It’s finally arrived—twenty years after the debut title from Troika Games and Activision, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has made its entrance. However, the reception has been decidedly mixed among both newcomers to the RPG genre and devoted fans of the original game. Enthusiasts of the Vampire franchise and Bloodlines supporters have eagerly anticipated this sequel, developed by The Chinese Room, the studio behind Still Wakes the Deep, and published by Paradox Interactive. Yet, it seems that this new RPG is struggling to live up to expectations.
The Steam page for Bloodlines 2, which just went live last night, currently displays a “Mixed” review status, indicating a significant number of dissatisfied players. One reviewer states, “This is not Bloodlines 2,” lamenting that “the game you wish this was” had been canceled long ago. Another user comments, “Like you took another vampire’s power from the start, this ‘sequel’ is Bloodlines in name only.” Many players are not just contrasting the new game with the original Bloodlines but are instead drawing comparisons to other, more straightforward titles. As one player describes, “It’s infinitely closer to a mix between Zeno Clash and Dishonored.”
Mixed Reactions on Metacritic and Community Feedback
The score for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 on Metacritic reflects its tumultuous development journey, ultimately failing to surpass the original cult classic due to polarizing reviews.
Further down the list of opinions, a fan remarks, “It really depends on what you expect. Personally, I’m enjoying it so far and see it as vampire Dishonored.” While there are certainly positive comments scattered throughout, it appears that many long-time Bloodlines fans are not particularly pleased with what has been delivered. Reddit discussions have also contributed additional insight, with one thread stating, “If you didn’t want your game compared to VTMB, you shouldn’t have named it VTMB 2.”
Another post criticizes the “repeat enemies,” suggesting that their presence is disappointing in Bloodlines 2. This user draws a parallel to the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, asserting, “Even Cyberpunk at release, which faced backlash for a lack of NPC diversity, was nowhere near as bad as this.” Players have also voiced concerns regarding the absence of manual save options and the inability to dance in the in-game nightclubs.
As highlighted in our own review of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, the “blunt-toothed sequel is just a boring, linear action brawler,” rather than the immersive RPG experience that fans of the original were hoping for—and it appears that many others share this sentiment.
If you’re looking for fresh gaming experiences after trying out Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive roundup for more suggestions.