Summary
Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2is the game on everyone’s lips right now. Original trailers released in 2019, promising a brand-new chapter inVtM’sworld would soon bloody the streets of Seattle. Issues with developments delayed the release of the game, but September 2023 saw a revival of the game, andBloodlines 2rose from the dead.
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With fans still eagerly anticipating its release, many are returning to the originalBloodlinesgame for a replay, or trying it for the very first time. While it is a fantastic game in its own right,Bloodlines 2needs to shine on its own and should diverge somewhat from its predecessor.
8Allow Character Customization
Customization is a key component of RPGs, with many players more than happy to spend hours perfectly crafting their characters. As they are going to be playing that character for tens or even hundreds of hours, it is only right the player should determine every aspect of their appearance.
But,Bloodlines 1lacked the ability to change the characters' appearance, with only a default male and female for each clan available to choose from. Likely this was due to the technical restraints of the time, butBloodlines 2isn’t hamstrung by technology, and should definitely add in the choice to change some aspects of the player character’s appearance. While it doesn’t have to be as in-depth asBlack Desert, for example, basic customization such as in other RPGs likeBaldur’s Gate 3is viable.
7Improve The Combat
Thecombat wasn’t exactly the driving forcebehind a lot of players' passion forBloodlines. While it wasn’t too tanky compared to games likeSilent Hill 2, it relied heavily on button mashing or outright cheesing fights by diving into cover, letting the health recover then popping back out for another few shots, rinse and repeat. With it being action-oriented combat rather than relying on tactics or strategy, it is an easy trap to fall into.
This leaves the door open forBloodlines 2to make some marked improvements on the combat and make it feel more fluid and responsive for players. With a shiny new engine and a new development team, it is certainly a doable endeavor. Also, there is an opportunity to let social combat take more of center stage. While characters could sweet-talk or intimidate their way around some scenarios, other scenes forced players into combat that without a combat build, would leave players struggling. As such,Bloodlines 2could make a marked improvement by letting diplomacy be more of an option.
6Overhaul Disciplines
Disciplines are the powers vampires holdwithin them thanks to the clan blood flowing in their veins. They can range from imbuing the user with supernatural strength to allowing them to override the will of another. Every disciple can be used in combat scenarios if the player is creative enough, and it is sometimes essential to aid players during tough boss fights.
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However, the disciplines weren’t always very satisfying to use, and the only indicator of their use was sometimes a colored glow around the character model. This is whereBloodlines 2could differentiate themselves, by completely overhauling the discipline system. In addition, allowing the player to learn out of clan disciplines, like they can in the tabletop game, could prove a very popular change.
5More Clans
Bloodlinesgave the player the option to play one of seven clans, and while these clans cover a lot of different archetypes and playstyles to appeal to a wide range of players, there are stillmany enjoyable and fun clansthat were left out of the roster.
WhileBloodlines 2has already released some information regarding playable clans, it is not a comprehensive list, and fans can only hope their favorites that didn’t make the cut the last time, such as Lasombra, Hecata, or Banu Haqim, might be made a playable option to choose from.Bloodlines 2has the opportunity to include more clans.
4A Sabbat Ending
Multiple endings are another cornerstone of RPGs, with players given the freedom to shape their destiny as the game progresses. In the firstBloodlinesgame, the player has the option to strike out alone, remain loyal to the Prince, hand control of LA to the rest of the Camarilla, defect to the Anarchs, or even side with the Kuei-Jin, but there is one sect that was left out of any ending: the Sabbat.
Though the world ofVtMis not black and white, theSabbat are seen as the villainous sect, mass embracing many people to create cannon fodder to use in their wars against the other factions, and their belief of vampires as superior beings. But the dark treachery of the Sabbat will be intriguing to some people who may wish to join their cause. As such, the developers behindBloodlines 2should make the Sabbat an option.
3Explaining Phrases & Idioms
Technical terms are always thrown around inVtMgames: kindred, ghoul, clan, discipline, garou, vitae. Other titles such asShadows of New Yorktook care to ensure players understood that vampires, or rather kindred, have their own terms for certain things to throw hunters off their trail, or anyone else who could be overhearing or monitoring their conversations.
Bloodlinescovered some basic terms if theygo through the tutorialwith Smiling Jack, but then not much more is said throughout the game, and the tutorial is entirely skippable. As such,Bloodlines 2should take care to cover some of the most commonVtMidioms, and offer an explanation either through dialogue or in a codex entry the players can access through the journal and read for themselves.
2Up-To-Date Lore
The originalBloodlinesfollowed the V20 guidelines, as that would have been the most recent edition ofVtMreleased at the time. Since then,VtMhas gone through some changes with the release of the fifth edition, in which the Beckoning pulls elders to the Middle East, the Sabbat have mainly fractured with large scores of them also converging to wage bloody war in the sands and clan Lasombra joining the Camarilla, and streamlining of disciplines designed to be new-player friendly.
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Many fans are split on which edition is superior, but as this is a new game, it should use the new edition available to keep up-to-date with the goings-on in the world ofVampire. Not only that, it will ensure players dipping their toes into the World of Darkness for the first time will not be overwhelmed by the robust discipline system of V20.
1Predator Types
AlthoughBloodlinesincluded many mechanics from the tabletop game such as Humanity and Hunger, there were a few that were excluded. Whether this was due to the development strain the game was put through or purposeful omission for a more streamlined experience no one is sure, butBloodlines 2might benefit from the inclusion of some of these things, such as Predator Types.
The Predator Types determine how a kindred sources their blood, offering a variety of different means with their own benefits and drawbacks and a unique way in which they feed. For example, a Sandman will only drink the blood of someone who is sleeping and, as such gains a single point in Obfuscate or Auspex. Thismechanic could definitely work in an RPG, as Predator Types could play a part in character creation, and add more intrigue into feeding with each Predator Type offering something different.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2is set to release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.
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