Roundup: Here’s What The Reviews Are Saying About Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 was first announced before the current generation of consoles even started, and now after multiple delays, reboots and developer handovers, this vampiric action-RPG is about to grace Xbox Series X and S. So, what’s it actually like after all these years?

Well, the reviews look a bit all over the place at the moment, and Bloodlines 2 does sound like it’s suffered somewhat from being in development hell. We’ve got everything from 4/10s to 8/10s here (currently 67 on Metacritic and 66 on OpenCritic), so there’s definitely a broad range of opinions out there on this one!

Here’s what the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 reviews are saying so far ahead of its launch on October 21st:

“The story is strong, the characters are good, and the atmosphere gets better the longer you play. The two games are very similar. The first was messy but beloved, and the same can be said about the sequel. It has its flaws, especially in the combat system, but it also has soul and charm. If you can look past the technical flaws and focus on the story and the abilities instead, this is a refreshing breath of fresh air in the genre.”

“This is a game that’s been designed to be a narrative adventure game with a pulpy noir bent—not an RPG. This identity crisis means that it’s always just a bit awkward, with The Chinese Room trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. But it’s still a miracle that, after one of the most tumultuous creation stories I’ve ever encountered in game development, it even exists. Let alone that it’s good.”

“Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 might not be the sequel that folk from 2004 wanted for their game, but it is the game we’ve got. Though largely sparse open world and technical issues are hardly encouraging, the beautifully evocative interior environments, surprisingly engaging traversal and combat mechanics, together with its neatly unconventional ‘buddy movie’ conceit which sees two vampires attempting to inhabit the same body and each with their own motivations, makes Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 a good deal more intriguing than I originally expected it to be.”

IGN (7/10)

“Did I enjoy it? Certainly. That’s an easy yes. Would I recommend it? That’s a much more complicated question. The thing is, I could say the same about the original Bloodlines as well, despite the two being such different animals. Both are deeply flawed, yet unique and remarkable bites at the apple. Or, I guess, the jugular. And that may be the best compliment I can pay it.”

“Bloodlines 2 isn’t your typical RPG. It tells a great and complex story while taking you on an adventure where every choice you make affects the narrative, inside a city that feels alive with lovable and hateable characters. However, it could have done so much more to live up to it’s predecessor and TTRPG inspiration.”

“When Bloodlines 2 plays to The Chinese Room’s strengths there are moments to enjoy. This isn’t a game without redeeming qualities. As I’ve said, the characters and some of their writing are frequently enjoyable. But everywhere else there are shortcomings, and too many of them. The Chinese Room should be congratulated for making something of this at all, but it feels like a game that’s been stitched together for the sake of getting it done – so everyone, including perhaps us, can move on.”

“Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a shambles. Its best qualities are always short-lived, buried deep beneath the frustrations of non-existent RPG elements, extreme padding, and diabolical technical issues. Beyond the promise of its opening hours, this is a tragic misfire of a game.”