World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 from Hardsuit Labs

[The President]

If it was salvageable, the Ubisoft guy would have said as much and it would have been released already instead of having to wait another three years for them to make another one. Chris Avellone's insider-perspective was that "The whole experience was like the last five minutes of Barton Fink (not the beach scene, the scene before it, know-it-all), but stretched out over 2 and a half years." They were always underwater.

I can't believe I missed this reference when I read Avellone's post on the matter. Now all I can see is Avellone handcuffed to a bed and an enraged John Goodman running down a burning hallway yelling "I'll show you the life of the mind". Hardsuit was even worse than I imagined.

 

[RaggleFraggle]

3 second google search
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/761/Choice_of_Games_Urban_Fantasy_Bundle/

Did you stop to appraise those games before recommending them? I’m familiar with Choice of Games and their output… well, I checked out their vampire-themed offerings and they were negatively received by reviewers.

I tried The Vampire Regent and gave up in the first twenty minutes after trying to get through the horrifically complex labyrinth of character creation. The lesson I learned from this is that making the PC an established character in the setting prior to the story is an absolutely terrible way to introduce players. I know making the PC a tabula rasa is lazy af but few players want to assemble twenty pages of backstory just to play a damn video game. It’s an established trope because it works, even if it is lazy. At the very least, there are probably much more elegant ways to build the PC’s elaborate backstory than frontloading it on the player during character creation.

 

[Zombra]

I mean man, you want not only great games, but you want and expect great games tailored to your exact hobby horse.

Let's fucking start with having great games. Until then, all this pickiness is polishing spoons on the Titanic.

Edit, wait, and now you're complaining about games with too much complexity in character creation. Jesus Christ.

 

[Cricket McBangle]

You mean the terrible shovelware cash-ins? Why should anyone care? Whoever is making those clearly doesn’t understand the audience built up by Bloodlines.

I can't figure out what you even want at this point. You complain about no urban fantasy and people point out a million urban fantasy games. Then you complain that they aren't the one specific IP you like. Then several games for the one specific IP you like are mentioned and you say but they're not the right kind of game. Your niche is getting tighter and tighter. Wasn't your original point that it would be so easy for a big company to make a huge blockbuster game that would appeal to millions of fans? Are all those millions of fans crammed in that tiny niche with you?

I don’t know what planet you live on where there are a “million” urban fantasy video games, but it sounds like a nice place to live. I still live on a planet where the last notable urban fantasy game was released in 2004.

Mostly Positive player reviews. And It's Sharkmob's game, they just paid Paradox for the license to use it, so Paradox got all the money they were ever going to get from it up-front

It was mixed last I checked a couple months ago. In any case, it missed its window to make profit since Battle Royale is crashing. So, still shovelware.

Your definition of "urban fantasy" is just Bloodlines, then.

We all have preferences. I’m looking for “just” urban fantasy right now. Not dungeonpunk, not post-apocalypse, not cyberpunk… And to be fair to those, I already checked out the genre mashups. I’ve gone thru dozens of listicles. Arcanum, Disco Elysium, Shadowrun… what do you want me to do? Shutup?

Ok I see the problem now. You're not being exposed to the great number of "just" urban fantasy games that are tailored to your preferences. I get it, man. It can be a struggle to scratch that niche itch, as I like to call it.

Well, let me help you out. Based on your posts, I think this top 5 list I've painstakingly assembled will point you towards some great urban fantasy titles you'll love.

5. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
4. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
3. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (This one is pretty underrated)
2. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

 

[Jenkem]

August 1, 2023.

 

[Lambach]

August 1, 2023.

2023 according to the Islamic Hijri calendar?

 

[RaggleFraggle]

I mean man, you want not only great games, but you want and expect great games tailored to your exact hobby horse.

Let's fucking start with having great games. Until then, all this pickiness is polishing spoons on the Titanic.

Edit, wait, and now you're complaining about games with too much complexity in character creation. Jesus Christ.

Ok I see the problem now. You're not being exposed to the great number of "just" urban fantasy games that are tailored to your preferences. I get it, man. It can be a struggle to scratch that niche itch, as I like to call it.

Well, let me help you out. Based on your posts, I think this top 5 list I've painstakingly assembled will point you towards some great urban fantasy titles you'll love.

5. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
4. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
3. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (This one is pretty underrated)
2. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Fuck off asshole. If you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read my posts, don’t waste my fucking time, and don’t think little of me for not becoming a mindless consumer content with whatever slop is available that you personally haven’t played you hypocritical lying piece of shit. I’ve had an exhausting day dealing with online idiots. My patience and politeness is gone. Fuck you.

 

[d1r]

You mean the terrible shovelware cash-ins? Why should anyone care? Whoever is making those clearly doesn’t understand the audience built up by Bloodlines.

I can't figure out what you even want at this point. You complain about no urban fantasy and people point out a million urban fantasy games. Then you complain that they aren't the one specific IP you like. Then several games for the one specific IP you like are mentioned and you say but they're not the right kind of game. Your niche is getting tighter and tighter. Wasn't your original point that it would be so easy for a big company to make a huge blockbuster game that would appeal to millions of fans? Are all those millions of fans crammed in that tiny niche with you?

I don’t know what planet you live on where there are a “million” urban fantasy video games, but it sounds like a nice place to live. I still live on a planet where the last notable urban fantasy game was released in 2004.

Nah, that was in May 23, 2013.

Shin Megami Tensei IV

 

[Zombra]

My patience and politeness is gone. Fuck you.

Hey, I apologize. I'm just having fun arguing on the internet, it's kind of what the Codex is for. Didn't mean it to ruin anyone's day. Picking apart arguments, that's all. I respect you and your vision of good games, and your posts in general. Your dream game you keep describing, I want to play it too. Hell, I wished Bloodlines 2 would be it. Anyway no hard feelings on this end and I hope you got a good night's sleep.

 

[Modron]

If you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read my posts, don’t waste my fucking time

If you don't like what he has to say, then don't read his posts, don't waste his fucking time.

 

[Cricket McBangle]

I mean man, you want not only great games, but you want and expect great games tailored to your exact hobby horse.

Let's fucking start with having great games. Until then, all this pickiness is polishing spoons on the Titanic.

Edit, wait, and now you're complaining about games with too much complexity in character creation. Jesus Christ.

Ok I see the problem now. You're not being exposed to the great number of "just" urban fantasy games that are tailored to your preferences. I get it, man. It can be a struggle to scratch that niche itch, as I like to call it.

Well, let me help you out. Based on your posts, I think this top 5 list I've painstakingly assembled will point you towards some great urban fantasy titles you'll love.

5. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
4. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
3. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (This one is pretty underrated)
2. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Fuck off asshole. If you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read my posts, don’t waste my fucking time, and don’t think little of me for not becoming a mindless consumer content with whatever slop is available that you personally haven’t played you hypocritical lying piece of shit. I’ve had an exhausting day dealing with online idiots. My patience and politeness is gone. Fuck you.

An exhausting day lol

Who's forcing you to deal with them? Is someone holding you at gunpoint?

Anyway.

So you don't like the games?

 

[RaggleFraggle]

My patience and politeness is gone. Fuck you.

Hey, I apologize. I'm just having fun arguing on the internet, it's kind of what the Codex is for. Didn't mean it to ruin anyone's day. Picking apart arguments, that's all. I respect you and your vision of good games, and your posts in general. Your dream game you keep describing, I want to play it too. Hell, I wished Bloodlines 2 would be it. Anyway no hard feelings on this end and I hope you got a good night's sleep.

I mean man, you want not only great games, but you want and expect great games tailored to your exact hobby horse.

Let's fucking start with having great games. Until then, all this pickiness is polishing spoons on the Titanic.

Edit, wait, and now you're complaining about games with too much complexity in character creation. Jesus Christ.

Ok I see the problem now. You're not being exposed to the great number of "just" urban fantasy games that are tailored to your preferences. I get it, man. It can be a struggle to scratch that niche itch, as I like to call it.

Well, let me help you out. Based on your posts, I think this top 5 list I've painstakingly assembled will point you towards some great urban fantasy titles you'll love.

5. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
4. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
3. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (This one is pretty underrated)
2. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
1. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Fuck off asshole. If you don’t like what I have to say, then don’t read my posts, don’t waste my fucking time, and don’t think little of me for not becoming a mindless consumer content with whatever slop is available that you personally haven’t played you hypocritical lying piece of shit. I’ve had an exhausting day dealing with online idiots. My patience and politeness is gone. Fuck you.

An exhausting day lol

Who's forcing you to deal with them? Is someone holding you at gunpoint?

Anyway.

So you don't like the games?

I apologize for the outburst. It was wrong of me to explode at random strangers on the internet.

 

[Lambach]

Hey, I apologize. I'm just having fun arguing on the internet, it's kind of what the Codex is for. Didn't mean it to ruin anyone's day. Picking apart arguments, that's all. I respect you and your vision of good games, and your posts in general. Your dream game you keep describing, I want to play it too. Hell, I wished Bloodlines 2 would be it. Anyway no hard feelings on this end and I hope you got a good night's sleep.

I apologize for the outburst. It was wrong of me to explode at random strangers on the internet.

Ayo fags, get this niceness and politeness bullshit the fuck away from my goddamn Codex.

 

[Delterius]

by the hierarchy of join dates we should all be like zombra until an even older ancient post in this thread

 

[Dadd]

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

 

[d1r]

Especially not here. No no no.

 

[Zombra]

Mark your calendars. Today kindness became the new edgy.

 

[GhostCow]

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

This sounds pretty gay tbh

 

[Delterius]

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

This sounds pretty gay tbh

worse its a diablo mechanic

 

[Semiurge]

 

[RaggleFraggle]

Your dream game you keep describing, I want to play it too. Hell, I wished Bloodlines 2 would be it.

Dream games plural. There are quite frankly a bunch of ways you could do urban fantasy. Magic is hidden from muggles, magic was recently revealed to the public, alternate history where Dracula married Queen Victoria, etc. Within just the first you have countless way to explain the magic and its relationship with muggles: a secret history where immortals have warred for control, a single race of magical beings who inspired all the myths, a kitchen sink where all myths are true, dark superheroes fighting evil monsters, UFO conspiracies, cryptids, occultism, aliens, etc.

There’s no shortage of inspiration.

 

[Tyranicon]

It kinda sucks that none of the SCP games are good. There's so much to play with there that it's kind of a wasted opportunity.

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

You generally have to pay them something for the privilege though.

 

[Russia is over. The end.]

It kinda sucks that none of the SCP games are good. There's so much to play with there that it's kind of a wasted opportunity.

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

You generally have to pay them something for the privilege though.

For an RPG? I don't see it. SCP is great because of conceptual ideas. Most of them wouldn't be able to be presented visually even.

 

[Tyranicon]

It kinda sucks that none of the SCP games are good. There's so much to play with there that it's kind of a wasted opportunity.

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

You generally have to pay them something for the privilege though.

For an RPG? I don't see it. SCP is great because of conceptual ideas. Most of them wouldn't be able to be presented visually even.

Maybe RPG isn't the best fit, but I think a SCP facility management game would be super popular, especially in the style of Prison Architect or something. I'm sort of surprised nobody really attempted one.

Or a game where you build a MTF squad to capture SCPs, and research new weapons X-COM style.

There's so many better ideas than yet another FPS.

 

[RaggleFraggle]

It kinda sucks that none of the SCP games are good. There's so much to play with there that it's kind of a wasted opportunity.

Nothing wrong with exploding all over random strangers sometimes

You generally have to pay them something for the privilege though.

For an RPG? I don't see it. SCP is great because of conceptual ideas. Most of them wouldn't be able to be presented visually even.

Maybe RPG isn't the best fit, but I think a SCP facility management game would be super popular, especially in the style of Prison Architect or something. I'm sort of surprised nobody really attempted one.

Or a game where you build a MTF squad to capture SCPs, and research new weapons X-COM style.

There's so many better ideas than yet another FPS.

I’m not impressed. Their tryhard monsters include a weeping angel that shits bloody diarrhea, a genocidal lizard with limitless regeneration, a giant titty monster that brainwashes anyone who stares at it too long, a demonic teddybear that rapes female employees, an undead fetus that mind controls and gnaws female employees to death, and… wow, who the fuck came up with this misogynistic torture porn?

I know the classic folkloric stuff is passé now, but those stories lasted thousands of years for a reason. Even the 20th century ufology and cryptids is just a repackaging of fairies and monsters.