Blood II: The Chosen

Blood II: The Chosen is a 1998 computer game falling into the FPS category, developed by Monolith Productions and published by GT Interactive. It is a sequel to Monolith previous game Blood featuring a completely new, fully 3D engine that was developed in-house by Monolith, the LithTech engine.

Story
The year is 2028 and Caleb, the undead anti-hero from Blood, after the final confrontation with his old master, the god Tchernobog, has spent the last century trying to figure out a way to resurrect his fallen comrades, including his lost love Ophelia, but to no avail. During these years he has grown somewhat more tolerant towards other people, so much that he can actually avoid killing everyone he runs into, but not that much to stop him from bringing along a weapon wherever he goes. However the Cabal, the cult of Tchernobog, is not dead, but has undergone a radical change that transformed what once was a dark, secret cult into CabalCo (short for Cabal Company), a powerful and wealthy business company. The Cabal in its new form still seeks to dominate the world, but rather than using magical means, it employs the power arising from its preheminent economical position, penetrating into the everyday life of the people thus controlling it. Apparently the Cabal has decided to briefly forget about Caleb (labelled as the Great Betrayer), but it has not forgiven him: Gideon, the man behind the Cabal's change and current head of CabalCo, wishes to bring back his cult to its full, former glory by slaying Caleb and getting back from him the Tchernobog powers the Chosen has absorbed after defeating the god.

Gideon appears to Caleb, goading him into a chase across some of the most dangerous CabalCo controlled locations. Contemporarily a growing number of dimensional rifts are opened, allowing creatures from another dimension to cross the border and reach our world. Caleb is therefore tasked both with the necessity to stop Gideon and CabalCo from dominating the world and to close the dimensional rifts with the Tchernobog powers he owns, to avoid a fatal collapse of the fabric of space and time. During his quest Caleb receives the help of the other Chosen, Gabriella, Ishmael and Ophelia brought back to our reality by the dimensional rifts.

Singleplayer
In single mode the player can choose to undertake the game's quest against the Cabal as one of the four Chosen. However only when playing as Caleb the in-game cinematics are shown and the story developed (playing as Caleb will therefore be considered as the standard choice throughout this article). Blood II gameplay is influenced by the character choice at the game start-up because every Chosen has different weapons marksmanship levels and different amounts of maximum hit points and armor level. For instance, Gabriella can deal out the maximum damage when using firearms, but she is not skilled in the usage of magical items. She also has the strongest armor level available. Conversely Ishmael and Ophelia are more dangerous when using magical weapons, such as the Voodoo Doll or the Life Leech. Caleb is the most balanced character being able to use with good efficacy both firearms and magical means.

The game is divided in chapters: each chapter can be reached by the player only completing the precious one. During the first chapter Gideon appears on a Cultist filled underground train, taunting Caleb and starting the chase that will take Caleb across the city, into a museum, through the steam tunnels, to CabalCo's Center for Disease Management, an airship, then again across the city and to an old cathedral in ruins for the showdown with the first boss. During this chapter Caleb is reunited with Gabriella, who used to be Gabriel in the first game. As she witnesses Caleb's perplexity at her change the only answer given by Gabriella is: "It's a long story." The second chapter starts again on an underground train, filled with more dangerous enemies leading back into the city. Caleb will storm across entire districts, wreck havoc in a CabalCo Meat Packing plant until he reaches some catacombs and the second boss. During his wandering Caleb will also meet Ishmael who informs his that only by using the Tchernobog powers the dimensional rifts can be closed. Back on an underground train for the third chapter (with even more deadly foes) Caleb travels to the top CabalCo facilities such as their Research&Development building and the company HQ for a first fight with Gideon. When Gideon cowardly flees using a dimensional rift Caleb can finally meet with Ophelia, but any celebration for their coming back together has to be postponed, since Caleb decides to enter a rift himself to get finally rid of Gideon and to repair the fabric of space and time.

Multiplayer
Blood II multiplayer features some of the common game modes seen in the most recent first-person-shooters. Bloodbath is the equivalent of deathmatch and is the most widely played multiplayer mode. Each player can choose one of the Chosen to control during gameplay. Every character starts equipped with the weapons he excels with, so this means Gabriella will have all kind of firearms in her arsenal, while Ishmael will carry mostly magical weapons.

Weapons
Blood II features a wide arsenal of weapons including both firearms and magical items. Some of the weapons were featured also in Blood while others have been implemented specifically for the new game:


 * Chosen Knife: - (Description coming soon)


 * Beretta: modelled after the Beretta M9 this 9mm pistol primary fire delivers well aimed shots with medium rate of fire. Alternate fire results in a faster firing rate and a loss of accuracy. Picking up a second handgun will enable akimbo mode.
 * SMG: resembling a MAC-10 submachinegun the weapon's primary fire mode consists in a full-automatic burst with low accuracy. The alternate mode consists in firing short, well aimed bursts. The SMG can be used in akimbo mode upon collecting a second weapon: akimbo mode is perfect for spraying a whole area of bullets.


 * Assault Rifle: this weapon looks like an M16-A2 equipped with a M203 grenade launcher. However the game manual reports the grenade launcher is actually a piece of some kind of pipe strapped under the rifle barrel with some tape. Primary mode fires the rifle in full automatic mode while alternate fire launches a grenade. The rifle is fed with 9mm bullets while the grenade launcher uses the "Die, bug, die!" spray canisters as ammunition.


 * Sawed-Off Shotgun: Caleb's favourite weapon is a rust covered double barreled shotgun. Primary mode fires a barrel at a time and alternate mode fires both barrels at once. The sawed-off can be used akimbo once a second weapon is found.


 * Flare Gun: - The Flare Gun in Blood II differs greatly from the original one, sporting a revolving magazine instead of the single-shot. You can still use the starburst, but not in akimbo mode.


 * Tesla Cannon: - (Description coming soon)


 * Voodoo Doll: - (Description coming soon)


 * Orb: - (Description coming soon)


 * Life Leech: - (Description coming soon)


 * Napalm Cannon: - (Description coming soon)


 * Howitzer: - (Description coming soon)


 * Minigun: - (Description coming soon)


 * Sniper Rifle: - (Description coming soon)


 * Death Ray: - (Description coming soon)


 * Singularity Generator: - (Description coming soon)


 * Insect-A-Cutioner: - (Description coming soon)

If the "Nightmare Levels" expansion pack is installed the Combat Shotgun and Flayer may be 'summoned' into the main game by entering "mpcombatshotgun" and "mpflayer" into the talk feature.


 * Combat Shotgun: - (Description coming soon)


 * Flayer: - (Description coming soon)

Enemies
Caleb will have to face many threats along his journey. Some of these enemies are members of the Cabal, but there are also many creatures coming from another dimension often appearing through a dimensional rift:

Cabal

 * Cultists: The lowest designation of Cabal soldier, the role of the Cultist has changed with time. Once the wheels of the Cabal army, in the modern world it has become necessary to adapt the role of Cultists so that they could move freely through society. They are followers of the Cabal, early initiates who are recruited, or brainwashed, into service from inside Cabalco. They dress in official corporate attire so that their presense will not be obstrusive, allowing them to integrate into any aspect of normal society. Their training consists of little more than a psyche profile and a possible brain wipe to assure that they will be adequately dedicated to the Cabal. For that reason they are not suited to heavy combat, but are adequately imposing to be used as security, for missions of lesser importance or simply to intimidate the general populace. Cultists are generally of average to low intelligence (or they would have risen to a higher rank in the Cabal). They are only trained in a limited arsenal of weapons, mostly handguns, and in combat situations their lack of training prevents them from working effectively together. Despite these weaknesses, they are still considered the backbone of the Cabal infrastructure, maintaining the Cabal's power by infiltrating normal society with their imposing presense, acting as an early warning system, and at times becoming human shields for the more advanced Cabal members, such as the Fanatics and Zealots. Cultists are usually armed with pistols, but have been known to carry SMGs and flare guns occasionally.


 * Fanatics: The most loyal followers of the Cabal have been organized as a paramilitary unit. They are well trained to work alone or in group and deploy with the most varied arsenal. They wear body armour which protects them for a short while and look like a cross between the SWAT team and the HAZMAT team. They patrol areas that are of higher importance to the Cabal and are a sent in to interviene if necessary. Fanatics are typically armed with SMGs or assault rifles, but have been known to carry weapons such as tesla cannons and howitzers. Fanatics also carry a personal explosive device they will activate when gravely wounded to start a kamikaze attack.


 * Zealots: - Only a select few Cabal members get chosen to undergo the process that will transform them into a Zealot, and even fewer survive the ritual that follows with their sanity intact. Zealots are an invaluable resource in the Cabal army, as they are the only members of the Cabal with mastery of the Dark Arts. These abilities give them extremely effective offensive abilities, but they are generally too valuable to be used as grunts. Zealots usually accompany a group of lesser Cabal members like Fanatics. They provide backup by using their magic to defend, heal, and generally strengthen the performance of an attack group. Zealots are generally intelligent and well-trained. They do not panic or lose control easily, and will coordinate well with most other Cabal units to get a job done. Zealots are generally feared by other members of the Cabal due to their cold-hearted, almost inhuman personalities. No one knows why they cover their faces. Many claim they no longer need normal senses. Others say that it is so they don't have to be forced to look upon the faces of other, lesser, Cabal members, maybe it is simply an intimidation tactic. The most likely answer is that what they saw during their transformation ritual so taints them, they fear looking upon the world with natural eyes. Zealots wear long overcoats with spiritual armour and cover their faces. They carry a staff with a cresent moon which they uso to summon either an electrical blast, a fire blast or a concussive blast.


 * Prophets: - Prophets are highly intelligent, highly trained fanatics. Their purpose is to protect the Cabal's most precious commodities. They are heavily armored and resistant to damage. Prophets represent the best the Cabal has to offer. Much like the Fanatics, they can use almost any conventional weapon, but they are much more likely to use higher power weapons like the Napalm Cannon or the Minigun. They will attempt to dodge you fire, but they tend to rely more on their superior endurance and strength than on fancy acrobatics.

Otherworldly

 * Bone Leech: - The Bone Leech is a fairly small, worm-like parasite. A fairly weak creature, its power comes from its ability to infest and take over other creatures, providing it with means of protection, a more effective way to attack, nourishment as it grows and, most importantly, a breeding ground for more leeches. Bone leechs are one of the three very irritating creatures along with thieves and hands, as they latch onto your face and are quite difficult to shake off as they suck the life out of you. However they will go down easily enough and can be taken care of with a well placed shotgun shot.


 * Soul Drudge: - The Soul Drudge is a human who has been infested by the Bone Leech. The parasite burrows into the chest of a normal human and comes to rest on the upper spinal column of the infected person. From there it takes over the nervous system, circumventing the victim's brain for voluntary functions, but leaving the brain intact so that it will continue to handle involuntary functions. This allows the Bone Leech to control all movement of the victim, although it's control is difficult in the beginning, making the Soul Drudge a slow and clumsy creature. It makes up for this by being able to withstand a lot more damage than a normal human ever could, since as long as the Bone Leech is intact it can continue to manipulate the body. It is believed that the victim is still completely aware, and can feel everything that happens to them, they just can't control their body. They can, however, control their speech. As a result, Soul Drudges often emit the wailing and torment of the infected victim. To minimize this the Soul Drudge sows its mouth shut and gouges out its eyes to make the victim more docile. The Soul Drudge will generally attack anything that gets too close to it, most likely out of self-defense, although packs of Soul Drudges have been seen hunting prey, presumably looking for hosts for more Bone Leeches. The Soul Drudge is the first form the Bone Leech takes on. As it grows it evolves into the more powerful Drudge Lord, and finally, the Drudge Priest. The Drudge creatures are often seen working together, with the more advanced creatures ruling by cruelty and force. A pack of Soul Drudges will generally indicate that a more advanced Drudge creature is not far away. Soul drudges carry either a pipe or an axe, which they'll swing at you if you get too close.


 * Drudge Lord: - The Drudge Lord is basically a more developed version of the Soul Drudge. The Bone Leech has grown and now pierces the arms of the victim with large, hooked, limbs to allow it better control. The victim is either no longer aware, dead or too far gone to react at this point. The Drudge Lord is larger, tougher and deadlier than the Soul Drudge and has metal plates bolted to its chest so that it can withstand more damage. It is coordinated enough to use firearms and should be considered very dangerous. The Drudge Lord will attack almost any living creature and do so spitefully. They have an extremely hostile and ill-tempered disposition and little or no fear. Drudge Lord's are not often seen working together, presumably due to their poor temperament, but they often have Soul Drudges acting as their servants. Drudge lords will attack with a fire blast similar to the napalm launcher shots.


 * Drudge Priest: - The Drudge Priest is the most advanced version of the Bone Leech parasite that has been encountered. It is a big creature with fully developed magic abilities. The body that was once its host is nothing more than a bag hanging from the Drudge Priest, acting as a breeding ground for new Bone Leech parasites. The Drudge Lord no longer walks, but rather hovers silently. Little is known about this creature as only a handful of Cabal operatives have survived an encounter with it. The Drudge Priest seems to hunt only to infest new victims and will often have a host of other Drudge creatures doing its bidding. Attacks on this creature will often cause the breeding sack that is its stomach to burst forth, spilling dozens of Bone Leeches down on the unsuspecting attacker. The drudge priest will attack with either a fire blast or an electrical blast.


 * Shikari: - The Shikari is a pure predator, intelligent with excellent senses and tracking abilities. They are also extremely fast and agile. Shikari prefer to hunt in packs, so they have rarely been seen alone. If a lone Shikari is encountered approach with extreme caution, as they are known to use a variety of tactics including luring and ambushing targets. Another ability they exhibit is an extremely acute sense of threat assessment. They will often hold off from attacking more powerful creatures until they show a weakness, like a pack of wolves out-pacing a victim. If being pursued by a Shikari it is important to remember that they are extremely adept at navigating environments. Their hooked limbs give them the ability to walk on walls or ceilings, and they are just as fast and effective in water as out. The Shikari attacks using its long, razor-sharp claws, but it can also spit corrosive acid from long distances.


 * Death Shroud : - Similar to the phantasms from blood, death shrouds phase in and out of reality. They can only attack when solid, but are also vunerable in such state. Death shrouds can be very hard to spot as they are dark and nearly transparent. No one exactly knows what death shrouds are, but rumors include that they attack anything except other death shrouds and anything killed by a death shroud eventually becomes a death shroud. Death shrouds will attack with explosive skulls, which have the ability to home in on their target.


 * Hands: - The corpses that the minions of Tchernobog use to make zombies aren't always in the best of shape. Sometimes, only a limb is salvageable. Usually, the Cabal's surgeons can fashion various bits and pieces into a serviceable undead soldier, but certain leftover parts can be effective all on their own. If one of these horrors gets hold of you, you've got to push it off before you can kill it. Hands will jump onto your neck and choke the life out of you, causing the screen to go slowly dark.


 * Thieves: - Small, stealthy, spider-like creature that attack from behind attaching to the base of the skull, injecting a poison that slowly destroys the victim's nervous system until death occurs. If the poison does not immediately cause death it will cause extreme disorientation.