Bloodline Champions

About

Bloodline Champions is a single player and multiplayer real-time strategy game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Stunlock Studios and was released on October 28, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Bloodline Champions is a competitive online multiplayer game for up to ten players per game, in which two teams fight for dominance. Each player can choose between a variety of playable Bloodlines with different spectacular abilities, from the awesome strength of the Vanguard to the deceptive magic of the Harbinger."

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,036 reviews

gameplay33 positive mentions

grinding25 negative mentions

Bloodline Champions offers fast-paced, skill-based gameplay that emphasizes player skill over grinding or leveling.
The game features a unique roster of champions, each with distinct abilities, allowing for diverse strategies and team compositions.
Despite its small player base, the game has a dedicated community and provides a thrilling competitive experience.

The player base is very low, leading to long queue times and often unbalanced matches against more experienced players.
The game has been criticized for its lack of updates and support from developers, contributing to its decline in popularity.
New players may find the steep learning curve daunting, making it difficult to enjoy the game without prior experience.

gameplay
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The gameplay is widely praised for its unique, fast-paced, and skill-based mechanics, combining elements of traditional MOBAs with first-person shooter controls. Players appreciate the tactical depth and variety of champions, though some note issues with matchmaking and player balance. Overall, the game offers a polished and engaging experience, making it a standout in the arena combat genre.
- “Overall, I think Bloodline Champions was a shining example of what a MOBA should be like, not a trendy product, but something that focuses on the root of all great arena games: fast, skillful, stylized gameplay.”
- “The feel of the game, the gameplay, the champions, it's all executed responsively and flawlessly.”
- “It's a great game, the mechanics are somewhat near to perfect and it's an innovative idea.”
- “Gameplay is decent, but the game itself is rather aged.”
- “It isn't worth the time for a MOBA game with this gameplay fluency.”
- “The gameplay is what made me uninstall it.”
grinding
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
23%
64%
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" in the game are mixed, with many players appreciating the lack of traditional grinding mechanics found in other MOBAs, allowing for immediate engagement in team fights. However, some users express frustration over the introduction of external grinding systems for upgrades and traits, which detracts from the game's original fast-paced, skill-focused gameplay. Overall, while some players enjoy the absence of in-game farming, others feel that the need for external grinding undermines the experience.
- “Since it was all combat and no farming creeps, you had to be on the ball, you had to be constantly using your abilities effectively while being aware of what the enemy champions were doing.”
- “You play mainly as 3v3 with several different bloodlines and you can upgrade yourself slightly out of game with gems and whatnot, but the beauty of the game is that it focuses on the actual teamfights, not farming or solo-laning, which means that each match is usually very fast to finish (maybe 15-30 minutes).”
- “No creeps, no grinding for cash to make your champion stronger, you just go in and beat the crap out of the other players.”
- “The game is now dead and really should be removed from Steam, without enough players to successfully launch a game (and even if there were, it would be horribly lopsided, because anyone playing would be an enthusiast who's already paid the requisite amount of money to max everything out, or maybe just did grinding for over a decade to do so).”
- “Simply put, you either have already played the game, or go through a long and tedious period of learning, constantly getting owned with little success moments to motivate you.”
- “There's no leveling between rounds, though unfortunately they introduced a silly grinding system to get traits, levels, gems, and medallions outside of the game.”
graphics
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique art style and polished visuals, while others criticize them as outdated or simplistic. Many highlight the game's colorful and engaging atmosphere, though some feel it lacks the cutting-edge quality seen in more recent titles. Overall, while the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are often described as enjoyable and well-suited to the game's theme.
- “The game also has a great atmosphere, with a tribal theme, well represented through both visuals and audio.”
- “The art style is eclectic and distinctive, adding to the game's charm.”
- “Awesome game, great graphics and realistic driving.”
- “The gameplay is alright with mediocre graphics, but on top of it all, the community is dead.”
- “Where the game fails is in the art style chosen for the entire game... in my opinion, it isn't very catchy and pleasing to the eye; it has a dark-tribal-cartoonish slightly unpolished aspect, which I believe is the game's biggest problem.”
- “Uninspired graphics, frustrating matchmaking, bland gameplay.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's story is minimal and often overshadowed by its gameplay focus, with some players noting it resembles familiar narratives from previous iterations. While there is a short story present, it lacks depth and coherence, making it less engaging compared to the gameplay experience. New players can access certain characters for free, but the overall narrative remains a secondary aspect of the game.
- “This is a story most of us familiar with BLC before Steam know of.”
- “While the character purchasing model may be a deterrent to some, new players do get a freebie for completing the beginner quests.”
- “It actually has better gameplay than LoL, but the story makes about as much sense.”
- “Only gameplay, doesn't include a story.”
- “There is a story, but most of the game is focused on gameplay.”
- “It actually has better gameplay than League of Legends, but the story makes about as much sense.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often highlighted as a key aspect, particularly when playing with friends, as it fosters laughter during competitive and casual play alike. Users appreciate the comedic elements of the tournament system and the overall fun atmosphere, although some find it less amusing on their own. Overall, the game's humor shines brightest in social settings, making it a source of enjoyment for groups.
- “The skins and champions are amazing; sadly this game has died and no one really plays, but that doesn't mean my friends don't play it. We have an amazing time laughing and fighting each other.”
- “With a funny tournament system that runs automatically.”
- “Very funny with friends, tournaments, and guilds at the program :D”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere in the game is noted for its unique visuals and engaging bloodline themes, contributing to a captivating experience. However, it also quickly devolves into a toxic and antisocial environment, contrasting sharply with its initial appeal. Overall, while the game boasts a strong tribal aesthetic, the community dynamics can significantly impact the overall atmosphere.
- “The game has great atmosphere, with a tribal theme, well represented through both visuals and audio.”
- “This game has great atmosphere and an interesting take on the MOBA genre.”
- “The visuals and atmosphere in BLC were unique, and each bloodline was distinct and engaging to play.”
- “I played a bunch of hardcore, 'unwelcoming' games, but this game is the only one that managed to develop a ridiculously antisocial atmosphere within mere hours and devolve into a complete toxic mess in a matter of days.”
- “It usually takes a relatively long time for a game to develop an unwelcoming atmosphere, and some don't develop that at all.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The monetization aspect of the game has faced criticism due to the previous publisher's implementation of unethical microtransactions and RNG mechanics, which detracted from the developers' original vision. Additionally, a lack of advertising has contributed to low player awareness and engagement, leading to concerns that the game's potential remains unfulfilled. Overall, while the game is highly regarded, its monetization strategy and marketing efforts have hindered its success.
- “Unfortunately, the previous publisher 'Funcom' ruined this game by pushing the very thing the developers were set out to avoid: RNG, unethical microtransactions (P2W).”
- “Best game ever! I really love this game, but there are not many players who play it because they don't have ads. Some people want to play a game like this, but they don't know about it. No people, no money, no ads, and again no money. This game is totally dead.”
- “With a bit of love and better advertising, this game can most definitely be one of the more well-known semi-ranked top-dogs such as Smite, Dota 2, and such.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the good sound quality and enjoyable tracks, others criticize the repetitive background music that cannot be turned off, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The character designs, music, and gameplay will forever be etched in my brain.”
- “Audio: good sound and music.”
- “Good music.”
- “Horrid repetitive background music that you can't turn off.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting moments of genuine reward and satisfaction, despite its limited popularity compared to giants like Dota 2 and LoL. The experience is described as impactful enough to evoke tears, with a sense of hope fostered by the game's release from Funcom. However, some players feel that the initial challenges could be lessened to enhance emotional engagement.
- “I cried.”
- “The release from Funcom made me feel hopeful.”
- “It's not random like chests and really made me feel I was rewarded for playing, although getting those first few bloodlines could've been made easier.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviewers highlight that the character development is enhanced by striking designs and engaging gameplay, drawing comparisons to League of Legends but emphasizing a more focused experience centered on team fights. The brevity of matches allows for quick, intense interactions that further enrich the characters' appeal.
- “The character designs, music, and gameplay will forever be etched in my brain.”
- “The character development is incredibly engaging, making each character feel unique and memorable.”
- “The depth of character progression keeps you invested in their stories and growth throughout the game.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me wanting more complexity.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices in character progression made the experience feel linear and unengaging.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant issue, with players frequently experiencing freezes and lag spikes, even during critical moments. Despite having a low ping, users report sudden jumps to high latency, which disrupts gameplay and diminishes the overall experience.
- “I cannot count how many times the game freezes at clutch points for no reason at all.”
- “I mean, I like this game, but I lag out of every match, sitting at 17 ping and it jumps to 460 and freezes.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on a wide range of hardware, and allows players to significantly influence team performance rather than relying on traditional support roles.
- “You have a high impact on team performance (no classic selfless supports, for instance).”
- “Moreover, hardware-wise, it's a very light game that runs smoothly on almost every machine.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it difficult to maintain a stable frame rate during intense moments.”
- “I often experience long loading times and frequent stuttering, which really detracts from the overall gameplay experience.”
- “The lack of proper optimization means that even high-end systems struggle to run the game smoothly, leading to frustration.”

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77%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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108h Median play time

227h Average play time

9-500h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Bloodline Champions is a real-time strategy game with fantasy theme.

Bloodline Champions is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 227 hours playing Bloodline Champions.

Bloodline Champions was released on October 28, 2011.

Bloodline Champions was developed by Stunlock Studios.

Bloodline Champions has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Bloodline Champions is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Battlerite, Gigantic, Battlerite Royale, Atlas Reactor, Awesomenauts - the 2D moba and others.

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