Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 gameplay shown off in a pair of new trailers

I am unbelievably excited for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. I adored the first game, janky as it sometimes was, playing through it multiple times to see the differences that the various clans made to the game. I have great big expectations for the sequel, which will come to PC and consoles next year. While we’ve seen some trailers and a look at the clans represented in this game, we’ve not really seen any gameplay.

That’s changed! Paradox has revealed some shiny gameplay for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 through a pair of trailers. One’s a typical E3 trailer that shows brief snippets of actual gameplay, while the second is the same thing, but an extended cut that gives us a better look at the actual game bits. While there’s definitely an element of jank to it, and the facial animation isn’t quite what we expect from a big new AAA game in 2019, I think it looks quite spiffing – and most definitely something I want to play.

Here’s the shorter one

“Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is the successor to the cult-classic Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and features reactive storytelling, fast-paced combat, and compelling characters with their own hidden motives. Created in an act of vampiric insurrection, players start the game as a fledgling Thinblood whose existence ignites a war among the vampire factions in Seattle. To survive in vampire society, players will enter into uneasy alliances with Seattle’s factions and join one of the full-blood vampire clans while stalking the city streets for prey, maneuvering complex political relationships, and balancing the need for blood against their withering humanity.”

Here’s the better, extended trailer:

If you’re interested, here’s the handy bullet-point list of features:

• Feed Your Power, Own the Night – Immerse yourself in the World of Darkness and live out your vampire fantasy in a city filled with intriguing characters that react to your choices. Your unique disciplines, vampiric powers granted by the clan you join, make you a supernatural weapon in a forward-driving, fast-moving, melee-focused combat system. Your power will grow as you advance, but remember to uphold the Masquerade and guard your humanity … or face the consequences. 
• Descend into Seattle’s Dark Heart and Survive the Vampire Elite – Seattle has always been run, albeit secretly, by vampires. Hunt your prey across Seattle locations faithfully reimagined in the World of Darkness, from the piers of the waterfront to the bars and clubs of Pioneer Square. Meet the old blood founders present since the city’s birth and the new blood steering the tech money redefining the city. Everyone has hidden agendas – so choose your allies wisely.
• Enter into Uneasy Alliances – Choose a side among competing factions, each with their own unique traits and stories, in the war for Seattle’s blood trade. The world will judge you by the company you keep, but remember no one’s hands stay clean forever. 
• Experience a Reactive, Branching Narrative – Written by Brian Mitsoda, the creative mind behind the original Bloodlines, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 reacts to your every choice in a narrative where different paths, and outcomes, abound.

I can’t wait.

Last Updated: June 11, 2019