Publisher Paradox Interactive has revealed the first revamped look at Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 gameplay, and it looks great. While this isn't the first time we've seen footage of Bloodlines 2, this is the first look at the game as made by The Chinese Room, which took over the development of the game after Paradox removed Hardsuit Labs from the project.
Paradox Interactive, which owns the Vampire: The Masquerade IP, has been trying to make Bloodlines 2 happen for years and years. Development seemed promising for a bit, but in 2021, Paradox removed original developer Hardsuit Labs from the project. We learned last year that Everybody's Gone To The Rapture studio The Chinese Room took over development (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz), and now, we've got our first look at their version of Bloodlines 2.
Check it out for yourself in the official Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 trailer below:
Alongside the gameplay trailer above, Paradox has also released an extended gameplay reveal where creative director Alex Skidmore and community manager Joshua Matthews dive deeper into the game's mechanics and the setting while exploring Seattle as a Brujah Kindred.
You can watch that extended gameplay reveal below:
Paradox says each clan in Bloodlines 2 has its own playstyle and Disciplines, making for different ways to play the game. "Whether it's the Brujah's brute force, Banu Haqim's cloak-and-dagger approach, Ventrue's cutthroat manipulation, or Tremere's blood magic, players have a wide range of options." Paradox says more details on each clan's respective Disciplines will be released later this year.
"The gameplay and action of Bloodlines 2 is sort of a dance," Skidmore writes in a press release. "As players explore the world, soak in the atmosphere, and make strategic choices, they affect relationships with the characters around them. Players can choose their legend, but the world is dynamic, and characters will remember how you treat them."
Speaking of clans, Bloodlines 2 will feature four for protagonist Phyre: "the rebellious Brujah, blood sorcery masters Tremere, adjudicators of justice Banu Haqim, [and] the persuasive Venture."
For more about Bloodlines 2, head to our tag here. The Chinese Room is also working on a new horror game called Still Wakes the Deep, which is slated to release this year.
What do you think of this Bloodlines 2 gameplay? Let us know in the comments below!