VtM: Redemption - Retrospective

Couchpotato · February 5, 2014

Hardcore Gaming has a new retrospective for Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption.

Nihilistic's approach was polarizing, to say the very least. On one hand, they adapted as best they could Vampire's mechanics to Diablo-like core gameplay. This has been done well, but on the other hand, every aficionado will scream at that particular choice of genre. In a world of "personal-horror" and byzantine power games, you spend your time genociding the vampiric population of Prague, Vienna and later on London and New York. Besides, while all the setting is explained and directed extremely well, some basics rules of V:TM are butchered. Draining a vampire without Diablerie? It's cool. Feeding on my buddies every two minutes without blood bond? Yup. Even without being too regarding on this, Redemption remains a real paradox - to enjoy it, you must accept that you are playing first and foremost a Diablo-like which looks like a Vampire The Masquerade adaptation. But at the same time, its driving force dwells in the setting and the atmosphere, not the hack and slash mechanics.

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CraigCWB · February 5, 2014

Diablo-like core gameplay? Is he trying to be funny?

What killed this game for me, and I suspect for most, was its complete linearity. Really didn't feel like the developers were even trying to make an RPG. Maybe an early attempt at interactive cinema, before designers realized the user had to be able to at least pretend to be making decisions once in a while, would be a better way to describe this game.

Sir_Brennus · February 5, 2014

I really, really like VTM:R. I played throu Bloodlines, too, but the special place in my heart belongs to Redemption.

The most personal, interesting, touching and meaningful story I ever played in a CRPG (or any game for that matter).

I consider VTM:R the "Gone with the Wind" of CRPGs. Is it full of clichéd characters? Does the narration flipflop around? Is the game devoid of side quests?

Yes to all, but the 3 different endings and the love story spanning ages remedies all that for me. Love it.

VtM: Redemption - Retrospective

Couchpotato

Part-Time News-bot

CraigCWB

Sentinel

Sir_Brennus

Planeswalker