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The plot development is intriguing and engaging with twists and turns, as various groups within Vampire Society battle it out for supremacy. The Anarchs are in revolt against the Camarilla, hating its rules and hierarchy. The Kuei-Jin reside in China Town, who have ambitions for their own rule of the city, while the Sabbat violently reject the Masquerade all together, believing humans are the lowest form of life and are good enough only as a source of food. As the game progresses you have to make your own choices as to whose ambitions are genuine and who is taking you for a ride, impacting the conclusion of the game. Character development is what this game is all about, and it doesnt disappoint. All the characters you meet along the way have their own agendas and are believable and varied. From vampires with split personalities, to Damsel, the distrusting Anarch, and mysterious Kuei-Jin leaders, the people you meet along your journey really add a level of depth to the game. Interaction is achieved as is usual with RPGs; a list of text options appearing at the bottom of the screen from which to choose your reply. Mostly, these are very good, and provide a wealth of responses, but on occasion some can prove a bit arbitrary, having little effect on the out come of a conversation.
'Interation is achieved with the usual RPG style text options'
The City of LA where the game is played out is divided into four main geographical areas, Santa Monica, Downtown, Hollywood and Chinatown, each of which you open up as you progress through the main quests. Each locale has its own atmosphere, with a myriad of quests and sub-quests that you can do at your own choosing and pace separate to the main story line. It is advisable to do as many of these as you can, both because they add a lot to the game experience, and you are awarded experience points on completion with which you can develop your character further. Some of the level design is fantastic. Early on you find yourself stepping into a haunted house, which truly is one of the scariest gaming experiences I have had we are talking Doom 3 levels of scaredom here that had me playing from underneath my bed! Anticipation is cleverly built up through subject matter, environment and sound without you actually seeing your foe. Other missions and objectives are varied, but on the most part equally satisfying, while often chillingly macabre. You will find yourself defeating various foes of boss type proportions, including giant werewolves, freakishly powerful Sabbat leaders, and Vampire hunters, fulfilling acts of sabotage and even the odd bit of covert sneaking. The boss encounters in particular get extremely difficult as you near the end of the game. Obviously the way in which you choose to achieve these objectives is down to you and your chosen character type.
... Nice Wolfy!
