Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 attempts to revive a cult classic, but falls far short of its predecessor and modern RPG standards. Released on October 21 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles at a $60 price point, the game delivers a shallow experience despite its intriguing premise.
Premise and Gameplay Flaws
The game casts players as Phyre, an ancient vampire awakened after a century of slumber. The narrative kicks off with a brutal twist reminiscent of Cyberpunk 2077 : Phyre violently dispatches Fabien, a vampire detective, whose spirit is then absorbed into his mind. Together, they investigate a century-old conspiracy involving a vampire serial killer. However, this setup feels more like a hollow echo of better-executed titles.
The RPG and detective mechanics are severely underdeveloped. Despite the potential for deep roleplaying and intricate crime-solving, the game barely delivers on either front. The “Masquerade” system – where vampires must avoid detection by humans – is the only consistently engaging element. Violating the rules of secrecy draws the attention of enforcers who will eliminate the player without warning.
Limited Character Progression and Combat
Character progression is minimal. Players choose a clan (Brujah, Tremere, Banu Haqim, Ventrue, Toreador) that dictates basic playstyle, but the system lacks depth. While Phyre can learn abilities from other clans, the power gap remains negligible. Combat is equally lackluster: the game offers limited options beyond basic melee attacks and a handful of supernatural abilities like hypnosis or time manipulation. Enemies consist largely of weak “Ghouls,” with tougher opponents appearing late in the game.
The Detective Side: A Missed Opportunity
The detective segments rely on Fabien’s memories, accessed during sleep sequences. These sections involve tedious backtracking, exhausting dialogue trees with no real consequences, and solving mysteries that unfold regardless of player choices. The narrative ties Fabien’s past to the present conspiracy, but the execution feels repetitive and unengaging.
Technical Issues and Bland Presentation
The game suffers from poor animations, making characters feel lifeless. The cyberpunk-inspired Seattle setting lacks dynamism, with NPCs repeating the same shallow interactions. The game also crashed multiple times during testing on PS5, compounding the overall disappointing experience.
Bloodlines 2 is a missed opportunity. It fails to capture the gothic style and challenging gameplay that defined its predecessor, offering instead a repetitive and uninspired experience. Players seeking a quality vampire RPG should look elsewhere, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and its Astarion character.
