Number 4

Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption

Against the backdrop of the highly popular World of Darkness setting Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption was created as direct competition for the slew of advanced dungeons and dragons released under the infinity engine. Redemption opted for a 3D world over the 2D aesthetic of the Infinity games and was a rarity for CRPG games in early 2000. The game has some iffy controls but if you can get past that the complexity of the game’s narrative and the setting, story will sell you on this game. The story is told in two unique time periods; the medieval crusades and modern day New York City. This isn’t a game that features a few dinky flashbacks its an experience that literally spans centuries. You can find this game on GOG.com and fortunately there is more vampire excellence from World of Darkness to come.

Number 3

Dark Watch

There is this nasty trend in first person shooter development that often leaves us with shitty formulaic games. You take one part hardcore marines, one part alien invaders And two parts crap writing and produce utter mediocrity. High Moon Studios should be applauded for doing something completely different: they made a western and because that wasn’t original enough they added vampires. Dark Watch puts you in the boots and spurs of Jericho Cross a train thief, then unleashes an ancient vampire threat and is forced to join the ranks of the Dark Watch, an ancient organization devoted to ridding the world of vampire menace. The catch is THAT HE IS A VAMPIRE. Dark Watch combines a strong story, some really inventive weapons and a justification for jumping 30 feet in the air in a first person shooter to create something truly special. While it may be the norm for modern games Dark Watch was one of the first shooters to allow you to make choices during the story that would not only dictate your ending but would alter the powers you would get over the course of the game. Oh and it has another card up its sleeve: VAMPIRE SEX.