So, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines has been pretty eye opening for me.

I just started getting into Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines for the first time with the unofficial patch. I’m really impressed by it, and I’ve learned a pretty morbid amount of what it means to be looked down upon.

I really didn’t know what to expect, so I decided to try playing the “Nosferatu” clan because they seemed good at stealth. The way the game put it, they have to “hide from the world” because of their monstrous appearance. Little did I know the game means it. In the game, you have to conceal vampire powers from humans, but when you are a Nosferatu your very existence reveals the reality of vampires. Playing a whole game where you’re trying to exist in a world and where people don’t just dislike you, but will literally run screaming? Even if they’re vampires? I’ve never experienced anything like it. You end up having to use stealth just to live a normal life.

At one point I walked into a doctor’s office to buy painkillers, an old lady screamed, and a police officer shot me. This was right after I had a friendly exchange with the lady at the front desk. If I was a normal lookin’ dude, then things certainly would have gone differently. Obviously, I look monstrous in the game, so fear responses make sense, but this game clearly has some things to say about oppression. It’s discussing the topic in the most on-the-nose way possible, but as someone who has had the privilege of not experiencing a lot of oppression, I certainly feel I am learning from the game. I just really needed to write this out because I’m surprised at just how this all works in the game.

Yeah, it's a really great game. At least, the first act is, it kinda gets bogged down and loses it's way some after that. I never played a Nosferatu because I didn't want to lose access to the surface world like they do. It sounds like a real interesting experience though. Not surprised that the game made something deep out of it.

Well that's pretty damn cool. I have heard a lot of people talk about this game but never knew what it really was. Cool take.

I really enjoyed it for the first half or so. The less you deal with humans and the more you deal with demons it gets far less interesting to me. The haunted hotel is a really interesting section. Even though the gameplay hasn't aged super well in that area.

I've added the game to my wishlist in Steam and will buy it next time there's a sale.

I never really took any notice of the game, but the way you described it sounds interesting. After looking into it a little, it seems like something I might enjoy. Not paying £15 though.

@dudeglove: I dont reed gud.

How is the L.A. setting? That's the only thing that puts me off. I want a lot of gothic style in a vampire game. Old torch-lit castles, graveyards, crypts, etc..

Is there any of that?

So you compare being a hideous vampire monster to being discriminated against? That doesn't make sense to me. You're comparing horror with prejudice. Of course they live underground, it's not allowed to break the masquerade. The whole point is that the vampires somehow have to integrate into human society without getting caught. They're hunters yes, but they still operate from the shadows. How does that compare to any contemporary social issue?

I also don't agree that the game loses some of it's momentum towards the end of the game. Hollywood has a couple of great, totally memorable questlines (the Tzimisce for instance and malkavian primogen). Chinatown looks and sounds amazing as well. It's one of my ten favorite games of all time for sure, especially if you patch it up.

What do you mean? Women get discriminated against all the time.

I played this game when it came out don't really remember there where classes but the Nosfaratu definitely is interesting. Kinda reminds me of if you play a Hideous Alien race in stellaris you get a negative on the diplomatic skill. And i always wonder that Hideous is a opinion right? I guess some Alien Races probably would find Humans Hideous etc. I don't really see it as discrimination and more as shock people get of watching something they can't describe, you know like the first time you watched 2 girls one cup.....

I played through Bloodlines as Nosferatu and loved it. You totally can go to the surface you just need stealth skills. A lot of the places like clubs and stuff give you funny little dialogue options like "oh I'm just really into body modification" and then you can go about more or less as normal.

What's really fun and fascinating is playing it with different classes and abilities, trying different things and experimenting. There's a lot going on. I made it to the part where you go to LA when it was still new, I should pick a copy up and play this again. It really was something special they made with this one.

I'm serious you gotta try playing as a character who can get into conversations, as fascinating as being the stealthy monster is, there's a lot going on with the way they do dialog trees.

It's certainly got a more modern gothic feel. How do you feel about Blade and Underworld? Because it's pretty much that.

@the_ruiner: I really like Blade, but not necessarily for it's modern setting.

I'm okay with it, I suppose. I'll definitely buy it when I see a sale.