Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 Review: A Flawed But Fascinating Return to the Night
After years of troubled development and multiple studio changes, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 has finally emerged from the shadows. As fans of the cult classic original have waited over two decades for this sequel, expectations are understandably high. Does The Chinese Room's take on this beloved vampire RPG satisfy the thirst, or does it leave us wanting more? Our comprehensive review explores every aspect of this long-awaited title to help you decide if it's worth sinking your teeth into.
Story and Setting: A Tale of Two Vampires
Bloodlines 2 puts you in the role of Phyre, a 400-year-old elder vampire who awakens from a century-long torpor in modern-day Seattle. Unlike the original game where you played a fledgling vampire, here you're already a powerful being with a mysterious past. The twist comes early – you share your consciousness with Fabien, a 1920s Malkavian detective who somehow ended up in your head. This unique dual-protagonist approach creates an intriguing dynamic as you navigate Seattle's vampire politics while trying to solve the mystery of your connection.
The narrative weaves between present-day Seattle and flashbacks to the 1920s, where you play as Fabien investigating a serial killer. These sections provide a welcome change of pace and showcase some of the game's best writing. The Chinese Room has crafted a compelling neo-noir story filled with political intrigue, betrayal, and the moral ambiguity that fans of the World of Darkness setting expect.
Seattle itself is beautifully realized, with rain-slicked streets and neon-lit districts that perfectly capture the gothic-punk aesthetic of Vampire: The Masquerade. While the open world is smaller than some might expect, the attention to detail in areas like Pioneer Square and Chinatown creates an immersive atmosphere that feels authentic to both Seattle and the World of Darkness.
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Experience the atmospheric streets of Seattle as an elder vampire with centuries of power at your fingertips.
Characters and Writing: The Blood Runs Deep
Where Bloodlines 2 truly shines is in its character development and writing. The vampire personalities you'll encounter are well-crafted and memorable, from the narcissistic former Prince Lou Graham to the pragmatic current Prince Ryong. Each character feels distinct, with their own motivations, flaws, and secrets to uncover.
Phyre and Fabien make for compelling protagonists, with excellent voice acting that brings their unique perspectives to life. Phyre's slightly outdated worldview as an elder vampire provides both humor and insight, while Fabien's noir detective persona is charming rather than clichéd. Their dynamic creates some of the game's most engaging moments as they debate, argue, and eventually work together.
Dialogue options allow you to shape your relationships with Seattle's vampire factions, though the impact of these choices isn't always as significant as you might hope. The game tracks how characters feel about your actions with notifications like "Tolly loved that" or "Lou hated that," but these relationships don't always pay off in meaningful ways until the later stages of the game.
Gameplay: Embracing Your Vampiric Powers
Combat in Bloodlines 2 is a significant improvement over the original game, focusing on fast-paced action that makes you feel like a powerful vampire. Your telekinetic abilities allow you to pull enemies toward you, throw objects as weapons, or even use enemies' own guns against them. Each vampire clan offers unique discipline powers, from the Tremere's blood sorcery to the Banu Haqim's stealth capabilities.
The feeding mechanic is central to gameplay, as you'll need to regularly consume blood to power your abilities. Hunting humans on the streets of Seattle requires maintaining the Masquerade – the vampire code that prevents revealing your true nature to mortals. Breaking this code brings consequences, though these aren't always as severe as they perhaps should be.
Movement and traversal are highlights, with Phyre able to leap between buildings and glide across the city in a way that feels exhilarating. This mobility adds a vertical dimension to exploration and combat that keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
Unleash Your Vampiric Powers
Master blood magic, telekinesis, and supernatural abilities as you hunt through the streets of Seattle.
RPG Elements: A Streamlined Approach
Compared to its predecessor, Bloodlines 2 takes a more streamlined approach to RPG mechanics. As an elder vampire, you begin with considerable power rather than building up from nothing. This design choice makes narrative sense but does limit the sense of progression throughout the game.
Character customization focuses primarily on which clan you choose (Brujah, Tremere, Toreador, Ventrue, or Banu Haqim), though this has less impact on the story than fans might expect. Each clan starts with unique disciplines, but you can eventually unlock abilities from other clans, allowing for flexible build options.
The progression system centers around unlocking and upgrading vampire disciplines rather than traditional RPG stats. While this keeps the focus on the vampire fantasy, it does mean that by the mid-game, you'll have acquired most of your powers, with further progression feeling somewhat limited.
Open World: Beauty and Limitations
Seattle in Bloodlines 2 is visually impressive but somewhat limited in scope and interactivity. The city feels atmospheric and well-designed, with distinct districts that each have their own character. However, the open world doesn't offer the depth of exploration or side activities that players might expect from modern RPGs.
Side quests are disappointingly repetitive, usually involving package deliveries or eliminating targets. These missions rarely expand on the narrative or provide meaningful rewards, making them feel like busywork rather than essential content.
The world is at its best when it's serving the main story, with interior locations often showing more care and detail than the streets themselves. The lack of fast travel can make traversal tedious at times, though Phyre's movement abilities help mitigate this issue when you're able to use them.
Stalk the Streets of Seattle
Prowl through a detailed recreation of Seattle's most atmospheric districts as you hunt for blood and uncover conspiracies.
Technical Performance: Rough Around the Edges
Like its predecessor, Bloodlines 2 suffers from technical issues that detract from the experience. On PlayStation 5 and PC, players have reported crashes, frame rate drops, and various bugs. The game's performance mode on consoles can struggle to maintain a steady frame rate, particularly in the open world sections.
Character animations are inconsistent, with facial animations often failing to match the quality of the voice acting. NPCs can behave erratically, and there are occasional physics glitches that break immersion.
These technical shortcomings are disappointing but not entirely surprising given the game's troubled development history. While they don't ruin the experience, they do prevent Bloodlines 2 from reaching its full potential.
| Platform | Resolution | Frame Rate | Performance Issues | Recommended Settings |
| PlayStation 5 | 4K/1440p | 60fps (with drops) | Occasional crashes, frame drops in busy areas | Performance mode |
| Xbox Series X | 4K/1440p | 60fps (with drops) | Similar to PS5, some texture loading issues | Performance mode |
| PC (High-end) | 4K | 60fps+ | Some crashes, inconsistent optimization | DLSS Balanced, High settings |
| PC (Mid-range) | 1440p | 60fps | Frame drops in open world | Medium settings, FSR/DLSS |
Comparison to the Original: Evolution or Revolution?
Fans of the original Bloodlines will find that the sequel both honors and departs from its predecessor in significant ways. The Chinese Room has maintained the dark atmosphere, sharp writing, and moral complexity that made the first game a cult classic. However, Bloodlines 2 takes a more action-oriented approach with streamlined RPG elements.
The original game's jankiness had a certain charm that contributed to its cult status. Bloodlines 2 is more polished in some areas but introduces its own technical issues. What it gains in combat fluidity and visual fidelity, it sometimes loses in RPG depth and player agency.
Both games excel in creating memorable characters and immersive worlds, though the original offered more varied locations and quest types. Bloodlines 2's focus on a single city allows for more detail but less variety in environments.
What's Better Than the Original
- Significantly improved combat and movement
- Higher production values and visual quality
- More intuitive controls and interface
- Dual protagonist storytelling adds depth
- Less buggy than the original at launch
What's Missing From the Original
- Less impactful character progression
- Fewer meaningful RPG choices
- Less variety in environments
- Weaker side content
- Some of the original's charm and quirkiness
Experience the Next Chapter
See how Bloodlines 2 evolves the formula of the cult classic original with modern gameplay and visuals.
Editor's Choice: PC Version with High-End Hardware
Editor's Choice: PC Version
After testing across all platforms, we've designated the PC version of Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 as our Editor's Choice. With a high-end system, you'll experience the best visuals, most stable frame rates, and fastest loading times. The PC version also benefits from potential future mod support, following in the footsteps of the original game's vibrant modding community.
The PC version offers the most flexibility in terms of graphics settings, allowing you to prioritize either visual fidelity or performance based on your hardware. With DLSS or FSR support, even mid-range systems can achieve smooth gameplay at higher resolutions. The improved lighting, shadows, and texture quality on PC create the most immersive version of Seattle's vampire underworld.
Additionally, mouse and keyboard controls provide more precision for the game's combat and exploration, though controller support is also excellent for those who prefer it. If you have the hardware to run it, the PC version delivers the definitive Bloodlines 2 experience.
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Experience Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 at its best with the PC version - our official Editor's Choice recommendation.
Buy Editor's Choice VersionFinal Verdict: A Flawed But Fascinating Return
Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 is a game of contrasts. Its compelling narrative, memorable characters, and atmospheric world are counterbalanced by technical issues, repetitive side content, and streamlined RPG elements. The Chinese Room has created a worthy successor in many ways, but one that doesn't quite reach the cult classic status of its predecessor.
For fans of vampire fiction and the World of Darkness setting, there's plenty to enjoy here. The story delivers the political intrigue and moral ambiguity that defines Vampire: The Masquerade, and the dual-protagonist approach adds a fresh twist to the formula. Combat and movement are satisfying, making you feel appropriately powerful as an elder vampire.
However, those looking for a deep RPG experience may be disappointed by the limited progression and player agency. The technical issues, while not game-breaking, do detract from the overall polish.
In the end, Bloodlines 2 is like its vampiric protagonists – flawed but fascinating, caught between the past and present, and ultimately worth getting to know despite its imperfections.
Join the Masquerade Today
Despite its flaws, Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 offers a compelling vampire experience that fans of the genre shouldn't miss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have played the original Bloodlines to enjoy the sequel?
No, Bloodlines 2 tells a completely new story with new characters. While there are some references to the original game that longtime fans will appreciate, newcomers can jump in without any prior knowledge of the series or even the Vampire: The Masquerade setting.
Which vampire clan should I choose for my first playthrough?
For beginners, the Brujah offer a good balance of combat abilities that make the game more forgiving. Ventrue provide excellent defensive capabilities, while Tremere offer powerful but more complex blood magic. Toreador excel at social situations, and Banu Haqim are perfect for stealth-focused players. Since you can eventually unlock abilities from all clans, your initial choice isn't as restrictive as it might seem.
How long does it take to complete Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2?
The main story takes approximately 20-25 hours to complete. If you include side content and exploration, you can expect 30-35 hours of gameplay. Multiple endings and clan choices offer some replay value as well.
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