The Chinese Room has shared another development diary for the vampire epic Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2. This time, the focus is on the combat system.
Creative Director Alex Skidmore reminded that the team formulated several principles to guide most decisions in creating the project. One of these principles is “Intuitive Immersive Combat.”
In crafting the combat system, developers aimed to accommodate players with different approaches to gameplay while keeping pace with modern action games. Fans of Dishonored and stealth builds in Fallout or The Elder Scrolls will find much to enjoy in Bloodlines 2. The collisions are balanced so that, in most cases, players have the option to plan, sneak, or even feed on their prey before the brawl begins. Local levels are designed to offer space for fans of the “hit and run” tactical approach.
Players who enjoy diving into crowds, as seen in God of War, Shadow of Mordor, or Elden Ring, will discover numerous disciplines (vampiric abilities) and techniques for dealing damage to groups of enemies. The Brujah clan is particularly well-suited for this style, but other vampires can also be formidable and deadly.
The studio hasn’t forgotten those who are less interested in spectacular battles. If you simply want to experience the story, interact with characters, and immerse yourself in the World of Darkness universe without delving into skill trees, The Chinese Room has a solution. In addition to difficulty settings, the basic mechanics of local brawls will be easy to grasp.
Skidmore provided an example of how they balance mechanics to cater to different player types. Standard evasion allows players to simply avoid damage and move in space. If a player wants to delve deeper into combat, they will discover that evasion can also stun melee-armed enemies.
The project is designed for a broad audience and consoles, allowing players to choose a maximum of 4 active abilities at a time. Combining these abilities will enable players to create impressive scenes.
In Bloodlines 2, players take on the role of a 400-year-old vampire named Faye. Such Kindred usually don’t hesitate with their victims, so players can expect gore and other spectacular blood-related finishes. Developers want to show that such cruelty is commonplace in the vampire world.
Alex promised to share more about how players can explore the World of Darkness in Bloodlines 2 in two weeks, and on January 31, 2024, the studio will present a new gameplay trailer dedicated to the combat system.
Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 is set to release in the fall of 2024 on PC (Steam, EGS, GOG), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series.
