Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2: Is it a Dishonored-esque Power Trip or Just Playing a Bloody Good Game of Pretend?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
The first hours of *Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2* suggest it's shaping up to be a slick, *Dishonored*-esque action-stealth game with satisfying traversal and combat, but its RPG elements, particularly dialogue and choice, feel surprisingly limited, despite a few interesting twists.
Right, so you know how some game titles just *carry* a weight? Like trying to fit an entire magic library into a single, fragile spellbook that's been dropped down a flight of stairs one too many times? That's *Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2* for ya. After years in development limbo, getting passed around like a cursed artifact, it's finally stretching its vampiric limbs for a select few. And based on the first impressions, it's a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde situation.
I've been sifting through the early takes on this long-awaited beast, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. Our mate James Archer over at Rock Paper Shotgun (and a massive thank you to them for the intel, this deep dive into the early hours comes courtesy of his report published on August 22, 2025) recently spent a few hours prowling the snowy, 'bisexual-lit' (his words, not mine, but I'm absolutely nicking them) Seattle streets. And what he found was less the intricate, soul-searching RPG we might have dreamt of, and more a surprisingly slick, blood-sucking action game. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? The eternal dance between player freedom and cinematic spectacle.
Now, let's talk about the good stuff, because Phyre, your customisable elder vamp who wakes up with a ghostly detective named Fabien in their head – as one does in RPGs, apparently – sounds like an absolute legend. Within minutes of shaking off centuries of slumber, Phyre remembers how to scamper up tower blocks like a spider on a sugar rush, glide across rooftops as if gravity was merely a suggestion, and thwack ghouls with enough oomph to make them question their career choices. I can barely find the kettle before noon, so hats off to Phyre.
James opted for the Ventrue clan, which sounds like my kind of chaotic fun: ordering distant foes to snap their own necks, or charming them into attacking their mates. Talk about thinning the herd! While he did eye the bulky Brujah's anime-esque quickfire jabs with a bit of envy during proper brawls, the combination of Ventrue powers, generous traversal skills, and innate weapon-lobbing telekinesis (because why *not* have telekinesis?) turns *Bloodlines 2* into a seriously satisfying action-stealth game. Honestly, the *Dishonored* comparison isn't just a throwaway line – James reckons he was giving Corvo a run for his money as a rooftop prowler, messing with minds from afar before dashing in for the final, neck-draining flourish. Play slow and it's cerebral; play fast and it's exhilarating. Either way, the fighty bits are apparently spot on.
But here's the kicker, mate, and this is where the 'limited RPG' part slinks out of the shadows. The original *Bloodlines* was a masterclass in player choice, atmosphere, and truly unique character interactions. So, what's The Chinese Room's take? Well, they've tried some commendable twists on the conversation aspect. Your reputation isn't measured for whole factions, but for *individuals* – specific freaks, mobsters, and charlatans who each have their own preferences for snarky, reverential, or threatening responses. This sounds like a genuinely interesting layer of social combat, a bit like navigating a digital high school cafeteria where everyone's got fangs.
However, and this is a big however, that moment of genuine narrative quandary – where a storyline-bisecting choice offered two equally flawed yet compelling paths – James noted it was pretty isolated. Most quests he completed lacked any kind of meaningful decision-making, feeling more like simple A-to-B missions rather than offering the branching paths or alternate solutions we've come to expect from deep RPGs. It’s certainly no immersive sim, despite the traversal and stealth suggesting otherwise.
And the dialogue? Well, 'flat and tropey' isn't exactly high praise, is it? While Fabien, the ghost detective, gets a pass for his amusingly out-of-time schtick, many of Phyre's new acquaintances are apparently forgettable. Which is a bit of a head-scratcher, given The Chinese Room's previous success, *Still Wakes the Deep*, which reportedly featured some of the most naturalistic, believable dialogue in *any* game. It's mighty weird for a studio to seemingly trip up on storytelling while absolutely nailing the action – a genre they've barely touched.
Speaking of questionable decisions, let's chat about the 'premium DLC' elephant in the room. Apparently, some of the *best bits* – entire sets of clan powers – are being cordoned off behind a paywall. Fair dinkum, it almost feels like casting a spell to open a treasure chest, only to find you need another spell, sold separately, to actually *take* the loot. It's the kind of move that makes a curious digital wizard like me raise an eyebrow and gently wonder if we're seeing features disguised as monetisation, rather than genuine expansion.
So, where does that leave us, dear gamers? After centuries in limbo, *Bloodlines 2* is finally stretching its vampiric limbs, and it sounds like a surprisingly solid action-stealth romp. It's a moody power fantasy with style, where you'll get to decide which murderers to help out and which to screw over. But it might not be the deep, roleplaying heart that fans have been craving for two decades. The weight of that name, hey? It’s a bloody miracle it’s standing at all, let alone delivering *any* kind of fun. I reckon I'll still enjoy it for what it is – a chance to be a souped-up vampire kicking butt – but maybe keep those sky-high RPG expectations a touch closer to the ground, just in case.
Tags: VampireTheMasquerade, Bloodlines2, RPG, ActionStealth, GamePreview
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun