Good issues come to those that wait, and on this case to those that waited a very long time. Fifteen years after the discharge of some of the beloved “cult” role-playing video games ever made, it’s lastly getting a sequel in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.
And whereas publicly Paradox solely confirmed a trailer at tonight’s reveal occasion, we got a 30-minute behind-closed-doors demo at this week’s Game Developers Conference. Check out the trailer beneath, after which learn on for extra particulars.
Good evening, good luck
Bloodlines 2 begins with a slaughter. On a foggy Seattle evening, vampires swoop down from the rooftops in Pioneer Square and conduct a Mass Embrace, changing a bunch of people into so-called “Thin Bloods.” It’s a harmful and unlawful act. Abandoned to the world, these bewildered and naive Thin Bloods threaten the Masquerade, the flowery social pact that stops people from discovering out about vampires.
Vampires in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 gained’t essentially conform to these stereotypes although. After poor Dominic’s loss of life, the second pleasant vampire we meet is Dominic’s outdated landlord Dale. Dale’s a shut-in, an data dealer with an residence filled with junk and a propensity for dangerous jokes like “Stay out of the sun. This being Seattle, that probably won’t be much of a problem.” He wears a hoodie, and appears just like the sort of man you’d catch consuming Doritos over the sink at three a.m.
That’s the truth, yeah? Vampires are supposed to mix in, and meaning adopting the mannerisms of Seattle, 2019. And meaning tackling the types of social points confronted by modern-day Seattle as properly—tensions between outdated Seattle and new Seattle, its industrial roots and the current inflow of tech cash. Mitsoda gained’t go so far as to say “Jeff Bezos is a vampire,” however these are apparent subjects for Bloodlines 2 to the touch on in a Seattle setting, and ones that (as a resident of San Francisco) really feel very close-to-home.
ParadoxIt wouldn’t be a correct sequel with out these subjects, in fact. It’s a part of what makes the unique Bloodlines attention-grabbing, utilizing vampires as a (heavy-handed at instances) metaphor. The query is whether or not Bloodlines 2 can contact on these subjects and provides gamers selections with out dipping into dangerous style, an issue that not too long ago troubled the fifth version of the Vampire: The Masquerade tabletop sport and final yr resulted in layoffs at White Wolf, with Paradox assuming direct management over manufacturing of future rulebooks. After all, you’ll be able to’t get folks excited a couple of new Vampire: The Masquerade sport if the model is irreparably tarnished.
Asked about these controversies, Mitsoda’s reply was easy: “We’re not going to punch down.”
And for now, we’ll simply should take his phrase for it. Bloodlines 2 is definitely a sport for adults, as gritty as the unique and with swears dotting what looks like half the dialogue timber. Nightlife continues to be (clearly) prevalent, as is violence. The fight system is brutal, with a number of the most impactful first-person melee fights I’ve seen since Dying Light. Hits ship enemies flying, and there’s a neat trick the place the digicam sometimes pulls into third individual to indicate off a very wild animation—operating up the wall and leaping off to punch somebody within the face, or flipping over them and delivering successful to the again. It’s slick, in a manner the primary sport completely was not.
ParadoxYou have vampiric powers as properly, in fact. As a Thin Blood you’ll begin with one among three powers: You can glide, flip into mist and fly by means of tight areas, or use telekinesis. And you solely get one, which forces you to make use of the environments in several methods. Later within the sport you’ll additionally be a part of a clan, turning into a Full Blood and gaining access to further talents.
Like the unique Bloodlines, there are apparent inflection factors in every single place. You’re selecting one possibility or one other, each in dialogue but additionally in the way you strategy the sport…
