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

[J1M]

Is this an educated guess or was this actually mentioned somewhere?

The fact that they mentioned there would be two post-release dlcs (an additional clan and an additional story with a unique clan) means they've been in pre-production. Contracts have been signed.

I suppose they could be cancelled, but not necessarily.

Reminder that this arrangement is in place because the team productivity was too low to include these features in the first place.

 

[J1M]

If you're going to visually code the clans through clothing, the clothing should actually try and reflect some clan trait.

Please do tell how you are supposed to show "rigid hierarchies and monolithic clan structure" through clothing and clothing alone. Do you want them to have a nametag that says "Regent" ?

That's literally what the military does. For vamps I would expect something more subtle, like a pin indicating rank or a dress code.

 

[J1M]

They tried, I guess...

Looks like we were right about reusing the animations.

 

[Vulpes]

So it really comes out this year then?

The more I discussed with my friends what has and hasn't been revealed so far, the more unlikely it seemed that the game will be feature complete by the end of this year. Look at the Ventrue blogpost as an example. It's one of the four clans the game is supposed to launch with and it wasn't even ready in time for it's showcase. The best TCR could do is show off some concept art.

That's not to say that the Brujah and Tremere reveals were perfect, far from it. The Brujah trailer only showcases Potence and Celerity, with their third core discipline Presence nowhere to be found. The Tremere video is even worse considering it only focuses on Thaumaturgy, leaving out both Dominate and Auspex. Speaking of Auspex, there's a huge concern regarding what kind of upgrades you could even get for this discipline (besides an increase in range) that has yet to be addressed. Astral projection? That's the only one that comes to my mind. In the tabletop ruleset, higher level Auspex provides you with the ability to read supernatural auras, understand the meaning behind coded messages, communicate telepathically and catch glimpses of the future, and none of those skills really fit into a Dishonored-like ARPG they're going for.

 

[J1M]

So, exactly like VTMB2?

This is very clearly a stealth and brawling game.

"Some areas are dark and don't have enemies" is peak stealth.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

They tried, I guess...

Looks like we were right about reusing the animations.

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

 

[Harthwain]

I thought you were indicating the game would be entirely a 'combat mission' and therefore the Masquerade was a non issue.

There was The Sting! game (2001). It was basically a heist game. The goal was not to get caught. If you get caught on tape, you had to steal the tape to make sure the mission is a success. It was a very interesting game overall. It is a shame it's an abandonware. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance you can kill witnesses to keep your crime a secret. I wish there was something like that in the game about upholding the actual Masquerade... Nevermind having more options to "blend in" the environment. I really think they should've taken some lessons from Hitman.

 

[Wesp5]

I wish there was something like that in the game about upholding the actual Masquerade...

Just wait for Bloodlines: Prelude II to be released !

 

[The President]

I do find it extremely concerning that each clan has two dev diaries and neither dev diary has any video demonstrations. We get a few screenshots at best.

 

[Skinwalker]

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

Oh, you cruel temptress!

 

[Skinwalker]

So, exactly like VTMB2?

This is very clearly a stealth and brawling game.

"Some areas are dark and don't have enemies" is peak stealth.

It's almost guaranteed that Dumpsterphyre will have some sectioned-off combat zones, and the rest of the game will be a literal walking simulator.

 

[Roguey]

It's almost guaranteed that Dumpsterphyre will have some sectioned-off combat zones, and the rest of the game will be a literal walking simulator.

You don't say.

The icon above the health meter indicates if you’re in one of the
following areas:

• Masquerade – Represented by the sad drama mask, these areas have
the Masquerade in effect. If your character is caught using his powers
in these areas, you’ll cause a Masquerade violation (see the
Masquerade section).

• Elysium – Elysium is represented by the letter E. When your character
is in Elysium, no combat can occur. Your character will be unable to
ready weapons or use Disciplines in areas that are marked as Elysium.

• Combat – Represented by a pistol icon, this is an area where combat
can occur. Your character is free to use Disciplines and weapons to deal
with any threats.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Isnt that from VTMB? Hadnt seen that one for 2.

 

[Roguey]

Isnt that from VTMB? Hadnt seen that one for 2.

Yeah I'm saying it'll be like the first game though it's possible Masquerade areas won't actually exist since we haven't seen any evidence of it.

 

[Skinwalker]

It's almost guaranteed that Dumpsterphyre will have some sectioned-off combat zones, and the rest of the game will be a literal walking simulator.

You don't say.

The icon above the health meter indicates if you’re in one of the
following areas:

• Masquerade – Represented by the sad drama mask, these areas have
the Masquerade in effect. If your character is caught using his powers
in these areas, you’ll cause a Masquerade violation (see the
Masquerade section).

Yea, that's exactly what this game won't have. Along with weapons.

 

[La vie sexuelle]

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

Oh, you cruel temptress!

Paradox had few disaters in recent months. This, Millenia, Cities Skylines 2, not particularly well received Victoria 3 and not particularly popular DLC to their strategies. Besides, they still make investments in, for example, Europa Universalis 5. With all market problems they will cut some fangs...

 

[Semiurge]

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

Oh, you cruel temptress!

Yes, and maybe this time they'll make the right choice and offer BL2 to CD Projekt Red.

Then I woke up.

 

[Mauman]

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

Oh, you cruel temptress!

Yes, and maybe this time they'll make the right choice and offer BL2 to CD Projekt Red.

Then I woke up.

What, so they can spend a decade on it and put out a buggy mess of a first person shooter masquerading as an rpg with overly pretentious dialogue and, uh, say Tom Cruise as a special elder vampire stuck in your head?

Not sure if that's a good idea.

 

[Shaja]

Besides choosing between male and female, if there is no other kind of customization options, wondering why the nails hand style appear differently with every news. Perhaps they´re just changing everything all the time during development.

 

[Semiurge]

I guess they're running out of time, right? Paradox seemed to want to release it sometime in October. If they exceed the release date again, Swedes will probably finally delete the game.

Oh, you cruel temptress!

Yes, and maybe this time they'll make the right choice and offer BL2 to CD Projekt Red.

Then I woke up.

What, so they can spend a decade on it and put out a buggy mess of a first person shooter masquerading as an rpg with overly pretentious dialogue and, uh, say Tom Cruise as a special elder vampire stuck in your head?

Not sure if that's a good idea.

CyberPunk was too big a project for them, and was re-written at least once because of Keanu's insistence. Bloodlines is a scope they could handle, even in their current state. It's too bad (most of) the Witcher devs are no longer working there.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Besides choosing between male and female, if there is no other kind of customization options, wondering why the nails hand style appear differently with every news. Perhaps they´re just changing everything all the time during development.

Lmao maybe they've decided to let players customize the only parts they'll actually get to see.

 

[Baron Tahn]

Could be clan? Thats a 'customisation option'. Also they did say you can select your clothing so maybe that includes nail paint in goth colours. *disappointed face*

 

[Roguey]

Yes, and maybe this time they'll make the right choice and offer BL2 to CD Projekt Red.

Then I woke up.

Paradox would be happy to sell a VtM license to anyone. CD Projekt doesn't want it.

Edit: guys come on https://store.steampowered.com/franchise/world-of-darkness

 

[Shaja]

Could be clan? Thats a 'customisation option'. Also they did say you can select your clothing so maybe that includes nail paint in goth colours. *disappointed face*

In the gameplay demo, they mentioned they were playing as Brujah and the nails were short and black. Some time later they make the Dev Diary about the Brujah and the long white nails appear in the screenshots.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I do find it extremely concerning that each clan has two dev diaries and neither dev diary has any video demonstrations. We get a few screenshots at best.

I'm not sure why they did that gameplay video they did a few months ago. I know it's early on in the game, but repeating a level multiple times followed by having to hunt down a particular item that's repeated over and over within that level is not stellar showcase material when you're wanting to make people excited for your game. It's also fairly lazy design. You're basically using the same level four times with a few alterations to that level. Maybe they learned their lesson with showing the gameplay because it's really not all there in terms of expectations. Or even worse, what they have to show for the clans is worse than that gameplay video they put out.