Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

This game is one of the greatest examples of how important community is in gaming. Vampire: The Masquerade had a rushed release, plagued with bugs and underdeveloped content. Thirteen years later, it's a polished cult classic that still offers an unmatchable experience. That's all thanks to the hard work of modders, whose unofficial patches let the excellent base game shine through. As a result, it really is a joy to play. Vampire RPGs are rare, and Bloodlines offers the best customization by far. You can choose between various myth-inspired races and classes, each with its own abilities and statistics. It's possible to be a strength enhanced warrior, a blood mage, or a stealthy assassin. Whatever your choice, staying hidden will feature in the game. In this world, Vampires are not yet common knowledge, and it's essential that you keep your abilities hidden from the humans. With this, Troika Games manages to imbue a constant tension, and that's heightened by great writing. Characteristically, the Troika team has built in a winding story that's inspired by the synonymous board games. A fledgling, the player must uncover a mystery surrounding the sarcophagus of a powerful vampire. Characters don't just point you in the direction of a quest, they interact naturally and have regular lives. Plot threads behave naturally, rather than leading directly to the next point. Combined with expressive soundtrack and dialogue, this title is a must play for any RPG fan.