The Bloodline - The Adventure is Yours
"The Bloodline", an ambitious project developed by solo developer ShieldBearerDev, is an interesting new entrant into the open-world fantasy RPG genre. In this article, I take a quick look into the game's unique features, gameplay mechanics, and review its current state as it enters Early Access on Steam.
A Unique Fantasy World
"The Bloodline" immerses players in the world of Eudros, where they step into the shoes of a descendant of the Harbinger bloodline, gifted with the power of foresight. This lineage's purpose is to protect Eudros from the Unforgiven, an ancient enemy threatening to return. The game world is vast, diverse, and filled with unique biomes, including blooming towns, magnificent castles, mysterious lakes, and dangerous dungeons.
What sets "The Bloodline" apart is its emphasis on player freedom. You're not limited by a linear narrative; instead, you can follow the main questline or branch out on your own adventures whenever you'd like. Whether you want to explore, join guilds, hunt magical creatures, or even become a bard at a local tavern, the game offers organic opportunities to experience the world as you desire.
A World of Possibilities
The game's open world is teeming with opportunities and activities. "The Bloodline" boasts over 500 skills, numerous weapons and equipment options, and a plethora of spell combinations. Nearly every action you do has a level associated with it. From jumping, climbing, and running to ragdolling, wall-running, and swimming. Craft gadgets and equipment, catch rare fish, cook exotic dishes, brew potions, transform yourself into a beast…
The absence of traditional classes grants you the freedom to create a unique character, whether you wish to be a stealthy assassin, a noble paladin, a necromancer with martial arts skills, or an engineer who can transform into animals.
In combat, players can slow down time, making for exhilarating and strategic encounters. This feature allows for creative combat approaches and adds depth to battles.
Incompleteness and Early Access
Despite the game's promise, it is important to note its Early Access status. While "The Bloodline" already offers a solid gaming experience, it does come with its fair share of bugs, unfinished elements, and performance issues. For instance, the UI for inventory management is clunky, and there's a lack of accessibility options. The segmented world, though designed for travel, may feel immersion-breaking for some players.
Despite the early issues, the developer is actively patching and fixing the game, releasing frequent updates in an effort to improve things. This includes three hot-fix patches -two of which were huge- and a Halloween Update in the 20 days since the title was released in Early Access. And there's no reason to not expect a similar cadence of patching as the game goes through continued refinement and optimisation.
Verdict
Especially when you consider that there is a single developer responsible for "The Bloodline", the game shows immense potential and creativity, offering players an open world filled with adventure and endless possibilities. It's the sort of title that really impresses me in my ongoing quest to spotlight top quality indie games.
While the game has its share of issues and is far from completion, it's already a testament to the developer's dedication.
As the game continues to evolve through Early Access, "The Bloodline" could become a standout title in the action RPG genre. If you can look past its current imperfections and appreciate the sheer ambition behind it, "The Bloodline" is worth keeping an eye on and experiencing as it unfolds.
For those willing to embark on an exciting, albeit incomplete, fantasy adventure, "The Bloodline" is available on Steam, offering a glimpse into a world of potential and a promising gaming experience.
In its current state, "The Bloodline" scores 7½ Blood Splattered Harbingers on the Reddometer. Given a little more time to get it into shape, and that score can easily become an 8½ or even a rare 9!