The Bloodline
- October 5, 2023
- Shieldbearer Studios
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"The Bloodline" is an open-world fantasy action RPG, where you are a descendant of the Harbinger bloodline, chosen to protect the world of Eudros from the impending threat of the Unforgiven. Your choices and actions shape your journey, as you follow questlines, form alliances, or explore the world freely, with rewards for playing how you want. Almost every action you take earns you experience in various skills, from combat to social interactions.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a lot of potential and offers a unique blend of mechanics from various RPGs, making it fun and engaging.
- The movement system, including wall running and grappling hooks, adds a dynamic element to exploration and combat.
- The developer is very active in the community, regularly updating the game and responding to feedback.
- The game is still very buggy and lacks polish, with many features and areas marked as 'coming soon'.
- The overworld travel system can feel tedious and disrupts immersion, as it requires loading screens between areas.
- Many quests are unfinished or bugged, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
- gameplay612 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this early access title is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics, including a diverse skill tree, fun combat, and unique movement options like grappling hooks and wall running. However, players have noted significant bugs, unfinished features, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience. While the game shows great potential and offers a sandbox environment with many mechanics to explore, it currently requires patience due to its rough edges and incomplete systems.
“The gameplay is exceedingly fun and engaging.”
“The core mechanics focused around ragdoll/momentum physics paired with a massive arsenal of spells and skills makes for a very fun experience.”
“It's goofy fun, open-ended gameplay in a hand crafted sandbox world I've had a blast exploring!”
“I understand the idea of trying to streamline travel between certain locations and the role it plays in seeing the world events, but this mechanic is completely immersion-breaking and detrimental to the new player experience.”
“Basic game mechanics do not work.”
“This game was very obviously released too soon if even the simplest of game mechanics don't work the way they should.”
- story592 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is currently minimal and primarily consists of scattered fetch quests, with a simple overarching narrative about a noble bloodline. While some players find the premise intriguing, many express disappointment in the lack of depth and polish, noting that quests often feel unfinished or buggy. Overall, the game is seen as a sandbox experience where players can create their own stories, but it requires significant development to enhance the narrative and quest structure.
“The main story isn't pushy and it comes up naturally.”
“The campaign as it is consists of a fairly enthralling story regarding your family and the bloodline the game is titled for.”
“The story seems intriguing, with the fact that you're from a noble family that has kind of fallen from grace, but is then restored via building up your castle which generates passive and active buffs/stores for you to buy from.”
“The game world story is for the most part nonexistent.”
“The story at this point consists mostly of scattered fetch quests but it's not the story that's the appeal of this game.”
“The quests as present feel rough, more focused on getting the quest in the game and working and to be refined as development progresses.”
- stability406 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, making it a frustrating experience for many players. While some find enjoyment in its chaotic nature, the instability often leads to game-breaking issues, such as soft locks and performance drops. As it is still in early access, players are advised to save frequently and manage their expectations regarding stability and overall polish.
“Runs great, fought through the tombs, got into a fight with 8 goblins, holding strong until the ogre came.”
“The game runs smoothly, allowing for an immersive experience without interruptions.”
“I appreciate the stability of the game; it rarely crashes and provides a seamless gameplay experience.”
“The game is a buggy mess; I have fallen through the ground multiple times. I had one of my playthroughs auto-save in a lava pit that returns when you reload the area, so it got hard locked and I couldn't even play my save.”
“When the game released, it was indeed a buggy mess, with a lot of optimization needed, running at 20 fps with my i7-2600, GTX 1660, and 16GB RAM (HDD).”
“Incredibly buggy game to the point where it isn't even funny.”
- optimization300 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 32 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including frequent stuttering, low frame rates, and crashes, particularly in densely populated areas. While some improvements have been noted since its early access launch, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized, making it difficult to enjoy even on high-end systems. Players express hope for future updates to address these critical performance concerns.
“Performance wise, I would recommend just sticking to 'epic' (RTX 4080 at 2K with avg FPS 80) for the highest quality of graphics as they removed weird lags from many areas in the game.”
“The game is very polished and satisfying in some areas, but lacks maturity in other areas of design, and still wrestles with stability and performance.”
“It's very early into early access right now but I've been able to play a ton and have a lot of fun, there's tons of loot, secrets, skills, hidden locations, and from what I understand what's currently in the game is hardly a fraction of what's to come.”
“Good potential and concept, but horrendous optimization, a ton of stutters while having a lot of bugs.”
“I want to love this game but at this state, it is entirely too buggy and has too many optimization issues to be able to continuously play.”
“The main one I have is the horrible performance, I have a 3080, a 3700x, and 32GB of RAM and I get ~35fps when fighting enemies and when using one of my abilities it caused the game to go to 15fps which led me to save and load the game, the problem was fixed.”
- graphics204 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a simplistic, low-poly art style that some find charming while others consider it basic or outdated. Performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches, are common complaints, particularly in larger instances or when using certain spells. Despite these drawbacks, many players appreciate the game's artistic direction and potential for improvement, suggesting that the focus on gameplay over high-end visuals may appeal to those seeking a more content-rich experience.
“The graphics are lovely and considering this is an early access game, it's very well polished and I have yet to encounter any bugs.”
“The art style is great, the ambient sounds are terrific.”
“The graphics fit the game very well.”
“In the big instances, like the pond near the start of the game, it is very, very laggy, even when turning down every single graphics setting to low.”
“I can't even make it out of the starting area without running into a major graphical issue, not being able to attack, the actual pause menu having my cursor disappear, or the amount of frame drops I get just from looking at a stone wall with a 3060 GPU bringing the game to a complete slideshow.”
“The graphics are very 'meh' and there is definitely a fair amount of jankiness in the game, but this is an early access title, through and through.”
- grinding126 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics receive mixed feedback, with many players finding certain aspects, like resource gathering and side quests, to be tedious and repetitive. However, some enjoy the grind, particularly when it involves engaging mini-games and skill progression, which can make the experience feel rewarding. Overall, while the game has a lot of potential and fun elements, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment for those who prefer a more streamlined experience.
“The hookshot makes exploration fun, not tedious or mundane.”
“Not too tedious to keep me from wanting to do them.”
“My biggest complaint is in the grinding nature of the game progression.”
“Farming resources is a true hell, you need tons to build up one building and on the combat map you need to click 3 times to get 3 pieces of material.”
“Needing 200 wood for a building plus other materials is just too grindy and halts progression.”
- humor114 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its quirky mechanics, particularly the ragdoll physics and the often hilarious bugs that players encounter, which tend to enhance rather than detract from the experience. Many players find themselves laughing at the absurdity of combat interactions and the unexpected outcomes of skills, despite the game's clunky interface and numerous bugs. Overall, the game offers a fun and entertaining experience, with a strong emphasis on comedic elements that keep players engaged.
“Honestly, every bug I've encountered has just made me laugh; the experience of parrying and disarming a goblin only for him to T-pose at you and accept his fate of imminent death is hilarious.”
“So this game is amazing, especially for early access. The combat is very fun, being able to pick up and toss random junk and also using cryomancy to make slippery spots on the ground for enemies to ragdoll on is hilarious.”
“This is hilarious and ridiculous fun, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
“You're not funny!”
- music62 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic and atmospheric qualities reminiscent of classic titles like Stronghold, while others find it generic or unbalanced, particularly during combat. Many players appreciate the ambient tracks that enhance exploration, though some feel the lack of consistent music can lead to dull moments. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point for a budget title, contributing positively to the game's immersive experience.
“The music is great and the environment looks wonderful.”
“It is still in early access, so there are bound to be some bugs, but between the solid plot, diverse enemies, exotic locations, epic musical score, and general charm, this game is a must buy for the beginners, the hardcore, and everyone in between.”
“Love the music system, please don't drop it.”
“Audio/music: sometimes it's unbalanced, and absurdly loud, like with explosions.”
“Basically no music, which is an immense problem. Sound design for attacks and such is good, but no combat or exploration music makes it feel dull.”
“Music is pretty, but feels generic; it could be royalty-free stuff or something, but it's nice and fits the vibe of the game world.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its beautiful and scenic locations, atmospheric map designs, and immersive soundscapes, creating a chill and engaging environment reminiscent of titles like Skyrim and Breath of the Wild. Despite modest visuals, the combination of well-crafted ambient music and a fun, lightweight tone enhances the overall experience, encouraging exploration and adventure. Players appreciate the blend of various fantasy elements, contributing to a rich and enjoyable atmosphere.
“Beautiful and scenic locations, atmospheric map designs.”
“'The Bloodline' excels in creating an atmospheric and immersive environment despite its modest visuals, thanks to its well-crafted sound design and subtle, yet effective, use of ambient music.”
“However, the game has a very fun, lightweight atmosphere that will see you exploring, adventuring, and battling through the world.”
“Mixture of Skyrim and RuneScape with many interesting mechanics of its own, very chill atmosphere.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a deep emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to engage them profoundly from the start. The carefully crafted storyline and attention to detail evoke strong feelings, making the experience memorable and resonant long after completion. This emotional depth, combined with simple yet impactful gameplay, positions the game as a standout in the indie gaming scene.
“The developer's attention to detail is apparent in the carefully crafted storyline, which, despite its minimalistic approach, manages to evoke a strong emotional response and a sense of connection with the characters and their journey.”
“The developer's commitment to delivering an engaging and polished experience shines through in every detail, creating a memorable and heartfelt journey that resonates with players long after the game is completed.”
“Its simple yet profound gameplay and heartfelt narrative make it a standout gem within the indie gaming landscape, proving that a game doesn't need to be complex to leave a lasting impact on its players.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its high replayability, driven by an interesting skill system, varied combat, and a stylized art style, with players expressing enthusiasm for multiple playthroughs and different character builds. However, some reviewers mention that the gameplay can become stale quickly, and the game's current unpolished state may affect long-term engagement. Overall, while the potential for replayability is strong, it may take time for the game to reach its full potential.
“The skill system is interesting, the combat is fun and varied, the art is stylized well, and once it actually finishes, I think the amount of things you can do in the game will provide a lot of actual replayability.”
“This is an incredibly ambitious game that is so much fun to play, and I can see so much replayability.”
“So much replayability! I've already got three different saves; one is the skeleton lord, and spawning a mob of skeletons to fight other skeletons and goblins is fantastic!”
“One issue I do see in the gameplay loop of this game is that gameplay and replay value gets old and stale very quickly.”
“Abilities, talents, combined with the combat feel is what makes this game playable and replayable regardless of its messy, buggy, unpolished state!”
“The skill system is interesting, the combat is fun and varied, the art is stylized well, and once it actually finishes I think the amount of things you can do in the game are going to give it a lot of actual replayability, but it likely won't get there for a few years.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is viewed positively, with users emphasizing that it is not a cash grab and reflects a genuine effort and passion from the developers. Players appreciate the quality and dedication behind the game, contrasting it with other titles that feel exploitative.
“I've bought too many games that were more of a cash grab and then abandoned, but this one seems like it's a work of passion rather than a cash grab.”
“And you can tell they've put a lot of work into making the game, so it's definitely not a cash grab.”
“Not a cash grab.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is seen as intriguing and engaging, offering a variety of activities such as fighting, crafting, and city-building. However, many users express frustration over unfinished and bugged elements, suggesting that the developer may not prioritize resolving these issues, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Anyway, it's very interesting character development; it's an RPG to kill many hours - fighting, crafting, gathering, building your own city.”
“The direction this developer is taking leads me to believe that the unfinished and bugged parts of the character development are going to stay that way because they 'work.' Adding new content to explore is fine and all, but don't leave what's already been created unfinished. It feels like a project started by someone with ADHD, who can't be bothered to finish parts of the game they are no longer interested in.”
