It’s all the time unhappy to see an important thought fail as a result of poor execution. That’s been the underlying sentiment behind my time with Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. The Chinese language Room’s tackle the World of Darkness setting and the concepts that would have made it an important addition to 2025’s crowded record of nice titles are there. Nevertheless, they merely fall flat due to a gameplay loop that appears designed round repetition and simply operating between totally different areas.
Let’s begin with what’s good concerning the expertise in Bloodlines 2. First off, the event group’s tackle the town of Seattle is kind of spectacular, with its midnight setting working properly to promote the type of story that’s being instructed. I appreciated the artwork path, the first rate color mixture, and the general vibe on show – it actually seeks to seize the unique’s environment, though the sport’s design falters sufficient to take a little bit of its attraction away.
“The hunt design in Bloodlines 2 leans too closely on generic fetch-and-carry duties.”
Getting into the footwear of a vampire, Phyre, whose recollections and skills are mysteriously restricted courtesy of a model they don’t keep in mind getting, ought to have been a compelling story. And for essentially the most half, I’d say that the story did a good job of holding me , particularly in its early hours. Nevertheless, its pacing and the style by which seemingly necessary narrative threads taper off into nothing made its twists really feel abrupt and jarring. It may have been much more, however that sadly isn’t the case.
It’s all of the extra disappointing as a result of a number of the sport’s characters are fairly fascinating. The Malkavian vampire Fabian, as an example, is a compelling addition. As a disembodied voice in Phyre’s head, his battle to carry on to his sanity, as a result of his clan’s curse, was an important justification for attempting to masquerade as a non-public detective. Different characters had been equally entertaining once I engaged with them, and also you may discover some likeable traits upon assembly them.
The sport’s soundtrack was one other spotlight for me, making it suitably moody and atmospheric. It was particularly good at making various of the primary story’s key moments hit just a bit bit tougher. Sadly, as you in all probability guessed, none of those strengths had been sufficient to avoid wasting Bloodlines 2 from its quite a few and noticeable weaknesses.
“Should you’re hoping that the sport’s fight alleviates the fatigue felt from the story and exploration, I’ve dangerous information.”
For starters, the gameplay loop’s emphasis on detective work may need been glorious if it didn’t contain some very tedious back-and-forth between totally different characters positioned inconveniently removed from one another. It’s like a wheel that simply retains turning, with none actual pleasure or change. I couldn’t assist however really feel like an excessive amount of time is spent losing by approaching characters simply to set off dialogue that may progress my present questline.
This will not essentially have been a nasty factor if the exploration loop supplied sufficient distractions alongside the best way for me to pursue. Regardless of how good the sport’s model of Seattle appeared, the search design made the general expertise really feel archaic, outdated, and, most of all, uninteresting and uninspired.
So, the search design in Bloodlines 2 leans too closely on generic fetch-and-carry duties, however they’re additionally sometimes padded with fight encounters seemingly added simply to interrupt the monotony. In a sport constructed round detective work and the gradual unraveling of a thriller, such design feels misplaced. As a substitute of deepening immersion or reinforcing the investigative tone, these repetitive goals disrupt the pacing and dilute the stress that the narrative works so onerous to construct. Multi-stage investigations are uncommon, and the faction angles on provide don’t actually include penalties that made me cease and take into consideration the place my loyalties may lie.
Sure, there are a number of notable facet quests, however they’re largely chores you carried out, and your selections throughout these missions and the story felt influential solely within the second, by no means thoughts having a tangible affect far sufficient into the story. It feels such as you’re motivated purely by reaching the subsequent marker with little to find alongside the best way to maintain issues fascinating. It quickly grew to become exhausting fairly than exhilarating, and I’d say that it ought to have been the opposite method round, contemplating I used to be taking part in a literal vampire.
Should you’re hoping that the sport’s fight alleviates the fatigue felt from the story and exploration, I’ve dangerous information. Like me, you’ll be forgiven for assuming that taking over baddies as a vampire with a number of cool talents, which range primarily based on the clan you select if you create your character, goes to be fairly the draw. Victory in Bloodlines 2 doesn’t really feel earned by mastery or intelligent play; it’s extra about going through the grind than outsmarting it.
The enemies you face are wildly inconsistent, as they could come at you with the whole lot they’ve or stand round ready so that you can make the primary transfer. Particularly the inconsistent collision accuracy, which continually threw off my timing and made each alternate really feel aggravating. I may forgive the whole lot else concerning the sport if its fight had one way or the other clicked, and but, right here we’re.
And don’t get me began on the bosses! I really like a superb boss battle, however I can ignore a scarcity of problem within the curiosity of holding a sport accessible to gamers who could not have the time or persistence for a number of makes an attempt on the identical boss. Having boss fights that not less than current some type of problem, a lot much less utilizing totally different instruments in my arsenal, would nonetheless have been ultimate.
As a substitute, the bosses on this sport are merely enemies with greater well being bars and easy-to-exploit assault patterns. Doing so feels extremely unrewarding, and the arenas don’t actually encourage free-flowing gameplay. This was in all probability the most important gripe I had with the expertise, other than its antagonists being a fairly lackluster bunch that didn’t actually elevate the stakes excessive sufficient for me to care. The presentation has its highs and carries that signature moodiness that the setting is thought for, nevertheless it’s finally an city fantasy that appears intriguing however is definitely lifeless.
“Bloodlines 2’s ambitions are its undoing.”
Moreover, I assumed that having to decide on your clan of origin after which purchase abilities from different clans’ timber by feeding on different vampires would have been fascinating. Cool idea, however as soon as once more, it’s let down by poorly executed mechanics that don’t actually change the best way you method conditions. As a substitute, the sport merely nudges your numbers up or down, giving no actual feeling of development or significant selection.
Sadly, the place Bloodlines 2 falters most is in its declare of being an RPG. Regardless of calling itself one, I struggled to seek out any actual sense of development. There’s no must assume strategically about stock, and no tangible development to chase. In an period the place nice RPGs thrive on participant company and character growth, Bloodlines 2’s absence of each is unacceptable and an enormous bummer. The assorted programs merely don’t intertwine with one another sufficient for the expertise to kind a cohesive, satisfying complete. And that’s not even entering into the shortage of fundamental PC options, resembling a area of view slider or an possibility to show off movement blur, a lot much less manually saving.
Fortuitously, on the efficiency entrance, there’s not less than some excellent news. Working the sport on a Ryzen 5950X with 64 GB of RAM and an NVIDIA 3080 Ti, we achieved a secure 60 FPS at 4K decision utilizing DLSS Balanced mode.
Bloodlines 2’s ambitions are its undoing. It’s a sport that goals for the skies however by no means fairly takes off. It desperately needs to embody the fantasy of being a vampire, but what it delivers is a painfully extraordinary expertise. Fairly than delivering memorable moments that spotlight their talents, the sport reduces them to repetitive errands, sending them forwards and backwards throughout the identical areas till the entire expertise begins to tug.
To conclude, Bloodlines 2 is a multitude, plain and easy, which I couldn’t actually advocate to anybody, particularly at its asking value. Even if you happen to’re a fan of the style, it’s finest to attend for a reduction on this one, although even that’s a tough advice to make. It teases a world stuffed with mysteries, however by no means delivers the stress or satisfaction wanted to make uncovering them really feel rewarding.
This sport was reviewed on the PC.
