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Looking at all the games we have out there on the market, it is easy to point out the ones that have successfully delivered an archetypal fantasy. Ninjas, relic hunters, spacefarers, you name it. However, one archetype that hasn’t shone in the video game space is that of vampires. Still, Vampire: The Masquerade has been among the few that let you live in the edgy shoes of a deadly night creature, and while the first one had its flaws, it became a cult classic that many of us ended up loving. Unfortunately, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 drives a stake through its heart, delivering an uninspiring action RPG that only manages to stay afloat thanks to its compelling narrative
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 kicks off with the player assuming control of the Nomad, also known as Phyre, an elder vampire who took a hundred-year-long nap and woke up in modern-day Seattle. However, there’s a catch. And that catch is a detective inside your head who, for reasons I can’t spoil, ended up fusing his consciousness with that of the playable protagonist, thus creating an unlikely duo of edgy elder vampire and noir detective. Think of Johnny Silverhand inside V, but with fewer insults and more crime-solving.
While I have many issues with Bloodlines 2, the story isn’t a major one. It begins as your typical “how did we end up in this situation?” But it quickly evolves into a “whodunit” plot that is marvelously crafted. All characters are fleshed out, and the world-building behind the vampire underworld of Seattle is terrific. Even if you didn’t play the first game, you’ll enjoy this narrative because it eases you into a convoluted tale of clans in conflict, Masquerade breaches, and other character-driven mysteries that more often than not made my jaw drop.
However, it isn’t without its faults, as one of the biggest issues with the game is its presentation. The big narrative and cinematic moments are excellent. Yet, the parts leading up to them often prove to be a blunder in many ways, unfortunately.
For instance, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 heavily employs a flashback narrative. You have several playable segments where you take control of Detective Fabien before he fuses with you. Here, you’re supposed to live the fantasy of a vampire detective (yes, that’s a thing). Instead of struggling to get information out of a suspect, you can just peek into their mind or even talk to an object to get clues. However, most aspects are guided and don’t really encourage you to go off the beaten path to see if there’s another piece of information you missed for the case.
One of the best detective sims out there is Shadows of Doubt, and I remember how I had to break into several places to steal information or tail people to see if they were hiding something. You don’t do anything of the sort here. Yes, having vampire powers makes every job a breeze, unless it is a daytime job, of course. Still, I would have loved to see these sequences lean a bit more into the investigation part, as reaching the end of a flashback didn’t feel so rewarding since the game often gave me everything on a silver platter.
This type of design is a recurring theme throughout the game. It’s a sad case where point A and point C are great, but the journey to them, point B, is stained by dull gameplay moments and a few technical issues that I’ll discuss later.
Yet, credit where it’s due, because the story actually gives a lot of player agency and several player-driven moments that affect the narrative. Just before the world opens up, there’s an impactful choice you must make, and one I’m curious to return to and see how much it affects how the game plays out. Still, its gameplay is one thing that might put me off from stepping back into the shoes of this elder vampire for a second time.
A Shallow Action RPG
Nowadays, it isn’t easy to give out a single definition for RPGs. However, in the broadest sense, it should be a game that lets you roleplay, and that’s a key word here. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 sells you half of a vampire fantasy because the truth is that most of what you do around Seattle and inside the body of a legendary vampire is a little pointless.
Let’s start with combat, which is one of the things that frustrated me throughout my gameplay. You have a first-person perspective that lets you see how you punch and claw your enemies mercilessly. However, the stutter that occurs during every combat encounter makes each fight feel headache-inducing.
Enemies are coming at you from every direction, and you have to make split-second decisions to dodge them, parry their blows, or throw stuff at them using Telekinesis. Yes, even guns, because the Nomad doesn’t wield a weapon; they make it float with mind-tricks and shoot it that way until the clip runs out because that’s how 21st-century vampires roll.
Phyre can also equip four abilities determined by the clan they pick. I chose the Banu Haqim because any RPG that offers a stealth option is an instant pick for me. Each clan gives you four active abilities, a passive skill when you feed, and a final passive one that changes one of your other abilities. In my case, I started with an ability that let me slice the heads off several enemies, then got one that allowed me to silence a foe, and one that let me become invisible for a bit. Then, I unlocked one that made my crouching animation a fast prowl.
In that regard, Bloodlines 2 leans into the power fantasy of a badass vampire that can punch your heart out and bite you from the shadows before gliding to the next roof and throwing a gas tank at you. Then again, that’s just half of it, as stuttery fights, a lack of enemy variety, and annoying camera movement plague the other half. At one point, I had to decrease the difficulty because I was struggling not against the enemies, but against the technical issues that made each fight a hassle.
In terms of build options, don’t expect anything deep. Once Seattle opens up for you, you can search for other clan members, aside from your first one, and spend some blood points and skill points to unlock abilities from them. But that’s it. There aren’t a lot of things that modify some abilities or encourage you to break the game while finding that crazy build. Every punch, bite, and chest-bursting attack is there just for show, and well, it isn’t too bad. As I said, it gives you a bit of that vampire fantasy, but one that is a little toothless and doesn’t quite bite all the way in.
Since Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is an action RPG that delivers on the action side, I expected more RPG elements in its combat or equipment, but that wasn’t the case. Outfits are purely cosmetic, and you unlock them by unlocking skills, which is a strange design choice. Frankly, I was expecting Bloodlines 2 to feel a bit like Dishonored, but it didn’t even reach the depth of that game at all. Yet, if you like a more action-oriented game without worrying much about stats and skill points, you might find some enjoyment here.
Traversal is another thing that didn’t quite stick the landing. On the one hand, it looks pretty slick. You can climb pipes fast and aggressively, and even glide from one rooftop to another. However, there aren’t many things that encourage you to do so. Yes, it is the fastest way to reach the next mission, and you’ll likely find most collectibles at the highest parts of Seattle, along with a few ghouls to beat up. But that’s as far as it goes; Bloodlines 2 is all about the beginning and the destination, but never the journey.
Overall, the gameplay of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is one of the most disappointing I’ve experienced in recent memory. However, it isn’t wholly a lost cause, especially since DLC is definitely coming, and it might fix a few things. A lock-on mode would vastly help, and adding more random encounters in Seattle would also encourage players to stop by to smack around some evil denizens of the night instead of rushing to the next objective. Also, the vampire power fantasy is there, and while it wasn’t my cup of tea, some players might enjoy sending enemies into a ragdoll state after a punch and pulling them toward them to deliver that final bite.
Stuttery Seattle
As soon as I stepped outside the tutorial area and saw Phyre standing ominously on a rooftop and taking in the sights of Seattle, my jaw dropped. It was such a perfect shot that showed you the scope of a neon-lit and hazy city full of mysteries and an intriguing plot to uncover. Then again, that jaw-dropping first impression evaporated faster than a vampire drains their victim during feeding time.
In terms of the design, the city certainly looks great. The lighting is impressive, and the snowy streets add to this noir crime feeling that is so persistent throughout the story. Unfortunately, performance woes made all of my excitement fade away because walking around Seattle is full of technical issues. There wasn’t a single instance during my exterior exploration where I didn’t experience some form of stutter. Every single step I took, whether I was Fabien or Phyre, dropped my frames regardless of the street or rooftop I was on. Add to that some texture popping issues, and it detracts from the beauty of this snowy city.
Transitions from interior to exterior areas aren’t smooth either, as many of them caused my PS5 to crash. Fortunately, most of the game’s crucial moments took place indoors, and those ran at a smooth 60FPS, without a single issue. Furthermore, these moments were some of the most memorable, which ranged from a nightclub full of maniacal enemies to a hallucination-inducing factory, among others.
It is unfortunate because the design behind the streets of Seattle is fantastic, and it really immerses you in that murder mystery fantasy as you go from one dark place to the next. Still, the technical issues are numerous and quite distracting, to say the least. Hopefully, they’ll get fixed before the other DLCs launch because there’s a lot of potential in this city.
Not Ready to Leave the Coffin
Overall, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a mixed bag of several features that never end up shining as they should. The story, though terrific and well-written, with great characters, is marred by uninspiring gameplay moments in between. Often, it made me feel like the game would’ve been better if it were told like The Wolf Among Us, where the plot is the sole focus. Its gameplay — while flashy — suffers from frustrating design choices and numerous technical issues.
Still, there’s room for enjoyment there for those who want a story-driven experience and an edgy power vampire fantasy, assuming they are willing to put all the aforementioned problems aside. But if you’re expecting a deep RPG with several build options and impactful combat, you sadly won’t find that here. But since there’s more content coming, there’s hope that this vampire thriller eventually emerges victorious from its coffin.
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 (PS5 Reviewed)
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 could have been an excellent vampire experience, but its uninspiring gameplay, technical issues, and frustrating combat leave it in the dark.
Pros
- Well-written characters
- An interesting narrative
Cons
- Several technical issues
- Uninspiring gameplay
- Frustrating combat segments
