I agree, that's a better idea than a thinblood I think.
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I'm more interested in roleplaying aspects. Combat looks OK, but I suppose it doesn't really show how it would differ depending on using different clans / disciplines.
Well, they do have experience just not with this genre. In terms of storytelling this change could be good. In terms of gameplay I‘m not sure what to expect. Hopefully they added new people with a lot experience for this type of game to their team.
Yea i looked em up, mainly a horror game studio it seems. Ive never heard of them tho but i dont play that kinda games. But making a RPG? im a bit skeptical tbh.
Pretttty much. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is the only one I really knew them for and here's a critical of that game: "The game was praised for its story and atmosphere, but was criticized for its infrequent enemy encounters and a reliance on sound design to evoke fear, as well as its linearity and minimal gameplay." From Wikipedia.
Their "Everybody's Gone to the Rapture" was well received and their latest "Little Orpheus" was more mixed reviews.
Sooo...yeah. Hardsuit Labs and Brian Mitsoda developed the idea and pitched it to Paradox, who said, "Yes, let's do that" then fired Mitsoda and took it away from HS Labs. HS Labs Made Killing Floor and BlackLight: Retribution, also not RPGs, but slightly better reviewed than Chinese Room stuff, I think? I played Killing Floor and iirc Blacklight. They were fun, serviceable shooters with a twist or two.
So, I dunno. Another company with mixed reviews generally, making an RPG, after Paradox took the game away from the people who made the first iteration. And have obviously used a lot of the smae footage - the Nosferatu, the ground slam, the AoE attack, flying above the alley, ground slide..anyway.
We'll see.
I wouldn't be particularly worried about the new devs per se, but the trailer is just so so: a bunch of generic-looking masked hobos and cops, some empty spaces, and some iffy-looking combat abilities. Are we sure it's even an RPG at this point?
Yea tbh that trailer isent that good, loads of issues it seems. true its only after alpha but i thought the game was pretty much finished before it was handed over (heard it hade massive issues with story and so on tho). The animations never really looked good. Ah i hope they dont ruin it...
Same feelings here.
The original Masquerade RPG was such an amazing classic so I was very excited about the news of the sequel. But it's gone through such development hell and behind the scene issues that at this point it may not even remotely reflect what it was originally envisioned to be nor what the original was like.
The new trailer looks like a discount Dishonored, which isn't a bad thing, but as a sequel to the original Masquerade I was hoping for something more RPGey like the original with consequences when we're not acting incognito.
The original Masquerade RPG was such an amazing classic so I was very excited about the news of the sequel. But it's gone through such development hell and behind the scene issues that at this point it may not even remotely reflect what it was originally envisioned to be nor what the original was like.
The new trailer looks like a discount Dishonored, which isn't a bad thing, but as a sequel to the original Masquerade I was hoping for something more RPGey like the original with consequences when we're not acting incognito.
Yeah, I suppose it's just some early trailer, but seeing some RPG mechanics would have been interesting. Like how the clan abilities affect dialogue, disciplines used for resolving things without combat and so on.
I can only guess they plan to show more of such gameplay details later, because it would completely flop if the game won't have such things.
I actually liked this reveal better than the first one. Sound design is more fitting. Combat isn't too different but still makes it seem like you're playing a character with superior abilities to a human.. maybe even more so than before. And what few characters were shown at least they didn't seem on the nose edgy or there just to tick a box. Also the ideea of playing a freshly awakened elder - something every kindred dreads - is intriguing.
So yea.. i guess cautiously optimistic would be my take on it.
So yea.. i guess cautiously optimistic would be my take on it.
Missed this for the longest time but im even more worried now. It just doesnt feel like VTM at all more like... trying to be bloodlines in the modern age.. the combat is very flashy and looks kinda cool but thats not what was good about bloodlines.
Knowing me ill probably buy it and be very dissapointed anyways -.-
Personal opinion: It looks exactly like Bloodlines should. It may not look graphically as good as some of its competitors in modern days. Which I do not consider a detriment.
I do consider a detriment if we only have access to four abilities at any given time, even if total number we can choose from is higher. But ranting about that got me a ban off their discord so w/e. Gotta live with what weve got.
Considering the whole lotta nothing we have had on video game front from world of darkness in the last 20 years (Bloodlines 1 turns 20 years old in november), I am thankful for anything at all. I love the concept of being an elder, and I still haven't seen anything that would make me think this is going to fail.
ps. People are still missing a simple truth: they arent revealing the story in order to avoid spoiling it for us. Cyberpunk 2077 did exactly the same. Thats why the videos have been mostly about combat. Im convinced it will be fine.
I do consider a detriment if we only have access to four abilities at any given time, even if total number we can choose from is higher. But ranting about that got me a ban off their discord so w/e. Gotta live with what weve got.
Considering the whole lotta nothing we have had on video game front from world of darkness in the last 20 years (Bloodlines 1 turns 20 years old in november), I am thankful for anything at all. I love the concept of being an elder, and I still haven't seen anything that would make me think this is going to fail.
ps. People are still missing a simple truth: they arent revealing the story in order to avoid spoiling it for us. Cyberpunk 2077 did exactly the same. Thats why the videos have been mostly about combat. Im convinced it will be fine.
I have to ask, what did you expect?
Of course it's trying to be VTM:B in the modern age. VTM:B is a 20 years old game. I'd be worried if they didn't try to adapt it to modern days and the game would fail in an epic way if they didn't.
You're correct that what was good about Bloodlines was it's narratives, application of the lore and atmosphere. Not it's combat, it's combat was terrible. Even for it's time. It was janky as hell yet it was still a very sizeable chunk of what you did in-game. Making the combat not suck tremendously is a major plus and it is way too early to judge the narratives or application of the lore since as @Bloodartist pointed out, we barely know anything on those ends. The atmosphere, based on what little we've seen in that trailer, seems to be taken seriously.
It sounds like you're setting yourself up for disappointment by wanting it to be something it was never meant to be.
I can't say I fully share your enthusiasm here. What I have seen so far did not raise red flags for me BUT it's well known the game is/was in development hell for a long time.
They seem to be confident with a 2024 release and what info we have heard/seen has definitely piqued my interest but I have to assume things were pretty bad if they had to change development studio entirely.
Well i kinda agree on the improved combat im just hoping thats not all it has got. At release VTMB was a broken mess true but i still remember falling deep into it. I think ill be disaponted this time around, i dont know if its age or w/e but that feeling is very lost nowdays in games. Im worried its a Cp2077 for me all over and im really not expecting much this time.. But still it will suck if they mess it up. Saw some people saying they could call it something else instead of Bloodlines and therefore not ruin it completly if it fails.. Its paradox so it will probably kill it off if it flops. I wasent that hyped when HS did the first edition and released some videos either so i think im more prepared for it to not live up to expectations then i was when cp came out atleast.
Really hope you are right.. Atleast i hope this isent the Foodfactory mission atleast cuz that would really suck -.- Gfx dont matter just make it as the first game and ill love it. Also kinda not digging the 4 clans without DLC but ill accept it if the DLC is good atleast...
Eh wasent there a VTM game released just recently? Swansong or something? Not the same i know but it was pretty good for what it was i heard.
VtM: Swansong yes. It was released 2 years ago on epic, and was released may 2023 in Steam when the exclusivity deal ran out. Its currently on a -70% discount on steam if you wanna go try it out.
Personally it wasnt for me. Its not a bloodlines-type game, its more like a detective/puzzle game where you walk around. And if people had issues with how Phyre looks in Bloodlines 2, they should REALLY check out Swansong. Some of the facial animations are pretty epic.
Heres the link https://store.steampowered.com/app/1299510/Vampire_The_Masquerade__Swansong/
ps. Ive played it through
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To get back on track talking about actual bloodlines 2, Im gonna be recapping stuff that we know.
Phyre, our protagonist, is over 400 years old vampire. An elder, in VtM terms.
They wake from a 100 year torpor in Seattle, 6000 miles from home (middle east apparently), with strange markings all over their body that weaken them. (Im using "they" because player can choose Phyre's gender and clan. More about that later. )
Phyre has a voice of a thinblood named "Fabian" speaking in their mind and they were splashed with thinblood vitae upon awakening.
Speculation: I would guess that Phyre actually diablerized this Fabian when they woke and were hungry. Diablerie means a vampire drinking another vampires blood and soul, killing them. The soul of the eaten vampire will live on in the diablerist's head, at least for a while. This is the only in-universe explanation that I can think of for the "voice in the head" thing, with its unfortunate parallels to Johnny Silverhand..
The protagonist of the hardsuit labs version of Bloodlines 2 was supposed to be a thinblood.. Having the new 'eat' the old is somewhat symbolic, yes?
The Chinese Room also hints that the plot will involve several NPCs attempting to exploit the weakened Elder vampire, including Lou, Ryong, and Tolly. (more on those later) How to deal with them will be entirely up to the player. This is where the game resembles Bloodlines 1: the protagonist is surrounded by NPCs that are all looking to take advantage of them.
While Phyre is an elder and quite strong, they are weakened by the magic markings. This also functions as an explanation to the character progression: Phyre is essentially unlocking the abilities they used to have over the course of the game.
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Here is some stuff the devs have said in interviews about the game:
They're making each clan very unique (which is why there are fewer of them to play as).
Each clan will have a different roleplaying experience
The reputations of each clan will either help you or hurt you
Characters will have preconceptions of what you're supposed to be like based on your clan but you're free to act against those expectations. The example given was how you're free to play a calm Brujah but other characters will think you're weird.
The player has complete control over establishing Phyre's backstory. You will be asked to flesh out the kind of person she was and the kind of things she did before the game began
You will have a wide variety of ways to roleplay when socialising with others. You can use your status as Elder to hold younger vampires down as people expect an Elder to behave or you can try to win everyone over for your own benefit.
There will be consequences to the choices you make for Phyre's background. Her reputation will follow her to Seattle
Your reputation will be affected by more than just talking. How you act as a predator will also be remembered
Clans have relationships with each other and your clan will impact your ability to work with specific characters.
Manipulating other characters requires you to be able to read them. Some characters respond to charm and others will need to be physically intimidated
Some characters have eyes, everywhere, and the player has to carefully decide when to show anyone their full hand
A Mass Effect reference was made saying that you can be "Renegade or Paragon" if you want to but you'll benefit more from being naughty or nice on a case-by-case basis. Always use your head. Be a good politician.
Vampire society in Bloodlines 2 is built around manipulation and the endings will be impacted by your ability to play everyone else harder than they can play you.
The game's roleplaying systems are tied directly to the tabletop game.
The writers had to do heavy research before their writing.
Phyre can be very, very Elder-like if you want. You can make her declare that humans are just cattle.
The game will have a healthy balance of everything: horror, drama, comedy, despair etc.
Bloodlines 2 is a game about monsters. Vampires are not nice people.
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Well i hope what you described will become a reality since that seems pretty nice. Alot of details missing ofc since we havent seen it really so far. The conversations seemed a bit basic but it might just be due to not fleshed out yet or since its a quest. Still cant really forgive that they have removed my favorite clan but atleast Tremere is still in it (its kinda funny that the archetypes of the clans are pretty much warrior/mage/rogue/bard).
Framerates seem to be under 30 in the video too but we dont really know, seems kinda laggy tho. Guessing its not played on a console atleast and they should have shown the game from as good a perspective as possible so a bit worried about that if it shall release 2024 as they have claimed. Anyways if they can do what you outlined and make the world feel like the first game with the atmosphere/music/characters and replayability i could probably like it.. No hype tho!
Framerates seem to be under 30 in the video too but we dont really know, seems kinda laggy tho. Guessing its not played on a console atleast and they should have shown the game from as good a perspective as possible so a bit worried about that if it shall release 2024 as they have claimed. Anyways if they can do what you outlined and make the world feel like the first game with the atmosphere/music/characters and replayability i could probably like it.. No hype tho!