The Death and Rebirth of Vampire: Bloodlines | Retrohistories

[@ori7647]

You could say, after the game's death, it rose again from the grave, hypnotizing a new audience with it's themes and charm, and living to the namesake it evokes... Just like a vampire.

[@cmxpiipl]

And just like Activision the true vampire of the gaming industry, sucking of companies and ip:s dry before moving to the next victim.

[@a.m.pietroschek1972]

That means KUDOS TO ALL THE MODDERS, who delivered content nobody paid them for.

[@zlodrim9284]

@@a.m.pietroschek1972 Yep, the modders are the unsung heroes that patched the game up, much like was the case with KOTOR II's Restored Content mod, and I'm really thankful for their dedication to the game and all the work that went into it so people like me could enjoy it a decade later and have a better experience being enchanted by the magic of VtM: Bloodlines.

[@vincelang3779]

You were sooooooo close! Then you explained the metaphor. And explained the explanation! 🤣

[@jlqe3401]

There's indeed a reason why, even 18 years later after its original release, if someone mentions VTMB, someone else will reinstall it. This video drives the point home, and I've definitively had to subscribe after watching it. We were told not to open it back in 2004, and yet, 18 years later, we insist on opening it again and again. Because it's that good. And thanks to Troika, Wesp5, and the community dedicated to keeping VTMB alive (including you, Retrohistories), we'll keep opening it.

[@TVans-vs3gn]

Also the Clan Quest Mod which is the only what could be considered real expansion for VTMB. It's that good!

[@themoxcast]

I replay at least once a year. The only downside is that I become disappointed with current games.

[@retrohistories]

Oops! I missed credits in the media section for GmanLives, RagnarRox, Cannot be Tamed and SsethTzeentach for the brief clips in the montage. They're all linked in the description.

[@Fish-ub3wn]

great vid!

[@domagojkersun9630]

Troika is just a pure romance for RPG games and RPG lovers. Arcanum and Bloodlines are pure magic.

[@joamfeliciano3653]

Arcanum could do with a remaster though. There's a lot of imbalance, and goddamn did they go nuts on the traveling.

[@jonathonpolk3592]

@@joamfeliciano3653 true. The gameplay in Arcanum was wonky, but the story was amazing. Really loved the ending; it was nice to see a BBEG who had valid reasons for destroying the world, and who you could convince to redeem themself.

[@joamfeliciano3653]

@@jonathonpolk3592 Oh I absolutely love the game. quirks and all.

[@igorthelight]

And both of those games need (and HAVE!) a Community Patch ;-) It's a must have!

[@Cornholio8787]

arcanum is underrated. i hope they do a remake of it

[@grandsome1]

The facial animations are still top-notch perfect balance of stylization. Especially the way the eyes are emphasized with the movement of torso. Modern game facial animation often look stiff, unexpressive or too naturalistic. I mean when was the last time an NPC rolled their eyes at you? EDIT: It's also crazy that the community/egalitarian leaning philosophy of the studio unknowingly is what saved the game through the modding scene.

[@Marcusianery]

That is what made me so disappointed seeing Bloodlines 2. Bloodlines 1 got better facial animations! The eye rolling, the change of how they look. VV alone, a minor NPC really shows so many emotions. So suitable for a fickle Toreador. Wonderful game.

[@OneWingedRose]

It's not just Bloodlines that is like this. I've often found the ps2 era (aka 2004 times) to have more expressive character facial animation. And that's not just looking at games with different priorities (like comparing a Final Fantasy to a Military Shooter), even games that share the same genre often have faces that are far more engaging and expressive in 2004 era games than they do in today's games. Speaking of Final Fantasy actually, just look at Crisis Core PSP's in-game cutscene facial work versus the Crisis Core Remaster's that just came out lol. Sure the faces aren't as "realistic" in artstyle, but they can use their eyes, jaws, brows, tongues and overall face a whole lot better!

[@Marcusianery]

@@OneWingedRose I would say you are on to something. Im baffle at how bad someo f the modern stuff is in comparison. Facial animations probably take time and effort. Can't have that when its all about shiping the shit fast!

[@theobell2002]

You said it yourself. It's *stylized.* The games you're comparing it to are probably more realistic looking games. Of course the facial animations are gonna be less expressive because real humans don't make exaggerated facial expressions when they speak like they do in Bloodlines.

[@benwilton5307]

RIP Troika games. They went out close to their peak and on their own terms

[@DarkZerol]

Some of the developers stayed behind without salary to work on a patch to fix some of the major bugs for the game when the company was already closing. That's how dedicated they were to the game.

[@chaycelucas8257]

flew too close to the sun

[@MultiStormywaters]

Such a great game. Even though the programming wasn't finished, the dialog, atmosphere, and music was all top notch. The thing I loved is how much world they managed to weave into the open world areas. They were small to be sure, but so many of those doors opened, and there were so many quests there that the areas felt ALIVE. I remember fighting so hard to make this kind of work at launch. I don't think I saw the whole intro cutscene properly synced to the audio until YEARS later. But I loved and still do love it. Also nice world spirit map cover from Hitrison. One of my favorite tracks from the game!

[@jinxhead4182]

I replay it at least once per year with the "unofficial patch+" for more quests and fixes. Such a fantastic game.

[@HuyGaming96]

Vampire the masquerade bloodlines was and still a living legend along with gothic series

[@jinxhead4182]

@@HuyGaming96 100% my friend.

[@SuperSanity1]

I'm not going to lie, seeing the sound effect of the Sheriff's sword swinging down properly synced feels... wrong now. I miss the jank sometimes.

[@jinxhead4182]

@@SuperSanity1 I lost my shit the first time I experienced "raving power lines", I laughed for solid 20 minutes. The jank was sometimes really funny.

[@morganwebb5244]

I actually started crying when you started going through the years and the patches and it only going uphill This is by far my favorite game and ive been replaying since 2005

[@animaetmateria3578]

I really wonder what is it about this game that means so much to us... Idk, maybe it means to you something different than what it means to me, but there must be something special in it because it elicits such a strong response from so many people

[@FicoFico79]

Yes that was right in the feels

[@Marcusianery]

@@animaetmateria3578 This is what it means to be Human and Life. To be able to worry and care for things that is trivial mayhaps but personally important. Remove the Human part of life and we are just animals looking for breeding, food and survival of the day. This makes us Human, to be able to care and wonder over things that is not important to natural life but to our lives as sentient beings.

[@TVans-vs3gn]

​@@animaetmateria3578Maybe they have casted a spell on us.

[@a.m.pietroschek1972]

Oh, did you also play the WW2 mod and the Prelude MOD making us mortal hunters working for Grünfeld Bach? I liked them both, but one cannot install them all on the same base game without crashes.

[@Diegokid]

I can still remember the first time I walked into the haunted hotel. The atmosphere was beyond creepy. Whenever I hear a game is atmospheric I always put it up against that level to grade it. Troika made 3 of my favorite rpgs of all time. Wish they could come out with a remastered of them to update the graphics a bit and they'd sell like mad.

[@igorthelight]

There is a new tech that Valve used to add a Ray Tracing to a Portal game. It could be used here too ;-)

[@OniFeez]

Ahh the Ocean House Hotel. One of my fav levels in a game ever as well. I think it particularly works in Vampire and at the time you have to do it because at that point you're a newly turned vampire right. You've just started to realize just how much of a badass you are. Kick ass disiciplines etc, 'a body that can take a beating'. And then you go to a scary haunted hotel where none of that matters. You are as powerless as you were as a human, you just think - well crap, up till this point I didn't believe in vampires but they're real, and now ghosts are real, now werewolves are real. So all that primal stuff sort of comes to the fore again. I think that's why it works. That and it's one of the most well done levels in the game in terms of assets. The scripting, the tone, all the little drawings by that kid of their dad going more and more psycho etc, the newspaper articles.

[@Ghostie.]

You even left the music in the description so I could listen to the jams! What a standup guy.

[@JT_Corpse]

I was frothing at the mouth to play Bloodlines. I was/am a huge WoD fan and knew about Bloodlines' development for years so when word came out it was going to be released in November of 2004, I was pumped. I remember rushing over to a Gamestop in the morning to pick up a copy...but they weren't selling them. So I went to Wal-Mart next door and boom, what do you know; a lone solitary copy was sitting on the shelf. I snatched it up, cancelled my birthday plans (which was either that day or week), and installed the game. But it wouldn't work. I kept getting error messages. I eventually had to look up some message boards where people who bought the game had the same issue. To resolve it they suggested some .exe file modification which worked for me. I spent a huge chunk of time playing Bloodlines. I went to work, came straight home, and played. I loved it then, and with all the mods now, I'm still a sucker for the game. Thank you for this wonderful retrospective!

[@BurntSteak]

This was amazing. The quotes, the narration, the editing, the footage, and the writing - everything was great. Playing Darling Violetta's 'A Smaller God' during the montage of reviews was perfect. Troika developed one of the greatest games ever made, modders like Wesp5 kept it alive and improved it, and you created a video giving them the recognition they deserve. I love this game so much, and this video does it justice. Thank you Chris and Pam. And thank you Darling Violetta for letting Chris use this song.

[@SiIentwhistle]

Fun fact about me, my grandma showed me this game when I was 10!! She bought a copy at a garage sale and she played thru it and thought I would enjoy it. And I did, it was probably the first rpg game I ever beat and its still one of my favorites 13 years later. In fact I had her play thru the haunted mansion mission for me because I was too scared 🤣🤣

[@bettyp5669]

What a cool Grandma

[@SiIentwhistle]

@@bettyp5669 yeah ikr! She also introduced me to Skyrim, Fallout and Fable. She’s a huge gamer!

[@bettyp5669]

@G thats awesome! Appreciate her as much as you can :)

[@TVans-vs3gn]

​@@SiIentwhistleThat's just amazing. She should make a YT channel.

[@Cannotbetamed1]

Awesome video, I really liked the montage of the game's comeback at the end.

[@retrohistories]

Thank you! Credit for that has to be shared with the members of Darling Violetta, who let me use that extremely fitting track.

[@Under_T0nes]

Yeah, that sequence hit me like truck.

[@WaderMorghulis]

@@Under_T0nes same

[@cynicaltheastrocreep4504]

Same lol! This game is one of my favorites ever and it changed my life. My tears turned from that of sorrow to amazement.

[@jonathonpolk3592]

I thought I recognized your voice here. Nice voice over work!

[@pseudomushroom]

The montage near the end of the video is wonderful and well-edited. It suits the music track so well! I'm super glad that Wesp is very dedicated to this game and churning out patches to this very day.

[@targard.quantumfrack6854]

Wesp is a hero!

[@MoonchildOfDarkness]

Werner Spahl, AKA Wesp5 - A GODDAMN HERO. Thank you, dude. Sincerely, for everything.

[@YukoValis]

the game never really died. From day one people started working on unofficial patches and mods. It was released in a buggy state, but you could still beat the game. I know because I did it twice.. out of 4 times. That fricken gated door at the end stopped me twice... The game is the foundation of a masterpiece. It is the unofficial patches that build it into something damn good.

[@eruantien9932]

I do sometimes wonder, had A*tivision not pulled the plug early, if a "completed" Bloodlines would ever have become as popular as it has become. If the game had run fine and without obviously unfinished quests, would there have been as great a zeitgeist to mod it into completion?

[@YukoValis]

@@eruantien9932 that is a pretty good question. I say yes, but the mods would probably be a bit different. No matter how much they completed the game officially, they still had a fantastic baseline. I'm quite sure modders have deleted things as well as built upon the unfinished work. In a rather odd way I'd even compare this game to dark souls 1. It is rare to enter in a universe and feel like such a small piece of the world. Just another body roaming the nights and a cog or less in others plans. So many games treat you as the center of attention.

[@headspaceastronaut]

Man that montage hit me like a ton of bricks. Amazing work! And so glad to see Pam collaborating too!

[@dosemelez]

Also: one of the best soundtracks ever, including a fully fledged radio talkshow with multiple episodes, connecting cab interiors with homes and lobbies. Truly immersive.

[@swehumorofficial]

I only started getting into the World of Darkness setting in 2020, and got Bloodlines this Christmas. So take this from a modern gamer who is not influenced by feelings of nostalgia: It is amazing. The writing, the atmosphere, the music, the world which feels so alive, the incredibly deep and complex setting which they derive lore from, and above all the immense passion that the developers put into this game and which radiates from every pixel... no modern RPG comes even close.

[@TVans-vs3gn]

Absolutely agree! No nostalgia from my side as well.

[@crawlie]

The "Firefly" of the Gaming industry. Awesome video, thanks for putting this together!

[@MegaSantaclaude]

Bloodlines is a masterpiece that every rpg lower who hasn't played should have on their bucket list. I played Half Life 2 one time, in 2004. I still replay Bloodlines to this day. Its just a much better experience with way more atmosphere.

[@FeelinB]

I worked as a game tester on Bloodlines. Way, way late in the process, I was a tester on the 1.2 patch. It was the last thing I did at Activision before being laid off. I always had a soft spot in my heart for the game, but it was buggy as fuck. Years later I ran into another guy who was the head tester for Bloodlines (another Activision/ Volt guy). He was embedded as a tester and worked at the Troika office. He told me the story of his time there. He said that the Troika devs just kept adding new features and creating things, even though the bug database was huge. Both of us have no real love of Activision, but from what he told me the Troika people just were not interested in bug fixes, and were still creating new features and systems way late in the process, when they needed to be polishing the game. I will answer more questions if people have them.

[@disco-exorcist9094]

As per tradition, whenever someone mentions the game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, someone goes to install the game once again. Here I go for the 100th time :D Lovely video, Chris. I knew about most of the production issues but never to this detail. Thank you! (Also, do you have a source for the LA flyover video? I'd love to use it as an animated wallpaper of sorts)

[@knightofsolice1304]

And as always - per tradition - they never spell out the game/franchise's full name 😭

[@retrohistories]

Thanks for the kind words! Don’t have the Flight Sim source footage for the flyover any more, sorry (but I’d want to recreate it at higher quality now anyway).

[@SuperSanity1]

I save time by just never uninstalling it. That and Redemption have a permanent spot on my PC.

[@gnarlin4964]

Oh, boy! Here I go sucking blood again ;-)

[@tmrferreira]

@@SuperSanity1 That's it.

[@jonasamorim4958]

Man, the comeback montage got me, nicely done.

[@TremeresRaspa]

16:54 is when the tears of pride, nostalgia and joy started pouring...

[@AjuntaPall316]

Got my first personal PC in 2005, and Vampire TM:B was my first game I got for it. It's still the #1 greatest game I have ever played.

[@Fish-ub3wn]

pUfF!

[@CptVein]

Wait a freaking second, you're telling me Wesp as been working on the unofficial patch for almost 18 years??? What a freaking legend!

[@skeletonking4119]

VTMB is LEGEND!!! Thanks you for making this!! Everytime someone make VTMB review of VTMB , the whole world of VTMB are happy !

[@redwaldcuthberting7195]

Troika sounded like a blast to work for.

[@Taois]

Really interesting video, I've always wanted to learn more about that game and I dug how you presented the information. Loved the woman who did the v/o for the quotes. She sounded familiar, but couldn't quite place the voice.

[@1977Janus]

I picked up my copy at launch and never looked back. A great game, even with the bugs. With a hard core community behind, delivering patches since the beginning, it is very much alive. I will always look back and feel lucky being apart of an era that gave so much. Thank you Troika!

[@masterexploder9668]

Activision were Activision as usual, but they did provide them with funding and source engine, but it's clear they didn't have too much faith in them. I guess Troika needed David Mullich on board from the start, he's a legend in his own right and took part in creation of many excellent games. It's clear that his focus really helped to push things forward. It's also fitting that a game about undead vampires managed to survive it's own death and be reborn to live on, heh.

[@cynicalgraybeard]

Temple of Elemental Evil and Arcanum remain amongst my favorite video games of all time, it warms my heart to see Troika getting some love.

[@DrWolfenstein313]

You're telling me the game came raw because of Activision's stupidity? Shocking.

[@bobsalami9996]

I am a simple man who loves the World of Darkness, I see a channel talking about Bloodlines and I click.

[@PeterNXavier]

I actually loved Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines when it came out. The scary mansion mission was so scary to me when I was young.

[@carloccp7230]

its the best game i ever played. one of the few i found everything without checking anywhere out the game. ill never forget the feeling when i finished it the first time watching the tower burn. how could missions like the haunted hotel or the hospital one not be famous from then to today in game history

[@txa1265]

Thanks for this - I was one of those precious few who bought both HL2 AND Bloodlines on the same day - and didn’t have any real problems with my first play through (even the dreaded ‘boat crash’). I’ve played this through SO many times over the last 18+ years, still a top 10 all-time game for me. Loved hearing Pam do the quotes as her Bloodlines video led me to her channel!

[@FlameofEons]

Experiencing this game as a teenager in 2004 - definitely something to be grateful for :) Slided in nicely after Morrowind

[@sasquatchcrew]

Imagine what the game would be like if they actually finished it the way they intended their original creative process to be done.

[@joeschmoe1797]

I'm not sure if it would be that much better, to be honest. It definitely wasn't as bad at the release as this video makes it sound, and the amount of bugs was actually very small, at the very least - compared to other games of that time period.

[@GeneElder.R027]

2 things, first, I remember the haunted mansion being one of the best designed levels in any game, ever.. and second, the opening menu loop is my official ringtone. I hear it everyday.

[@CarboneCat]

This game was a diamond in the rough and the unofficial patches brought it to its potential. They managed to make each clan to feel unique, making replaying the game worthy. Playing this game as a Malkavian or a Nosferatu was hilarious and that werewolf chase was terrifying. The soundtrack was terrific and the radio was pure insanity. Also, this game houses the amazing Ocean View Hotel quest.

[@stonersiren]

as a huge fan of this game, i've always thought it was a shame that troika failed, but now knowing how cool they were it makes me even more sad

[@SafemilkGames]

That montage in the middle about people finally recognizing how great the game is still makes me tear up. What a wild ride.

[@uhleck1]

Ah yes, the yearly retrospective on VtMB. May this video feature in a future montage of the games history! Very well put together! Simultaniously heartbreaking and full of joy. Great work :) I also like how you interpret Activision's role and perspective in this. You don't hear a neutral stance very often. I would say time for a reinstall.. but never uninstalled in the first place :] Ok cheers!

[@igorthelight]

"I would say time for a reinstall.. but never uninstalled in the first place :]" - jyst make sure that you have the latest version of Unofficial Patch ;-)

[@uhleck1]

@@igorthelight that's a good point actually, still didn't play with all the plus patch updates :D

[@Kyrrial]

You know, I never looked at how poorly it sold. It feels really weird to realize I was one of the seventy-odd thousand people who actually purchased it around its release, and it was entirely on accident, on a whim on a visit to Gamestop. I wasn't searching for the game, I'd never heard it, but the box spoke to me, and yet I gave it a shot; it's now one of my all-time favorite games, and a very, very formative game for me in what was my senior year of high school. Awesome video, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who hopes the sequel DOES see the light of day, and does the VTMB legacy justice.

[@Ghostie.]

This is one of my favorite games of all time. NIce to see it getting a cool video.

[@xamalion7334]

I will love this game forever. I play it for over 15 years, and it really holds up. It was the first game that really let me explore like I wanted to. It’s a shame that Bloodlines 2 has the same issues, I freaked out when it was announced and I even preordered. Had to cancel it last year when it became clear it would be massively delayed. 😢

[@MikeJw-je4xk]

I bought Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines at release. Played it beginning to end with ZERO problems. Loved it. My daughter and I have replayed it many times. Side note: we never played the Nosferatu.

[@MetalJesusRocks]

Really excellent video! I LOVED this game!

[@Xxx_KittySlayer_xxX]

Nuhuh

[@jimclayson]

This game always puts a smile on my face. Picked it up from the discount bin shortly after its initial release and played through it a couple times. Some rough edges, and some outright broken bits here and there, but there was a lot of brilliant design to be found. Life got busy and I didn't pay much attention over the next decade or so, but when I started getting back into games again, I discovered "Bloodlines" hadn't been entirely forgotten, and had actually developed a pretty devoted fanbase. Now, I'm hoping the sequel eventually sees the light of day (er, maybe not the right phrase to use).

[@MattOBrienMcMaster]

I saw the article in PC gamer magazine, and got it in December 2004. It was buggy as hell, but very quickly became my favourite game. Glad I spotted this gem when it came out. I play it every year.

[@paulmiller7838]

Proud to say I had pre-orded the game back when it was released and have played it so many times I could not even count them all. Absolutely one of my all time favorite games.

[@kisnyirati]

This is a game that is ALWAYS in my mind and FOREVER in my heart. Whenever I reinstall my operationg system, Vampire Bloodlines is the first game I install on it with the latest version of the wonderfully made Unofficial patch that resurrects this flawed masterpiece. An yes, it is 2024, a new year, and an old familiar chill down my spine as I click on the icon right at this moment.

[@mihaisandu2410]

Thank you for making this video! It brings me to tears seeing the dedication and support this game has had from fans over the years. Wanting to work in the video game industry myself, it just goes to show that good games are always fueled by passion and sadly many AAA games today fail at that. The VTM community will endure for a long time to come!

[@porkers7792]

One of my favorite games of all time. I discovered it, all the way back in the early 2010's, as a high schooler. Already there were unofficial patches for the game, but I had no idea. I ran it raw, and while it was messy and needed lots of help, I still had a decent time. With the UP it just became glorious. Running a Clan Quest Mod playthrough at the moment and honestly, VTMB is a cultural icon and a monument to over two decades of hard work and passion, by devs and modders. It's aesthetics and themes practically define my personal tastes and fashion nowadays. I doubt any devs or modders will ever see this comment, but I did want to share my enthusiasm and thanks. It was, and is, amazing.

[@js8411]

This was a great video! Here’s hoping you do more like this in the future (length, content, presentation).

[@eded3827]

Hey I recently commented, asking if you were still making videos! It is great to see you you back!!!!

[@eded3827]

Also, is your living situation sorted??

[@retrohistories]

It is, I’m doing great now! thanks for asking!

[@eded3827]

@@retrohistories good to hear!! I also really enjoy this video: Vampire Bloodlines!

[@barretmc]

I've seen so many videos on the topic by now, and yet i feel like you brought lots things that still needed to be heard. im a fan

[@apock88]

Ironic that Cannot be Tammed did the VO for this video, since her review is also pretty fantastic. I always love when youtubers I love collaborate.

[@SubwaySweden]

The game that has always been closest to my heart..... Bloodlines for me is like a loved one, I know they have flaws but I can't help loving them

[@zahreel3103]

Best Bloodlines retrospective ever. Very, very well done. Liked and subbed

[@anishinaabae]

my mom bought this game when it was first released and it rocked my entire life as a geeky 12 year old! i'd been obsessed with vampires ever since watching my brothers play castlevania: symphony of the night (i was only 5!) and my obsession with RPGs followed shortly after. i'm 31 years old now and it still remains one of my favourite games; i wish there were more like it! i chose malkavian on my first playthrough and i'd be lying if i said i wasn't still a little chuffed with myself for doing so, considering the malks reputation for being one of the more difficult clans to go in blind with. i think my love of purple prose combined with an annoying desire to constantly read between the lines made malkavian a good fit for me! all of this to say - thanks mom! you're one cool bitch.

[@garbearfar1394]

I am still eagerly awaiting any news on bloodlines 2. I hope the short stories and battle Royale bring in enough money to continue development but it’s been silent for awhile. Great vid!

[@Ariaelyne]

Blood Hunt is produced by Sharkmob, not Paradox. There's no income line from one to the other.

[@daem0nfaust]

The insert of Smaller God is just perfectly dramatic.

[@Booksn0b]

Was a hardcore fan at the time, and I was shocked when I found it in a bargain bin without even hearing anything about release previously. I remember that day because I was legitimately surprised. I still love the game, have replayed it at least once a year since release. Great soundtrack too.

[@lelxrv]

I remember wanting to play the game. But I had a weak PC in 2004 and the game was buggy af. I had to wait like 10 minutes for the game to load when you transition from map to map. I couldn't play it. I gave it another chance in something like 10 years later. With Wesp's patch, I was gobsmacked. Killer atmosphere, amazing NPCs with plenty of personality, some dark yet entertaining stories and plenty of replay value... I still replay it at least once a year every since. It doesn't get old for me. There's nothing else like it. Oh, and I also love the era of early 00s, that it depicts. Music, fashion etc. My college days.

[@Alernategem]

The montage at the end with “a smaller god” made me cry

[@InfernoFoundry]

I was one of those original 72,000. I bought this game the same day I bought Half Life 2. It didn't take me long to finish HL2, and I was soon playing Bloodlines. I thought the game, especially the writing, was brilliant. And I loved the RPG elements. This was how a vampire game should be. I remember dancing for hours to the great soundtrack in the clubs that were in the game ... Just so I could hear those cool songs. Sure.. it was janky... it didn't play like HL2.. it didn't have a gravity gun like HL2... it didn't have great polished combat.. but what it did have... it more than made up for it in spades. Never mind the fact that there was specific content for specific clans that you wouldn't get it you played any other clan. It had a killer amount of re-playability. This game is a classic. 9/10

[@fellowtraveler2251]

We should crowd fund a remaster. Get the OG devs in and complete the game.

[@MorrisJoshua26]

All thank Troika for their contributions!

[@freebatman4everyone]

What a phenomenal retrospective. I genuinely teared up as 'A Smaller God' kicked in, and the growing patch version number - and greater review scores - flew by, one after the other. Let's hope the sequel has a similar or better fate than the original.

[@horseradishpower9947]

I was smiling, as I remembered playing the game over and over with those patches... Wesp5, Warner Spherl... he is the absolute hero of VTMB. He kept on with the Unofficial Ptch, and now it is just amazing how much the game has grown. I remember back in 2005 that I should savour the game because it was going to end up forgotten, and buried. So glad I was wrong.

[@kvltslime2261]

unfortunately looks like bl2 is in another development hell although it looks like paradox stepped in to get some more competant devs on it. so here's hoping

[@horseradishpower9947]

@@kvltslime2261 Yes, and no. The development hell is because of Paradox. If you look at what went on with White Wolf, you see a pattern with Paradox. When you look at the timeline, things happened after the Damsel reveal. Fans were disgruntled before, because there was a number of issues emerging. Things like the gameplay, for example. Damsel was criticised, because she looks wrong. Also, the Russian on her T-shirt was wrong, as pointed out by Russian fans. So all they needed to do was to make her look like a college girl, and they would be much more on the way. My deep suspicion is that after the Damsel complaints, Paradox decided to take a close look, and see what the heck was going on. And I suspect that there is a plotline in the game, where Damsel is able to get enough local vampires to go Anarch, and take a portion of the city as an Anarch Free State. This is nothing terrible, and in fact would be rather interesting. Unfortunately, if I am right, the development team fell foul of bad timing. Just before the Damsel reveal trailer, you had the whole CHAZ/CHOP Antifa mess in Seattle. The game is set in Seattle. And given how Paradox is not beyond firing whole divisions en masse - look at White Wolf - you can see Paradox overreacted. And when you look at employee accounts of the company, Hardsuit Labs was a fun place to be, until they had Paradox breathing down their necks. Then it became an unpleasant experience. What Paradox should have done was delay the game a year, so then things could be polished, and to distance themselves from the unfortunate coincidence. As it is, it clearly was nearly scrapped after Hardsuit walked away and handed over all of the game assets to Paradox. The new team was an internal group from within Paradox, and IMDB is now showing more voice actors, not less. And you still have the original six actors listed. This is how close to finish the game was. You had voice actors being brought in, and you also had merchandising being prepared. Again, it is just a theory of mine, but it does fit the facts at hand, and I have yet to see a better explanation.

[@yack6182]

Bloody amazing, you are incredible my friend. This video essentially has all i like, down to the voice. BRA-VO. Don't tend to comment too often and this video, the hardships that such a small studio had to endure, a -even if necessary evil- greedy publisher ripping the cash of such amount of sweat poured by others and YOU, with this masterpiece of a documentary, made me want to do my next thesis around The legal conditions of GameDevs and the unfair treatment not covered by most civil, commercial and labour law which needs to be adressed. Thank you for putting so much effort, so much time, passion and such a voice. May the torch that the small team lighted, the community kept alive and that you today passed on on all of us, serve tomorrow for brighter gaming and labour rights future. Please, DON'T STOP MAKING THESE VIDEOS. I will definitely need something to watch every night :)

[@lookdawg187]

When this game first came out I got stuck at the first Tzimisce haha then I learned about side quests to get xp. I actually played it today again, still worth it, especially that unofficial patch is gold.

[@km099]

Wesp5 is a legend for saving the game

[@poskeegget8043]

I bought this from the shelves. And I'll readily admit that the reason for it was the cover girl. Jeanette. Little did I know at the time that I had bought my all time favourite game, and honestly the most immersive game I have ever had the pleasure of having. I now have a hard copy, on steam and on GoG. Played it through multiple times, and the unofficial patch versions keep making it feel fresh somehow. The latest being the best of the lot, especially for Malkavians. We may or may not ever get the second one. . . but the first one still stands tall, while so many other games crumble into obscurity as new games take their place. Bloodlines is still enjoying it's reign.

[@quietdignityandgrace]

So you are working along, on schedule, meeting budgets, then the publisher (or even Your HR) changes your deadline, then blames you for a delay? How does that work exactly?

[@mikfhan]

Bloodlines was not a failure of Troika, it was a goddamn miracle. The failure was squarely at Activision. Marketing had spoken . If there ever was a case for crowd-funded self-publishing, this is it. Imagine what could have been. I get that ambition must be reined in, scope locked and complications anticipated, but releasing on the DAY of HL2 instead of spending crucial time on polish, AND not letting devs choose the gold master... Might as well just accelerate the car when you see a wall ahead of you.

[@ericneo2]

Wow those cosplays are amazing

[@dragonflyradio127]

So many fond memories. Funny because I lived in Irvine, but I bought the game in Germany at an Udo Lehrman, played it through; no technical issues at all. I am very confident of the timeline because I played it on the PC I had bough, in Irvine from Dr Henry at isoPC, for my wife as a wedding present just a few months earlier. She still tells people of how she would awake to find me still playing feom the night before. And I definitely played as a nosferatu on the third go around, or maybe the fourth. No issues for me. Fond memories of that game. Warrens were pretty vacant. Still have the disc and box, too.

[@michadybczak4862]

I was one of the people who bought it at premiere day, because I was a fan of the first game: Redemption. I was waiting for Bloodlines and was not disappointed with the incredible, unique climate and the story. It was buggy and not possible to finish at first, but an unofficial patch fixed it very soon. I can say this is one of my most favorite games ever! I would say, that my 3 top games would be: Vampires Bloodlines, Baldur's Gate II and Morrowind. I still have the chills when hearing music, seeing game locations. This is a world I would love to plunge and live in - it was dark, devious, even insane, but so atmospheric and mysterious. The only true flaw was that the game world was too small, so we couldn't enjoy it more.

[@nebeskisrb7765]

It physically hurts to know how many people bought the game after Troika's closure. If there is any game you are morally in the right to pirate, it's Bloodlines.

[@SWW_Productions]

This was great! Nicely done! A trip down memory lane, especially seeing those old magazine covers near the end of the documentary. 👏

[@JoyZoneYT]

That was some bloody good content. Thanks for your efforts researching and putting it all together.

[@banks3388]

Thanks for the video mate, hope you had a great Christmas!

[@bonyboneyard]

excellent video, i got goosebumps at 17:00.

[@krasuch]

I played it years ago. I think I'll get it on GOG. What I remember is how this game kept me surprised with maybe limited but yet non-linear plotlines and twists. It crashed at one point, but I really appreciated the time spent with it. Highly recommended!

[@dmatveev89]

Interesting story. I remember the time it came out and I couldn't even run a demo on my PC (and had no issues at all with HL2 on the same setup). Knew the release was raw, but never knew it was actually such a flop. Glad it has got credit with the years. Kudos to the developers and the enthusiasts.

[@leinadreign3510]

I bought the game on its release day. And I re-bought it later on GOG again. I also bought some CDs of Chasm, who made the Track "Isolated" and Genitortures, just becuase of this game. My brother watched me playing it back in the day. He still remembers the hotel. It impacted its players. Good games get praise and high rates in magazines. But outstanding ones leave a footprint in your life and show you different things you are getting in to. No GTA or Halflife or Cyberpunk could do it. But Bloodlines did. That is the magic of this game.

[@densydodo]

This video gave me genuine spine tingles. Really, really good.

[@n.l.4626]

I didn't play it until years later when I accidentally found a copy on sale, after almost all the bugs had been meted out - and it is hands down one of the best adventure RPGs that ever existed. If I adjust the game for the standards of its time, it's up there with Baldur's Gate II, KotOR, Elder Scrolls III and The Witcher III (each of the aforementioned games having been my favorite RPG at the time I played it).

[@ZAPIZOOLIO]

Great video, please continue your amazing work!

[@tmrferreira]

I love this game so much, maybe because I'm a huge fan of Vampire The Masquerade since 1993. But it's visuals, the amazing soundtrack, the mood.... damn, I love Bloodlines. This video made me cry. Too bad Bloddlines 2 gonna suck. Thanks for this video.

[@SeasoningTheObese]

Bloodlines 2 is going to be a completely identical disaster, only it will never be fixed, or modded, or even remembered even a few months after they plop it out in a total abortion of a release. How sad.

[@Kidcrowley]

That’s because the product itself is bad. TCR wasn’t the right studio to pull it off and firing Mitsoda and Chris was just the worst call Paradox could have made.

[@jimmy8154]

I played this game at an internet cafe when I was 16. It was one of the many titles they had available on their (at the time) high-end PCs. It was my introduction to the WoD and to this day remains my favorite RPG I've ever played.

[@AbsitInvidea]

I've played this game so many times. It and System Shock 2 are my all time favorites.

[@ratatatuff]

I was one of the people who played it at release. How couldn't I, when I played V:tM? Despite all the bugs I so loved this game.

[@play_history]

Many congratulations Chris! Very heavy stuff, deep into the heart of the rocky new stage of development in the industry. A great effort over a complex subject.

[@jasonblalock4429]

Holy crap, welcome back after 2 years! Nice to see a new video.

[@SaponaceousOne]

Thank you for this, I had no idea the situation had been that bad during development!