Summary

• The dialogue system in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is a cause for concern, as it lacks clear and distinct choices.
• The change-up in the dialogue system is similar to Fallout 4, which was poorly received by fans of the series.
• Streamlining the RPG elements of Bloodlines 2 could sacrifice what made the original game special and unique to fans of the franchise.

undergone a somewhat troubled development, which has extended several years beyond its original release date thanks in part to a change in developers. Although the time of its release is finally closing in, things are starting to look more concerning than ever in some ways.

It's now almost two decades since the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was released in 2004, itself a followup to the prior video game entry Vampire: The Masquerade – Redemption. Although the prior game was reasonably well received, it's the latter that's made the biggest mark, with soft launch sales and a host of technical issues eventually being largely forgotten as the years cemented it as a cult classic. A rich atmosphere and interesting RPG elements helped make up for the more awkward elements, and it's still a fascinating game to play for the first time today.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Has RPG Issues

Considering the strengths of the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines as an RPG, it would make sense that a sequel would want to double down on that element of the franchise, fleshing out rich choices and immersive storytelling opportunities. Although it's certainly retaining its share of RPG elements, Bloodlines 2 looks like it could actually be taking a big step back in that regard. The biggest cause for concern lies in the dialogue system, recently showcased in a Bloodlines 2 trailer on the official World of Darkness YouTube channel.

A conversation between the protagonist, Phyre, and a character named Willem exhibits just how this system works, with a mid-conversation prompt giving Phyre several choices for her course of action. These options are to "Remind him who [she is]," "Show concern for his wellbeing," and "Draw conclusions from his behavior," which are appreciably distinct paths that nonetheless fail to be particularly clear. It's a distinct turn from the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, which offered specific conversation pieces written out in full to be selected rather than the new, vaguer prompts.

Bloodlines 2 Dialogue Prompts Are Similar To Fallout 4

The most obvious comparison to make is with the Fallout games, which made a similar adjustment in Fallout 4 after featuring specific dialogue options in every prior game. Although Fallout 4 performed well overall, that particular decision never sat well with many longtime fans of the series, as it could make it more difficult to act with clear intention when dealing with the variety of interesting NPCs scattered throughout the Wasteland. Fallout's example was more extreme overall, reducing things to more significantly truncated prompts than the ones shown in the Bloodlines 2 trailer, but the overall sentiment was similar.

The change-up in Fallout's dialogue system doesn't appear to be a choice that developer Bethesda Game Studios considered particularly successful, as the studio's most recent game Starfield, reverted to the more traditional system found in the older Fallout games and Elder Scrolls titles. Mods are available to make Fallout 4's dialogue visible in full in place of the prompts, but it still doesn't fix the entire issue, as the choices aren't always that distinct. In the case of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, it remains to be seen just how robust the actual dialogue is throughout the game.

Streamlining Bloodlines 2 Doesn't Represent The TTRPG

Part of the reason that choice really matters in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 lies in the roots of Vampire: The Masquerade as a tabletop role-playing game, with the Gothic setting and interesting lore making it one of the more popular options in the scene. Although it's possible to make good TTRPG tie-in titles that don't fully represent the RPG aspects, the original Bloodlines did strive to do so, and it's earned a legacy as the most iconic video game adaptation for fans. Diluting any core elements of that experience could sacrifice what made it so special to begin with.

It's an especially frustrating decision in the wake of Baldur's Gate 3's massive success, as that game proved that the complexity of tabletop Dungeons & Dragons could be packaged into a modern game to both critical acclaim and market popularity. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines has never had the scope that the Baldur's Gate series has always boasted, so meeting the standard that the first game wouldn't be comparably daunting. The mid-development shift in studio has no doubt provided some challenges for the game, however, making it not particularly surprising that everything isn't looking ideal.

The studio that took over Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is The Chinese Room, which is responsible for games like Dear Esther, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 Could Be Good

The other big problem with the new Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 trailer lies in its overall nature, which simply doesn't show enough of the RPG elements to make the situation entirely clear. If every conversation plays out with exactly one prompt screen and no real branching paths, it's likely to be disappointing overall, and streamlining other aspects of customization or choice could further reduce the game's appeal. On the flip side, however, it's possible that there's more under the hood than the material shown so far clearly indicates.

At the end of the day, it's too early to call what the ultimate quality of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will be, and there's definitely value in maintaining some optimism. It would be great if a classic game that wasn't much of a hit at launch could get a strong sequel, and even a middling attempt could still provide some fun in an engaging universe. At the moment, however, there's definitely cause for concern that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 may not be all that it could be, and the dialogue system is the biggest warning sign so far.

Source: World of Darkness/YouTube