World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 - VTMB sequel from The Chinese Room - coming early 2025

[Tyranicon]

I'm going to spare you guys from the marketing talk and post the only real, new detail from the devdiary:

How we use abilities is also streamlined, to maintain immersion. Abilities are mapped to the face buttons (on gamepad), limiting the player to 4 available at one time. This is a small enough amount that a player can use them without breaking their flow, but also deep enough, through the different ways you can combine and use them that it keeps combat engaging and fun.

 

[Gargaune]

I'm going to spare you guys from the marketing talk and post the only real, new detail from the devdiary:

How we use abilities is also streamlined, to maintain immersion. Abilities are mapped to the face buttons (on gamepad), limiting the player to 4 available at one time. This is a small enough amount that a player can use them without breaking their flow, but also deep enough, through the different ways you can combine and use them that it keeps combat engaging and fun.

Meh. You know I love doom-and-glooming on this inevitable circus, but this ain't a showstopper - if a declinebox controller's big enough for Mankind Divided's augs, it's good enough for whatever this thing's gonna be. I'm not saying it'll be good, but merely that this won't be the reason it sucks.

 

[Tyranicon]

Meh. You know I love doom-and-glooming on this inevitable circus, but this ain't a showstopper - if a declinebox controller's big enough for Mankind Divided's augs, it's good enough for whatever this thing's gonna be. I'm not saying it'll be good, but merely that this won't be the reason it sucks.

It's not really much by itself. It's just weird that out of an entire blog post of marketing babble that's the only real concrete detail they added.

The marketing/PR team is severely out of touch with what players want, which does not bode well.

Imagine, in 2024, boasting that players are restricted to 4 awesome buttons at a time.

 

[Wesp5]

What are these abilities supposed to be in the first place? In Bloodlines the ability stats were passive, if they mean weapons and disciplines why didn't they say so? Also they didn't mention firearms at all...

 

[ERYFKRAD]

What are these abilities supposed to be in the first place? In Bloodlines the ability stats were passive, if they mean weapons and disciplines why didn't they say so? Also they didn't mention firearms at all...

They probably mean stuff like potence presence celerity and all those other assorted coping mechanisms vampires have in order to be competitive in a world with incendiary rounds.

 

[Tao]

Imagine how bad was the hardsuit labs' version that they needed to can that version to give us THIS one

I'm really speechless with this game development. This has to be one of the most dumpfire/trainwrecked games ever make.

 

[sosmoflux]

I can't even dunk on them anymore. It's weapons-grade second hand embarrassment seeing this shit.

Is it them? Or does this medium simply have nothing left to say?

 

[AdamReith]

Well, when you see utter garbage succeed why even try.

Until that turns around mediocrity is the dish of the day, every day.

 

[Semiurge]

What are these abilities supposed to be in the first place? In Bloodlines the ability stats were passive, if they mean weapons and disciplines why didn't they say so? Also they didn't mention firearms at all...

They avoid using the word 'disciplines' because it would just confuse the noobies.

Imagine how bad was the hardsuit labs' version that they needed to can that version to give us THIS one

HL had better character concepts, that's for sure. Lou, Damp, Damsel, the LaCroix-lookalike ventrue, "Curly", and the long hair biker brujah. They all gave off certain vibes that allowed you to determine their personality, and this would've also allowed their outward appearances to be deceiving. It's a pity most of them probably got the axe, the only ones that didn't are in the VtM lore like Lou.

 

[Wesp5]

It's a pity most of them probably got the axe, the only ones that didn't are in the VtM lore like Lou.

They already showed the Nosferatu guy from the HSL demo, so with a little bit of luck they will use other models as well.

 

[The President]

Unless I’m wrong isn’t the Nosferatu character just using the model but is a different character where Lou Grand is still Lou Grand.

I also think firearms aren’t going to be used by Phyre, I imagine using guns is counter to the theme of feeling like a vampire.

 

[Wesp5]

The Toreador I played in Bloodlines would not like to have his nice clothes drenched in blood , and removing firearms from the game would just mean removing a way to play the game which was available in Bloodlines.

 

[Tyranicon]

removing firearms from the game would just mean removing a way to play the game which was available in Bloodlines.

Based on what they've showed us and the most recent devblog I would be pretty surprised to see guns make it into the game in any meaningful way. This seems like a first person brawler mostly.

Also, the devblog doesn't give me any confidence that the gameplay element will be more than window dressing.

--> Go into a room

1. Sneak
2. Fight

Repeat until dialogue portion.

 

[Jenkem]

When you are predisposed to hate, even the works of Michelangelo are ugly.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

When you are predisposed to hate, even the works of Michelangelo are ugly.

They are. That turtle don't draw so good.

 

[Shaja]

In anticipation towards Bloodlines 2, what am I doing with my life ...

 

[whydoibother]

I also think firearms aren’t going to be used by Phyre, I imagine using guns is counter to the theme of feeling like a vampire.

Bloodlines isn't just about feeling like a vampire. Its about feeling like a vampire in a modern city. The "modern" and "city" parts are equally important as the vampire part. Guns help much with the modern part.

 

[Cross]

I also think firearms aren’t going to be used by Phyre, I imagine using guns is counter to the theme of feeling like a vampire.

Removing guns would not only be dumb from a gameplay standpoint, but it would also undermine the experience of playing as a vampire. In VtM vampires are resistant to bullets (which are classified as bashing damage), but they are vulnerable to lethal damage from being cut by bladed weapons. It's one of the better thought out ways to balance guns and melee weapons in a modern day setting, and it's true to vampire lore.

Removing that aspect would be pure decline. So naturally, it looks like they are going to do just that. They might even go one step further and remove weapons entirely, only letting you fight with your fists. It definitely looks like that, with all the "gameplay" videos so far showing the player flailing around with their hands.

 

[The President]

Well we’ll find out in a few days. But I think betting there’s no guns is a very solid bet.

 

[whydoibother]

Well we’ll find out in a few days. But I think betting there’s no guns is a very solid bet.

I absolutely want guns and security cameras and radio and all of that modernity stuff (but not smart phones and pocket cameras, that's too weird).

 

[The President]

The game takes place in modern day Seattle. Even the homeless on the streets have smart phones and access to wifi hotspots. It’d be a strange choice to not have smart phones.

 

[sosmoflux]

Imagine how not-seriously you're going to take this game if it's all about crime and evil and gangs in America and you can't use guns lol.

Only walking sim rotted brains could conceive of such nonsense.

 

[Shaja]

The game takes place in modern day Seattle. Even the homeless on the streets have smart phones and access to wifi hotspots. It’d be a strange choice to not have smart phones.

Not sure about callings, but in the HSL demo you receive at the beginning a text message

 

[Herumor]

In anticipation towards Bloodlines 2, what am I doing with my life ...

Immersing yourself in shit so that you'll be prepared for more shit later on.

 

[Jenkem]

haters: you have 2 days to get your talking points in order.