Inclusive defeminized female characters combined with horrible lip syncing are just the starting point in an alleged sequel to a classic title.
Paradox Interactive are well on their way to bastardize a cult classic with the alleged sequel to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (VTMB) which was a phenomenal RPG title released back in 2004 with the overlooked game since garnering a cult following.
Developed by Troika Games, VTMB originally released with countless bugs rendering it completely unfinishable, but it was a true role-playing game, none of that hand holding bullshit that you find in today’s games, no markers over quest givers, the only limitation was your own intellect and intuition.
Fun fact. The game was actually developed utilizing the original leaked rendition of the Half Life 2 “source” engine.
The central plot revolves around the power struggle between several different vampire clans and the intricate power structures that define their society, as a newly converted vampire you’re thrusted into the conflict, as you navigate your way through your new surroundings you’re going to encounter many memorable characters of whom like a true RPG should, your interactions with these characters alongside critical decisions WILL influence the games outcome.
If you’re not already a fan but it seems up your alley I implore you to give VMTB a try, if you’re already a fan prepare to be utterly disappointed.
It’s been a longtime now since Paradox Interactive announced that we were getting a sequel to the niche cult icon, and similarly to Dead Island 2 the actual development of Bloodlines 2 has been a complete and utter shit show, with “Hardsuit Labs” being brought in to develop the game back in 2019, however by February 2021 they had been booted from its development with the newfound developers remaining unknown until September 2023 in fact.
The Chinese Room, a lovely sounding company apparently based in Hampshire, England isn’t much of a reputable firm, they’re only really known for Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.
One main aspect of VTMB is that the main character doesn’t speak, a true staple in a role-playing game.
Of all the fucking names available they chose “Phyre” of all things, no doubt they opted for such a stupid fucking name because “Phyre” is not only unique but inclusive too, which would save a whole lot of money and time devoted to alternating between a masculine name or a feminine one.
In the original game you could select between not only genders but specifically which “clan” of Vampire you’ll belong to which has a direct impact upon your appearances, abilities and attributes. For instance a Malkavian feels completely different than a Toreador and a Nosferatu is a walking Masquerade violation so you have to sneak and find different ways to get and finish quests, being a hideous Nosferatu also opens up unique character dialogues.
But of course modern gamers wouldn’t like that so now all modern RPGs are essentially action games with “RPG” elements such as leveling, character skills and more shoehorned in with a laughably bad and coerced storyline.
You’ll be able to customize the main character in Bloodlines 2 but I wouldn’t really get your hopes up, clans are now limited to a choice of just four, but at least you’ll be able to change your gender, however in typical fashion for a modern video game favoring ESG over actual sales, female characters are depicted with little to no femininity. All the normal tropes, unappealing appearances, masculine details and unfeminine shortcut hair are all here on display in VTMB 2.
The story and premise of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is that “Phyre” happens to be an Elder Kindred who has woken up from a hundred year slumber, obviously from the premise of limited clan choices, you have no choice of name and or backstory.
You are Phyre, you are an elder kindred whether you like it or not. Now do you want to be a man with female body parts or a man with male reproductive organs, choose your gender wisely because it’ll hardly have much impact on the actual story at all.
Because from what I have seen VTMB 2 is more or less akin to that of Fallout 4 rather than an actual role-playing game as has been revealed in this overview of the games narrative and dialogue choice options.
Because what we really wanted was another “RPG” game on rails, exactly like Cyberpunk 2077, with a voiced protagonist to boot.
A role-playing game with a premade backstory, an unchangeable name regardless of gender selection, of which now has their own voice actor in a game that’s most certainly written by millennials.
But it’s not all lost, you see there are multi-choice options for in-game dialogue that sporadically pans the camera back and fourth between the protagonist and the character they are interacting with.
“Multichoice” options.
Options such as Tell Her Everything, Tell Her Everything with different words and Tell Her Everything (but mean).
Nice “sequel” you’ve got here Paradox, another fake role-playing game plagued with worthless dialogue “options” that caress you forward until the endgame, just like Mass Effect. And we haven’t even mentioned the horrible facial animations and lip syncing of these characters as they speak either.
For a game that’s supposedly set to release in 2024 it certainly doesn’t look very modern, to say that these facial expressions are soulless is an understatement, the lip syncing was genuinely better in the original title which by the time this game releases would be two decades old.
Honestly, this game has been going downhill since Hardsuit got sacked, you’ll never have Brian Mitsoda‘s rendition that contained actual dialogue options as opposed to this new rendition, featuring Ruby Rose and a horrible Fallout dialogue system with a voiced protagonist.
This isn’t so much a sequel as it is worthless fanfiction cashing in on the name that only gained actual relevance well after its release, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will most certainly be the most purest of dogshit games made by and for smooth brained simpletons who have no love, admiration and respect for the original.
This is just another game developed for today’s market with today’s woke sensitive cultural values, no more scandalous and loosely clothed women, you can enjoy playing as Phyre the hermaphrodite with their inoffensive “realistic” character design and multichoice options of “yes” when it comes to romanticizing individuals of the same gender.
But of course if you don’t like their millennial writing which is bound to make Phyre an unlikeable protagonist, I can’t wait for the mainstream media to once again spin it as consumers being “sexist, racist pigs.” I genuinely wish this game bombs so damn hard it sinks not only The Chinese Room but Paradox as a whole.
Don’t buy this trash, you’re better off ignoring this unfaithful garbage just like how everyone else seemingly forgot its entire existence given its developmental hell because Bloodlines 2 is more dead than an actual vampire at this point.
Play the goddamn original. Fuck Paradox Interactive and fuck this game.
