Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

If you want more: TTRPG-based video game adaptations with a history of technical problems
Notable differences: Less shooter-focused, greater parity with its tabletop source material, vampiric urban fantasy, no open world (despite explorable “hubs”)
Availability: Windows

Released in 2004 in a very messy state, Vampire: The Masquerade —- Bloodlines tripped over itself so that Cyberpunk 2077 could stumble down the stairs. Vampire and Cyberpunk both occupy two great video game canons: interesting TTRPG adaptations on one hand, and technical shitshows on the other. So at a minimum, if you’re into the history of games, Bloodlines should be on your list of gaming redemption stories.

While Vampire’s woes probably didn’t bring about the same level of embarrassment as 2077’s, it’s certainly notable as a game that turned itself around as best it could. This time, the improvements came from dedicated modders who worked on the miraculous unofficial patch, which is a must even if you’re not into modding.

Based on World of Darkness’ role-playing system (you won’t need a truckload of d10s, though), Vampire is a very dark, sexy, and engrossing first-person RPG set in a gothic Los Angeles where you’ll encounter any number of eccentric and interesting characters connected through the bloody maze of vampiric politics. Even with the unofficial patch, it’s still a little rough around the edges. It’s rather finicky to control, does weird things graphically, and has a look that inspires comedy perhaps more than it intends. But it’s certainly worth pushing through a bit of rusty jank for the wealth of role-playing excellence underneath.