Having previously previewed Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 I jumped at the chance for another foray into The Chinese Room’s take on this world. The last preview build I had ended before I got to finish my investigation into the murder of a human named Pandora, or bring rogue vampire Sheriff Benny to task for his violent rampage.
Thankfully, this new preview section allowed me the opportunity to do both of those things, and came with all six Clan options unlocked after Paradox backpedalled frantically on their previous anti-consumer DLC plans. Jumping right into the game with 14 skill points to spend on my Toreador abilities meant combat felt much more fun, even if a lot of it is spent retreating desperately.
That’s my immediate takeaway here: the combat, while fun, fails to make me feel like a badass Vampire. I know the vampires in this world aren’t built like superheroes, but in combat you’re often vastly outnumbered, and the few offensive abilities each Clan offers are heavily restricted.
For example, I had an ability that lets me curse an enemy to explode the next time they take damage. This is fun and arguably overpowered, but in order to charge it up for another use I’ll need to kill and feed on three other enemies during combat. Again, this isn’t a major issue in of itself as it’s just another form of resource management, but the trouble is that when you’re without abilities to use, combat is you slapping and kicking enemies over and over trying to deplete their health bars while going down in a few good hits yourself. You spend more time backing up or running away than fighting and it just doesn’t feel that good.
I should say, though, it isn’t a deal-breaker. In fact, the eventual boss fight with Benny was well worth the wait, as he’s also susceptible to your vampiric abilities while dishing out some of his own. And the arrival of Ghoul enemies mid-fight that attack him and you equally felt tense, and kept him busy for a while so I could pick them off and recharge.
Elsewhere, I found hidden collectibles in some areas that I’m sure weren’t there in the last build I played. It added a reason to explore the world a little more, as did what appeared to be a denser concentration of humans to interact with in the hub city.
The preview ended with a definitive choice that feels like it will have seriously weighty consequences for the rest of the game, as it essentially made me choose between two different factions. The Deus Ex: Human Revolution vibes were even stronger in this build, and highlighted that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a much stronger game outside of the uneven combat encounters.
Navigating the political minefields of this world feels far more dangerous and intriguing than dismembering goons in back alleys. I’d rather be verbally sparring with a calculating foe than engaged in combat, which I should reiterate I did enjoy despite it feeling heavily dependent on the Clan you choose. The characters are well-written and mostly well-acted, and there’s potential for some great mysteries and story twists here.
Perhaps my only real complaint is the character of Fabien, the disembodied voice that lives inside the mind of your protagonist Phyre. A former vampire private detective, Fabien has a tendency to talk too much and spill pulpy detective clichés like he’s read too much Sin City. Sometimes I just wanted him to shut up, or at least not greet everything we see with some wry, weary wisecrack. Part of the issue is that his voice actor feels divorced from what’s actually going on, delivering everything in the same cynical voice.
But this is a mild complaint and one that may well disappear within the context of the full release. Either way, this second preview has whetted my appetite for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 once again, and has me convinced that even if the combat isn’t the strongest element, there will be more than enough intrigue and danger on offer within the macabre echelons of the vampire hierarchy.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is coming to PC, Xbox Series S|X and PlayStation 5 on October 21.
