Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 got a full release date during Gamescom Opening Night Live last night, along with a fresh trailer. However, there’s one detail that might put a bit of a dampener [dhampir? – Ed] on your claret-tinged celebrations about the game finally overcoming its many bloody delays.
You see, while the base version of Bloodlines 2 offers four vampire clans with different playstyles for you to get behind the fangs of, Paradox have opted to stick a further two behind paid day-one DLC.
This pair of clans are the Toreador and the Lasombra, and to get them, you’ll need to invest in Bloodlines 2’s £74.99/€89.99/$89.99 premium edition, or pay an extra £18.69/€21.99/$21.99 to add the Shadows and Silk DLC pack to your base or deluxe edition. If you opt not to pony up that cash, you will still be able to pick between the Brujah, Tremere, Banu Haqim, and Ventrue clans, but yeah, not ideal.
Especially since both premium clans aren’t just swankier looks you’ll be able to don. They’ve each got their own unique abilities, which one has to assume will make a difference to how your playthrough goes and feels. “Embrace the shadows as a Lasombra, commanding the very essence of darkness to bend to your will,” reads the Shadows and Silk DLC’s Steam blurb. “Or, revel in beauty and passion as a Toreador, channeling your artistic spirit to captivate and influence those around you.”
Yep, that’s right, the Toreador are otherwise known as the “clan of divas”, and are your best shot to play a sexy seducer who probably resembles Baldur’s Gate 3‘s Astarion if he were kicked through the uber-risqué section of a gothic outfitter. Or, to put it another way, Astarion in 90% of modded BG3 playthroughs. The base game’s Ventrue also look to have the hobnobbing with high society element to them, but they’re a bit more buttoned up. There’s more info on the Toreador and Lasombra clans’ abilities on Paradox’s website.
I’ve asked Paradox for comment. Charging separately for vampire clans seems a risky decision for a game like Bloodlines 2, which already faces the task of convincing Vampire fans it’s worthy of its spiritual successor label, as well as turning around any cynicism that’s understandably crept into folks’ minds throughout its turbulent development.
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