you were disappointed with the recent FPS titles and their somewhat lackluster plot and linear storylines, then you will probably find Bloodlines to be a refreshing change, however on the other hand, a few technical and design issues let it down.
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  2. Xequted
    88
    A game that has one of the strongest single-player campaigns to ever appear in an RPG and it possesses a world so lush that you will literally want to sink your teeth into it.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    70
    Easy to sum up: Game isn't finished.
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