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Finding Your Place in the World of Humans

Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire is an anime style mobile JRPG that you are either playing because you enjoy these titles or because of the Attack on Titan crossover. I will admit that I’m guilty of the latter but it’s the quality of the game itself has kept me playing. Of course, one should not expect anything less from a title published by Crunchyroll Games. 

Crunchyroll Games has always delivered quality mobile games and Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire is no exception. This is another mobile JRPG that is rich in narrative details and story while also being fun to play. 

A Fantasy Becomes Reality

Based on the manhua Bloodline, the game follows Lilo (the Last Royal Vampire of the series) and Ren (a human who gets turned into a vampire). They must work together to save the world and loved ones from the Holy Land, a militaristic religious force. To accomplish this, they must work together while building up their strength for the upcoming conflict. 

First up, it should be noted that I’ve never read the manhua, hence this review will not be comparing the story with the source material. Instead, it will be rated based on its own merit. 

That being said, I find the story easy to follow and understand. You just need to watch the intro to have a good idea of what is happening. However, I will discourage gamers from skipping the cutscenes due to the quality of both the narrative and animation. Even though it feels predictable, the overall delivery makes it so you want to be invested in Ren and Lilo.

The Last of Her Line

Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire has an easy to learn gameplay mechanics. If you have ever played any mobile JRPG then everything will feel familiar. Players will set up their squad with different characters who will bring a unique skill to the battle. Next, they will clear out a level by fighting waves of enemies and the final boss. As players progress they will have to level up each character and their gear (for better results). 

As with most titles published by Crunchyroll Games, it’s not too pushy with the microtransactions. They exist but you’re not pressured into buying them. Players could have a good playthrough without buying any premium currency as the game is very rewarding. You’re more likely to end a playthrough because your phone overheated or the battery is low. 

Taking Back What Was Stolen

For those wondering, was the Attack on Titan crossover worth getting into? My answer is somewhat mixed. I’ve enjoyed playing Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire but I feel the crossover event is a disappointment. All you do is fight Eren, Mikasa, and Levi while hoping to unlock Eren as a character. Or to sum it up, it is very bareboned with few rewards. This is especially true when compared to other mobile JRPG’s that have the same kind of event. 

Overall; don’t expect much from the crossover but do take the time to enjoy everything else that is offered. 

Alone in the Human World

One of Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire biggest issues is that you need to collect so many resources just to upgrade a character or gear.This is a problem that is common in almost every mobile JRPG. Players will need to collect too many different resources to upgrade a character or gear. While this is not the worst I’ve seen, it’s still an annoying grind one needs to do. I get that this is standard in RPG’s but mobile games overdo it to the point that it becomes obnoxiously grindy. 

The Last Royal Vampire

The one thing I would like to see is a Bloodline anime adaptation in the future. The game has done a great job at introducing gamers to the source material so it only makes sense to bring it to life sometime in the future. Making a first impression is important and The Last Royal Vampire has successfully done that.

Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire is a mobile JRPG that is rich in lore that will captivate the player. Crunchyroll Games has once again presents a mobile game that hits all the rights when it comes to telling a solid story in a quality experience. It also introduces the player to a unique series that has the potential to expand into other media. 

Disclaimer: This is a free to play game and I got no extra bonuses from the publisher or developer.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the video game community and industry of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bloodline: The Last Royal Vampire (iOs)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Quality of both the narrative and animation
• Easy to learn gameplay but challenging experience as you progress.
• Solid replay value and plenty of side activites.
• Not too pushy with the microtransactions.

Cons

• Too many verity of resources needed to upgrade characters, weapons and gear.
• Attack on Titan crossover was not that interesting.