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

[Caim]

Consider the current year context. The blood witches are the only guaranteed pick. They didn't exist until last year and you are playing an elder? Why would that be an issue if you identify as one?

What blood witches?

Carna. Probably best if you don't look it up.

Still Tremere. Why wouldn't they allow elders to join?

The Beckoning is a phenomenon suspected to be caused by either the methuselahs or the antediluvians of the clans, dragging everyone more powerful than the lowest Ancilla to the Levant. Only intense trauma like breaking a blood bond or diablerie can (temporarily) stave off the Beckoning, so most vampires of noteworthy power are no longer around while the kids are getting their teeth kicked in by the kine.

 

[NecroLord]

I think the most telling part of the recent stream is how out of touch with the fanbase the devs are.

• Fixed protagonist
• Limited customization options
• Fully voiced
• Standard 3 dialogue choices
• 4 clans at launch
• Ugly Lou
• Etc

The only thing missing from this is "our devs are HUGE fans of the original" which they probably said at some point.

The fact that they lead their marketing push with two short scenes with bad animation and lackluster dialogue... it's not looking good bros.

Unrelated, but I'd love to see a Bloodlines-type game based on Demon: The Fallen. It'd still be a story heavy game, but allow for a far more personal story in the form of a fallen angel's search for redemption, purpose, answers or lashing out against the world.

Wraith: The Oblivion.

 

[Caim]

I think the most telling part of the recent stream is how out of touch with the fanbase the devs are.

• Fixed protagonist
• Limited customization options
• Fully voiced
• Standard 3 dialogue choices
• 4 clans at launch
• Ugly Lou
• Etc

The only thing missing from this is "our devs are HUGE fans of the original" which they probably said at some point.

The fact that they lead their marketing push with two short scenes with bad animation and lackluster dialogue... it's not looking good bros.

Unrelated, but I'd love to see a Bloodlines-type game based on Demon: The Fallen. It'd still be a story heavy game, but allow for a far more personal story in the form of a fallen angel's search for redemption, purpose, answers or lashing out against the world.

Wraith: The Oblivion.

Nah, Wraith is about being a being between the states of life and death while having some incorporeal being riding shotgun on your soul and whispering in your ear to have you do things, and...

Oh.

Oooohhh...

Nah, they wouldn't. They're not THAT good.

 

[NecroLord]

I think the most telling part of the recent stream is how out of touch with the fanbase the devs are.

• Fixed protagonist
• Limited customization options
• Fully voiced
• Standard 3 dialogue choices
• 4 clans at launch
• Ugly Lou
• Etc

The only thing missing from this is "our devs are HUGE fans of the original" which they probably said at some point.

The fact that they lead their marketing push with two short scenes with bad animation and lackluster dialogue... it's not looking good bros.

Unrelated, but I'd love to see a Bloodlines-type game based on Demon: The Fallen. It'd still be a story heavy game, but allow for a far more personal story in the form of a fallen angel's search for redemption, purpose, answers or lashing out against the world.

Wraith: The Oblivion.

Nah, Wraith is about being a being between the states of life and death while having some incorporeal being riding shotgun on your soul and whispering in your ear to have you do things, and...

Oh.

Oooohhh...

Nah, they wouldn't. They're not THAT good.

It could make for a great horror game though.
There's also a World War 1 book for Wraith: The Oblivion. Really dark stuff.

 

[d1r]

This is going to be an absolute fucking trash fire

Spoiler

and I want to sit in the front row at release date and watch it burn.

 

[sosmoflux]

I fear what they're going to take from the poor reception is "see this is why we shouldn't have shown anything" rather than actually taking the feedback

 

[Delterius]

I think the most telling part of the recent stream is how out of touch with the fanbase the devs are.

• Fixed protagonist
• Limited customization options
• Fully voiced
• Standard 3 dialogue choices
• 4 clans at launch
• Ugly Lou
• Etc

The only thing missing from this is "our devs are HUGE fans of the original" which they probably said at some point.

The fact that they lead their marketing push with two short scenes with bad animation and lackluster dialogue... it's not looking good bros.

Unrelated, but I'd love to see a Bloodlines-type game based on Demon: The Fallen. It'd still be a story heavy game, but allow for a far more personal story in the form of a fallen angel's search for redemption, purpose, answers or lashing out against the world.

Wraith: The Oblivion.

Nah, Wraith is about being a being between the states of life and death while having some incorporeal being riding shotgun on your soul and whispering in your ear to have you do things, and...

Oh.

Oooohhh...

Nah, they wouldn't. They're not THAT good.

i dunno aren't wraith's things meant to be rather adversarial? fabian seems like he's just along for the ride

 

[Lambach]

The Beckoning is a phenomenon suspected to be caused by either the methuselahs or the antediluvians of the clans, dragging everyone more powerful than the lowest Ancilla to the Levant.

You're wrong, that's not what The Beckoning is.

That is to say, yes, technically that's what it is, but much more than that, it's an open admission from White Wolf they wrote themselves into a corner and didn't know how to wipe the slate clean, so they just decided not to care and go "Yeah, you know, fuck this noise, this 6000-year-long game of chess played by immortal alien superbeings just came to an abrupt stop because they all decided to just live and let live and throw a rave together in the Levant".

 

[Tyranicon]

I fear what they're going to take from the poor reception is "see this is why we shouldn't have shown anything" rather than actually taking the feedback

Which will the devs choose?

1. Our audience is not happy, we should take their criticisms and re-evaluate our positions. We want to release a game that people love and makes us money.

2. Blame the audience for toxicity, change nothing, release game as an absolute dumpster fire, kill studio and franchise.

The answer is not as easy as it appears!

 

[Delterius]

it's an open admission from White Wolf they wrote themselves into a corner

did we even need an admission from them?

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and magical space lasers to the face

and vampires aren't even supposed to be at the top of the food chain

 

[The President]

The idea of a voiced character that has a backstory isn’t that bad, though certainly a questionable decision. I thought Jonathan Reid in Vampyr was fine, but that’s a totally different series and expectations from Bloodlines. I don’t know how much Paradox cares at this point. They bought WOD and all the studios they just dropped relatively cheap tbh and their core strategy games make them tons of money, so it’s probably a whatever for them at this point.

I also agree that BG3 will be the game that everyone will try to compare themselves to and reference. However it’s going to be some time before you see a game that has that level of detail and work put into it again.

 

[NecroLord]

it's an open admission from White Wolf they wrote themselves into a corner

did we even need an admission from them?

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and magical space lasers to the face

and vampires aren't even supposed to be at the top of the food chain

The whole Gehenna idea is completely retarded.
Should've left it a dark mystery instead. A truly uncertain, but absolutely terrifying possibility.

 

[Vincente]

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and magical space lasers to the face

And if i remember correctly he was beaten only because he was frenzying, with Chimerstry 10 you can rewrite reality like some goth Naruto genjutsu.

 

[Delterius]

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and magical space lasers to the face

And if i remember correctly he was beaten only because he was frenzying, with Chimerstry 10 you can rewrite reality like some goth Naruto genjutsu.

if only the beast was a powergamer

 

[Lambach]

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and space lasers to the face

Considering the fact that his level of mastery over his Clan's signature Discipline allows him to quite literally reshape reality itself on a whim and his reaction times are akin to a modern high-end CPU, the stupid part is that he actually died from said nukes and lasers when the more """realistic""" outcome would've been he just turns them all to flowers or soap bubbles or something.

But I get your point. Gehenna was supposed to be the one last, final, severely, extremely retarded HUZZAH to years and years of absurd metaplot bloat, and that's where the setting should've stayed. Not revived only to get cannibalized by bunch of absolute goddamn morons who wouldn't know good writing if it took a shit in their Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

and vampires aren't even supposed to be at the top of the food chain

Eh, each of the Settings is written from the POV of the species it's about. In Werewolf, wolves are king, in Mage, Mages shape reality, in Demon blah blah blah. They were never meant to be compared directly side-by-side, I think.

 

[Delterius]

his level of mastery over his Clan's signature Discipline allows him to quite literally reshape reality itself on a whim and his reaction times are akin to a modern high-end CPU

is this not bad writing to you

just make it an unkillable god if you want one. that way you can't quibble about who should have won when the gods fight.

 

[NecroLord]

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and space lasers to the face

Considering the fact that his level of mastery over his Clan's signature Discipline allows him to quite literally reshape reality itself on a whim and his reaction times are akin to a modern high-end CPU, the stupid part is that he actually died from said nukes and lasers when the more """realistic""" outcome would've been he just turns them all to flowers or soap bubbles or something.

But I get your point. Gehenna was supposed to be the one last, final, severely, extremely retarded HUZZAH to years and years of absurd metaplot bloat, and that's where the setting should've stayed. Not revived only to get cannibalized by bunch of absolute goddamn morons who wouldn't know good writing if it took a shit in their Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

and vampires aren't even supposed to be at the top of the food chain

Eh, each of the Settings is written from the POV of the species it's about. In Werewolf, wolves are king, in Mage, Mages shape reality, in Demon blah blah blah. They were never meant to be compared directly side-by-side, I think.

The baddest motherfucker on the block is Caine.
Antediluvians are scared shitless of him.

 

[Lambach]

is this not bad writing to you

Fun-bad. Not "Jesus Christ, I'm pouring acid into my eyes right now what is this fucking cringe please god help me" bad.

 

[Zombra]

I mean, at this point it seems to just be "a story game about this one cool vampire". Bloodlines is just a name they have lying around in their IP, they might as well stick it on something to milk the fan $, not gonna use it for anything resembling the original anyway.

 

[Herumor]

Standard 3 dialogue choices

Worst part is you don't even know what they're gonna say exactly. Instead, they opted to go for the Dragon Age 2 bullshit. Surprised it's not a dialogue wheel as well.

 

[Storyfag]

Consider the current year context. The blood witches are the only guaranteed pick. They didn't exist until last year and you are playing an elder? Why would that be an issue if you identify as one?

What blood witches?

Carna. Probably best if you don't look it up.

Still Tremere. Why wouldn't they allow elders to join?

The Beckoning is a phenomenon suspected to be caused by either the methuselahs or the antediluvians of the clans, dragging everyone more powerful than the lowest Ancilla to the Levant. Only intense trauma like breaking a blood bond or diablerie can (temporarily) stave off the Beckoning, so most vampires of noteworthy power are no longer around while the kids are getting their teeth kicked in by the kine.

I am well aware of the vast majority of V5 lore. This tidbit does not in any way explain why House Carna would be adverse to allowing an Elder of their own Blood to join.

 

[Wesp5]

I thought Jonathan Reid in Vampyr was fine, but that’s a totally different series and expectations from Bloodlines.

Sorry, but I hated the way they forced you to become Reid with his modern points of view in the completely wrong time and I really hope they don't repeat that with Bloodlines 2!

 

[Storyfag]

it's an open admission from White Wolf they wrote themselves into a corner

did we even need an admission from them?

one of the vampire daddies took tactical nukes and magical space lasers to the face

and vampires aren't even supposed to be at the top of the food chain

*magical nukes and tactical space lasers

Though the nukes, if I recall, only managed to kill off the 3 uber eastern vampires the vampire daddy was fighting, thus dispersing the storm they were generating, thus allowing the space laser to sear him with pure, concentrated sunlight.

 

[Storyfag]

Considering the fact that his level of mastery over his Clan's signature Discipline allows him to quite literally reshape reality itself on a whim and his reaction times are akin to a modern high-end CPU, the stupid part is that he actually died from said nukes and lasers when the more """realistic""" outcome would've been he just turns them all to flowers or soap bubbles or something.

Enlightened Science(tm) trumps such vulgar Reality Deviancy. Or at least evens the playing field.

 

[The President]

I thought Jonathan Reid in Vampyr was fine, but that’s a totally different series and expectations from Bloodlines.

Sorry, but I hated the way they forced you to become Reid with his modern points of view in the completely wrong time and I really hope they don't repeat that with Bloodlines 2!

Now it’ll be the opposite, you’ll have to play a woman who looks like a typical lesbian in the East Village from a time period before modern feminism.

The magical nuke thing is so funny. Yes “magical” because the standard that nuke that can disintegrate everything in it’s hypocenter isn’t strong enough.