If you think about it, boomer shooters are a bit like sonnets, in a way—this specific art form repeating through history, with each new movement or artist adding its own touches every once in a while. At the end of the day, a sonnet is still a sonnet, even if one written by Shakespeare is distinct from one written by Petrarch. Here, it’s the same; you can anticipate exactly how Brazilian Drug Dealer Before 4 will play, but it’s worth it for its little idiosyncrasies. In this grandiose analogy, maybe John Romero can be Petrarch, and Joeveno can be Claudio Manuel da Costa. Could Mit Aia be his dead beloved? After all, romantic love and discharging a shotgun into an enemy sprite are universal feelings we can all relate to, even if we all experience them in our own way. The pellets, how they pierce them so, till they feel it and weep. And I wander around, searching for more ammo, like a creature that often shies and kicks. In that sense, Brazilian Drug Dealer Before 4 didn’t exactly tug at my heartstrings, but I could at least tell that its feelings were sincere.
For those interested in First Light in the here and now, however, all this makes it a hard sell. Both Hitman fans and stealth-game aficionados will most likely find it lacking, and everyone else looking for something different that’s equally worthwhile won’t find much more than half-measures in all directions. But, if you’re looking for the latest blockbuster to tide you over until the next one, then I don’t think you’ll be able to do better for a while to come.
So, where does all this leave Bloodlines 2? To tell you the truth, hopefully far away from your digital library. If a pair of protagonists who are easy to get attached to and a strong emotional core are all it takes to get you gushing over a game, you’ll find enough to love here, but it’s all aesthetics of something more past that, without ever fulfilling the premise; aesthetics of complex characters, aesthetics of a brutal combat system, aesthetics of political intrigue, aesthetics of an RPG. To experience Bloodlines 2 feels like finally being able to play through one of those “All Cutscenes” compilation videos you’d find on YouTube. I’m looking at the screen, and it looks like I’m playing a video game. But am I really? And I definitely wouldn’t recommend pulling up one of those YouTube videos, as you’d be relieving yourself of the opportunity to make that little bit of heartfelt storytelling your own.
The pathfinding will remain poor, Soulstorm’s balance still has room for improvement, and the match options won’t let you have that game of your dreams, but this is still a version of an exciting, unique RTS that you can get running with slightly less hassle than the original. More recent Warhammer 40,000 titles have better campaigns that better integrate what’s best about their gameplay with the presentation and remain fun even on a replay. Yet none of them offer the sheer carnage combined with awe that Dawn of War does. I think that part of it will always remain solid, all issues considered, and easily recommendable until it's outdone. It’s just a missed opportunity that can equally be said of the original release.