Vampire: The Masquerade® – Bloodlines™ 2

*Note:* 40 hours later: Even though I am a lot more positive about this game than some others, I will say this, it absolutely outstays its welcome. The latter part of the game just drags. For those familiar with the film industry technique 'padding,' that's basically the last quarter of Bloodlines 2 narrative.
I still like it, but the story drags and it gets asinine, it really, really do.
There are 6 Endings and in my opinion, they are all awful, short, and unsatisfying, considering what all you go through to get to the finish. I still say its a good game, but without a New Game plus for at least the cosmetics, I can't see any reason to replay it.
Final Verdict, get it on sale. A really good sale. That last quarter of the game sucked out most of my positive vibe I had for the narrative.
*Initial Review*
I was absolutely against the game for the longest time. After they removed the Day One pay wall for the two clans, I decided to give it a go.
First off, it's not Bloodlines. And that's okay, I did not expect it to be.
Honestly, if it had been called anything else, VtM: Seattle, VtM: Dishonored, VtM: 'Insert Phrase Here,' I think there may have been less hate. I'm having fun with it. I like the art, combat is cool, it runs well-for me anyway, and there absolutely are rpg elements in the game-just not as deep as Bloodlines 1. Still, I just had a long conversation with a former Prince of the city, and what you say does matter. I also tried seducing a random lady out in the world map and she started swinging on me! So, yeah, it certainly does have rpg elements. I'm sure I'll get a little heat for this, there is a lot of bad blood right now, but the game is fun. Fanboys love them digital torches and pitchforks though.
It certainly doesn't make me think of Bloodlines when I play it, and the lack of character customization is annoying. However, those are the only two things I can come up with off hand that are 'eh.' This is a very different game, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you go into this for a modern Vampire story with some Neo-Noir elements and fast pace combat and traversal, I don't think you'll be very disappointed as a player.
KEEP IN MIND, Steam has a really great refund policy. As always when I recommend a game, set an alarm on your phone for an hour and a half, and try it for yourself. At worse, all you are out is time. It won't take the full hour to see if the game is right for you. Steam refunds as long as your play time is under two hours. If you truly hate the game and want nothing to do with it, than my advice is to go do something else. Find something else to play. Something that makes you happy. Hanging around and groaning constantly is a waste of energy.

Before I say anything, even though I recommend this game, do not get it unless it's on sale. This is a 30-40 USD game at best. If I could give this game a "mixed" review, I would, but Steam only allows me to give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down, and for all the problems I have with it, I don't think it's a game that nobody should play.
This game confuses me. It really does.
I've written and rewritten this review a few times because I do think that as a VTM 'experience' it does the job well, it falls completely flat as an RPG and is a complete dud as a Bloodlines successor.
The game is fun to play, the powers are cool to use and leaping from rooftop to rooftop at max speed is really enjoyable.
But there are significant problems with it if we want to view it as an RPG.
- (next to) No RPG mechanics. No stats, no inventory, no shops, no currency. Quest rewards are so underwhelming I didn't even realize they gave me anything
- Bad side content: Fetch quests, collect-a-thons, and "go here, kill x" missions. That's it. They aren't quests, they're activities you can do to pad your time.
- Weak character expression and dialogue options. When you want to play a nice character, you're still kind of a jerk. When you want to play as an unrepentant monster, there will still be things your character objects to on moral grounds. You're actively disincentivised to roleplay a specific character and make dialogue options that might negatively impact you.
- Low enemy and NPC variety. I think I killed the same enemy 7 times in the same encounter. It's really noticeable and annoying, nitpick though it might be.
- Entire walking section segments. Yeah, TCR couldn't help themselves. This is the biggest thing stopping me from actually playing multiple playthroughs.
There's two story dlc's coming, and I can't for the life of me possibly imagine what they could do to make this game better. So much of this game suffers by virtue of giving you this Elder character that can use all clan abilities, but that's also it's saving grace in terms of actual gameplay. Restricting your abilities to just one clan would require a level of RPG mechanics that this game just doesn't have .
I've seen comparisons to the initial 1.0 Cyberpunk launch, and I don't see a 2.0 revival in the cards for this game. There's just too much to do.
You would need to add well written, meaningful side quests that equal to at least the amount of side quests that are already in the game, as a bare minimum.
You would need to add in multiple RPG mechanics, and to rework and revamp the game to account for that.
You would need to add in so much in terms of dialogue and gameplay and interactions, and it still wouldn't be akin to Cyberpunk's 2.0 revamp.
The first Bloodlines is a game I love despite its many flaws. This game is one I... like... despite its many flaws.
The game is a 6 or a 6.5 out of 10 for me, and while I hope that post-launch updates can turn it around, I just don't see that happening.
Edit:
It's weird the number of people who apparently have never had the experience of recommending a game because you had decent fun with it, but not enough to the point where you recommend buying it full price.

Let's get the dislikes out of the way.
1. Not a RPG in the sense VTMB was. Not even close. There is a very real lack of options on how to solve quests. In short, if you are looking for a role palying game (in the sense where you craft a character with unique play styles), this is not that.
2. Decisions do not really matter. Side quests are repetitive, few in number, and barely add any value to the game world. If you are thinking of being a computer hacker seductress with high charisma, think again lol. The only real choices you're going to make are the order in which to acquire vampire abilities.

Now let's get to the likes.
1. It's sort of an action game like Dishonored. The combat is honestly pretty fun, and there are a lot of funny ways to kill enemies. You can order them to kill themselves, kill each other, turn them into blood bombs, or use shadow abilities to sneak around and pick them off. That part is really your choice. You can use telekenesis to toss them off buildings, or throw propane tanks at them too.
2. The story is pretty cool, as are the characters within it. There are funny moments and the same gritty unseriousness that was in the original game. If you can ignore the legacy of Bloodlines, it's a solid VTM tale.

Should you buy it? Depends. If you're looking for the Bloodlines experience and a RPG, this isn't the game. If you are a fan of VTM and open to a linear action/shooter? Absolutely. There is a lot of negative buzz about the game, but it's not because it's a bad game. It's just not the game people were expecting (or pre-ordering). That's not a small problem, and people are justified in their reactions.

I hope that was helpful for you. If you're still on the fence, I don't think you'd regret picking it up on a sale.

Not a 'bloodlines' sequel - ignore the name. If you are looking for a vampire game that plays a bit like dishonoured, this is the game for you.

They really, really, really should have saved bloodlines 2 as a title for something else, because this game isn't that. It's infinitely closer to zeno clash and dishonored's lovechilde, and i'm absolutely here for it. Dialogue really isn't there, you won't use guns, or melee weapons, you won't put points into attributes or anything. You do have active skills, some passives and a whole lot of reading and scrambling across rooftops to do. The real winner for me is the combat, as you'll be drop kicking enemies across rooms, tearing their throats out in executions, or even kicking their legs out from under them only to grab their head and slam it into the ground reducing it to pulp. What's here is pretty good, there's even lite character customization. It should have been called something else though.
EDIT: people who are calling the combat bad haven't found the roundhouse kick yet.
EDIT 2: stealth run is pretty good. I do like the necessity of feeding fueling your powers, but at times really wish that the powers had multiple charges as compared to one per. Only thing i really, really need is a fov slider and then i'm content with what i paid for.
also

As a fan of World of Darkness and Vampire: The Masquerade I really loved this game but it's a tough recommendation.
It has fantastic story with extremely vibrant characters that you either sympathize with or want to rip their heads of (in a lot of cases you do have an option to do that). The atmosphere is grim and thick when you walk around snowy Seattle. There's a lot of things from the tabletop game that were adapted very well, especially disciplines. The fighting mechanics and stealth are decent, not great but not bad either.

However, other than that you don't really have anything to do. And it wouldn't be a problem because it's a good linear game with small semi-open world that works as a hub. But it has "Bloodlines" in the title which makes you think it should be immersive sim and it's just not.
I think The Chinese Room managed to do their best with what they had and I really enjoyed the whole experience even better than the first bloodlines with fan patches. I also think Paradox Interactive is the worst that happened with this IP pretty much killing any hope for the sequel.
And if this game seems interesting to you - give it a chance but maybe get it during sale.

After almost 7 hours straight, here’s where I’m at.

I went in expecting a full RPG because of the Vampire: The Masquerade/Bloodlines name. This one isn’t focused on being an RPG, and I get why that disappoints some people. There’s no traditional inventory and you can’t equip weapons. I’m fine with a predefined protagonist and with the game leaning toward a Dishonored-style immersive action experience with a modest open world, but not being able to equip even a basic weapon feels like a miss for the franchise. That said, it doesn’t make it a bad game.

What keeps me playing are the powers and the mobility. Moving around Seattle is genuinely fun. Starting on Hard can feel anticlimactic, though; for a 400-year-old vampire, getting smacked by basic ghouls early on stings until you learn the rhythm.

The best parts are the Masquerade system, the wintry Seattle atmosphere, and the visuals. Keeping the Masquerade intact actually matters and adds tension to how you pick fights and where you feed. The city really sells the mood.

RPG-wise, the biggest component you will have besides leveling skills is the dialogue system and how your choices land. The story is interesting and kept me engaged. It feels like a strong idea that’s missing a few pieces, and the pieces it has could be more polished.

Even with those caveats, I’m enjoying it. I’m playing without constant comparisons, taking it for what it is, and it’s clicking for me.
Recommended.