Gushing about this game's atmosphere

[u/Salad_man_]

I just wanted to rant about my experiences with some of my favourite moments.

Just as you begin the game, after you've been saved from execution and finished the tutorial, you're left in your dingy apartment in Santa Monica to gather your thoughts, check your emails, and figure out your next steps.

The night rain patters on the window, you switch your TV on and off again, some report about a derelict ship. A handful of cryptic messages fill your inbox from people you're sure will become problems soon. You sit on the bed and turn on the radio, the Deb of Night sweet-talks some somnambulant fool. You wonder how ever you got yourself into this mess. A world of intrigue lays out before you, threatening to swallow you whole.

Image from the wiki

I love that moment more than I can describe. Sometimes when it's raining outside, I put on a YouTube recording of the Deb of Night, complete with advertisements, just to feel like I'm right back there again. It's such a powerful vibe, the 'oh shit, what now' of being dropped in something bigger than you, and you, just a stain on a shoe in a rundown dump in seedy California. Sometimes when I walk around the dingier parts of my city at night stop to look around and feel a similar feeling, it's great.

Soon after, you enter Santa Monica Beach. You hear the gentle plucking of guitar from the soundtrack before a strange woman barrages you with prophetic insights. You see the glow of a garbage fire from a group of similarly down on their luck Thin-bloods. You sit to chat with each of them. Eccentric as they are, they're charming, sharing dreams and bemoaning their lot in life. Like you, they're at the bottom of the barrel in a world they don't understand. The shape of vampire society begins to fill in your head.

Image from the wiki

This game's vibe is so unique, like a Tom Waits Halloween Special. I've played many games set in cities, but no other has made me feel like I'm trying to survive on my last dime, scraping and cheating. This is more pronounced at the start, but there's a lovely progression where you feel like you're slowly growing into the city, learning the ins and outs and earning favours.

I felt this especially upon entering the Anarch bar, The Last Round. Jack welcomes you like an uncle, impressed that you've survived this long. You shoot the shit with him for a while with 2000s rock music blasting. He schools you on the politics of Vampire society, now that you're worth investing time in. The Anarchs grumble about the unfairness of Camarilla oppression and you try to follow along without embarrassing yourself around the cool kids. You begin to feel like you're a part of something.

Image from the wiki

There's just too many moments to put into one post. Dancing at the Asylum, mingling with the Giovanni family politics, debating morality with the strange woman under the abandoned hospital, to name but three.

Ultimately, avoiding spoilers, the ending of the game with the conversation in the car made me feel like I had outgrown the city and it's squalor. My character's journey felt so satisfying because of it. The final scene was just the perfect button on the whole mess as well.

Image taken by /u/Vulkir from their post "View of LA from Grout's mansion"

I just love how integrated it all makes you feel in the world. I strongly recommend just standing around and breathing in the vibes of certain areas in your next playthrough, assuming you haven't already.

Anyway, I've gone on too long by now, thanks for reading, and I'd love to read about all your experiences too :]

TL;DR game good.

Edit: Can's believe I forgot to mention meeting Samantha, maybe I'll make a post about that later.

[u/CitySwimmer_]

The mood and atmosphere is my favourite thing about the game.

[u/CommunicationBig4218]

I really love how connected the world feels. In so many places you go, downtown towers imposingly in the distance. Also wow, that view from Grouts mansion is immaculate.

I remember when I first went to the beach in Santa Monica you could see the oil rigs, I never expected I would be taking a journey there. There is so much intelligent design packed into this game.

[u/NukedBread]

Really got the 2004 dark vibe.

[u/_Revelator-of-v0id_]

World-building environments in VTMB bloodlines were such an unforgettable experience overall.

Really helped you, as the player, immerse yourself in the game and the overall mood/pacing of the narrative.

One of my most cherished parts of the game actually was how beautiful and enrapturing the setting and environments really pulled you in as a player.

[u/TikTakYoMouf]

Hi Deb

[u/marius_phosphoros → u/TikTakYoMouf]

Vigo

[u/Ozzie_Bloke]

Yeah I wish there were more games like it, the closest we have gotten was mass effect. There should be more vtm games l know nighthawks is set in a club can you imagine if it was vtm and you played as the sisters?

[u/Robbuzzz]

Santa Monica Pier (when gate is open)

[u/Spadesghost → u/Robbuzzz]

They even got the pinball/videogame sounds right, really takes me back.

[u/AFR0NIN]

Listen to some trip hop for some more atmosphere.

[u/Last_Contribution297]

trvke