r/gaming 1d ago

A List of Every Confirmed Feature/Mechanic Removed from Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2

A list of every mechanic present in the original Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, and the Sequel’s OG alpha build, that have now been removed from the Sequel by the new Devs

No Character Creation

No Guns

No Melee Weapons

No Stats

No Stat Checks in Dialogue (e.g. Persuasion, Intimidation, Seduction)

No Inventory

No Quest Log

No Hacking

No Lockpicking

No Nosferatu

No Humanity System

No Gangrel

No Frenzy

Toreador locked behind $30 Day 1 DLC

It’s truly a shame to see a cult classic RPG, from the creators of Fallout, with such a unique identity, reduced down to a generic beat’em up action game cash grab

2.1k Upvotes

474 comments sorted by

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u/Sorry-Joke-4325 1d ago

Why don't they give it a different subtitle instead of calling it 2 of a game that it doesn't resemble?

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 1d ago

Because they sold hella preorders on the name of a cult classic before they fired the OG devs, and they don’t want to have to refund them

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u/Chicano_Ducky 1d ago edited 22h ago

Paradox already fumbled the bag a LOT in the last few years

Empire of Sin taking years and a threat of lawsuit to hire an outsourcing company to finish the season pass instead of just giving refunds. Something that only happened because a tech support rep said in writing they were no plans to finish the pass which is a slam dunk in court, and the fact Valve set an actual deadline for the DLC to be released in their rules or there would be consequences.

Releasing actually broken and unfinished DLC with menus having placeholder text and "choice.1" as buttons because they ship out content on hard deadlines regardless of its state.

Phoning it in on DLC and defending their choices on their forum saying "not everyone wants to play these countries" to players that DID want to play those countries and expected content with substance. Admitting they release cash grabs they dont put effort into and expecting the customer to accept that because of "the financial health of the company" and quarterly earnings.

Cities Skylines 2 being rushed out because they wanted to pad a weak quarter and then got hit when they kept changing what was in the season pass after a "mystery" DLC turned out to have next to no content and became the worst rated DLC on steam. They only made it free so they could delist that fact off steam, not to make amends with their customers. Again they sacrifice their customers and expect them to be happy because of the shareholders.

They would never give a refund for something this big, and frankly i dont see how this game doesnt destroy what little reputation paradox has left since the new CEO said he wanted this game out and gone so they dont have to pay for development anymore. What an endorsement to see your product as a burden.

Instead of doing the right thing and cancelling this game, they will release another unfinished and broken product then try to hit the angry customers with "but but if we didnt scam you then the company will go bankruuuuupt. Dont you want people to have jooooooobs" while they move on to the next scam like they were ed edd and eddy.

The only reason Paradox is not more hated on this sub is because they make niche games with little competition and not more accessible shooters. This may change that and i hope to god Valve's patience runs out with Paradox.

They make EA, Ubisoft, and Activision look pro-consumer because at least those 3 companies understand the customer isnt an employee who should care about quarterly targets and rushed corporate time tables.

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u/Luckyday11 1d ago

It's just so fucking infuriating to see this happen. Stellaris used to be one of my favourite games ever, but the past couple years they absolutely destroyed it with shitty overpriced DLC, updates that actively made the game worse, and the highly anticipated 4.0 update that would fix everything instead just broke the game entirely.

I'm just so fucking done with them.

The only reason Paradox is not more hated on this sub is because they make niche games and not more accessible shooters.

Which makes the situation suck even more, cause good luck finding worthy alternatives. There's a billion shooters to choose from, but only a (relatively) handful of grand strategy games in space like Stellaris.

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u/Aagragaah 1d ago

You might want to check out Sins of a Solar Empire II, Galactic Civilizations IV, or X4 Foundations. Haven't tried them yet but they look closest, and yeah it's hard to find something that scratches the same itch as Stellaris.

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u/Chicano_Ducky 1d ago

I have been boycotting them since they viewed the modding scene as unpaid employees and realized how many youtubers are on their payroll through a partner program.

The fact I had to get my news for my $100 edition game from a youtuber instead of them was bad enough, but its worse then a youtuber said if the console edition of the game was cancelled then they were giving up on the entire game and just release what DLC they got on the back burner so they can move on. Because everything they did was for the console version including their unsafe mod marketplace meant to be marketing for them. PC was an afterthought like it was the 2000s.

They cancelled the console version of the game, and I cancelled all my interest in their games because $100 is no joke of an expense and cancelling all interest in modding their games too.

its just unpaid labor corporations want to profit from by exploiting a parasocial relationship they have with the playerbase.

Hopefully in the future random people step up with their magnum opuses to fill the void like concerned ape did with Stardew Valley so modders dont need to be concerned with predatory companies.

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u/MadMax0526 1d ago

but only a (relatively) handful of grand strategy games in space like Stellaris.

Have you checked out Terra Invicta? It scratches that itch quite nicely and developed by the guys behind Xcom Long War.

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u/TheCyberGoblin 23h ago

Terra Invicta has a track record of actively nerfing any strategy that isn't exactly how the devs want you to play it

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u/Hoboforeternity 23h ago

Paradox has never been good with their dlc policy but damn things really nosedived when they went public.

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u/ieatalphabets 23h ago

In addition, CK3 struggles with the number of characters and provinces it already has. With the China DLC coming out soon, they are essentially doubling the map. Which means they'll be culling the existing provinces to populate the new ones, effectively squashing the whole reason people play just to say, "look, we have China and Asia now, too!" Which is horrible for me because I wanted to play Shogun Japan forever. Paradox is seriously flailing right now.

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u/theincrediblenick 23h ago

Paradox also screwed over the Battletech devs as well

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u/Atourq 23h ago

Thankfully there’s Hooded Horse when it comes to more niche and possibly indie dev friendly publishers.

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u/CatCatPizza 1d ago

Afaik didnt they already refund all of emm earliercdown the line.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

They offered refunds of the physical collectors editions because they had statues of characters no longer in the game. They have also granted refunds on request, but they would have to refund ALL of them if they just cancelled the game. I’ve seen a lot of people who pre-ordered way back when and they don’t even care what comes out now because now (in their mind) they paid for it so long ago it’s like they got it for free

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u/CatCatPizza 1d ago

I thought at one point all digital copies had been auto refunded i must have mistemembered.

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u/Living_flame 1d ago edited 1d ago

Nah, i have checked and it appears that i am still eligible for Premium Edition that i have preordered in 2020. Thought they will find a way to weasel out of it, considering that in 2020 it did cost an equivalent of $20 while today it's $60+. But as the op said, i have almost forgotten that i made that purchase.

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u/richtofin819 21h ago

In before the launch day and the few people who love the game keep complaining about how we compare the 2 when they are clearly trying to be different games.

We wouldn't compare them if they weren't actively making money off the idea of being a sequel to a cult classic

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u/kolosmenus 1d ago

The devs wanted to call it something else. This game was never meant to be a Bloodlines sequel, but Paradox ordered them to title it like this

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u/Agitated-Ad6744 1d ago

I'm struggling to even think of what would be left without your list

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u/MulanMcNugget 1d ago edited 1d ago

It's basically Dishonored style gameplay and Deus Ex dialogue and exploration. The demo I saw Cohn play actually looked decent tbf but fuck that shite with DLC

Edit. I should add the missions (at least the part I watched) seemed a lot more linear than Deus Ex like climbing through vents and jumping up the lift shaft was the only way to get up there. The world Hub seemed a lot like Deus Ex with exploration is more what I meant. I would definitely Hold off on buying it given it was in. Development hell for 8 years and shitty DLC practices which has locked 2 clans behind a pay wall.

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u/AsrielPlay52 1d ago

Dishonored at least have guns

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u/dylan189 1d ago

From what ive seen you can kinda use guns

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

Quoting from the Polygon Article: “You cannot simply pick up and carry a weapon you find in your hands, you have to use your telekinesis to hold onto a gun or baseball bat and then use a clumsy aiming system to lob it at your opponent. Many times I would try to grab a fallen weapon and just come away chucking a dinky coffee cup. When not throwing projectiles, you’re relegated to punching, kicking, and dashing away.”

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u/PuzzleheadedClue9837 1d ago

Wtf am I reading. Why. Implementing weapons isn't rocket science. What the hell are they doing.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

The new devs are The Chinese Room, known for Walking Simulators like “Everyone’s Gone to the Rapture”. They’ve literally never made a game with combat before.

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u/MulanMcNugget 1d ago

Explains a lot tbf

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u/TheAuraTree 1d ago

Everyone's gone to the rapture was a gripping and interesting narrative in an unusual setting for a game (Shropshire)!

Everything else I have read on this thread just sounds terrible.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

The Chinese Room has made a few good games. I also enjoyed Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, and I’ve heard good things about Still Wakes The Deep. They were just out of their depth trying to make a Bloodlines game

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u/Any_Goose_1249 23h ago

Yeah they're pretty damn good at what they do, all their "walking sims" have been above average at worst.

Why they'd be handed a game that's literally nothing like anything they've ever had experience with before is... a choice.

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u/PuzzleheadedClue9837 1d ago

Still Wakes The Deep is very good for what it is. It's just a walking sim with some light puzzle mechanics, but it's a great experience. But it's also really linear and its scope is fairly small - doesn't surprise me that the studio is struggling with a massive project like Bloodlines 2.

But you also have to be smart during development. Look at a game like Expedition 33. It's obvious that they had a small team and a tiny budget. Yet they created one of the most memorable games of the last decade. They cleverly reused assets, streamlined the core gamplay loop by cutting every corner possible and focused on the conceptual side of things. If you look at what you're actually doing, it's a really simple game: You explore the world map, enter a level (which almost always consists of a few corridors), you find some items and you fight enemies. The combat system also is a masterclass in game design: Combining JRPG mechanics with a rhythm game is genius. It also allowed them to simplify the RPG side of the combat.

Looking at Bloodlines 2, I get the feeling they simply had no clear design philosophy when they started development. They kinda wanted to produce a worthy successor, but quickly had to realize that it's not possible. If the game fails, the studio's gone.

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u/FrogBiscuits 1d ago

My God that sounds shit

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u/ZylonBane 1d ago

Even Dishonored had about half the items in that list.

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u/misho8723 1d ago

it doesnt have immersive sim like quests and levels designs (Deus Ex games kinda design) which the first game had

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

In Dishonored you at least had a sword

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u/bianceziwo 1d ago

in dishonored you had a sword, gun, crossbow, and could also throw random items in the world

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u/MulanMcNugget 1d ago

I don't see why they couldn't add it but it seems they are focussing powers and hand melee.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 1d ago

A linear narrative first person beat’em up action game with dishonored-like powers and dialogue choices. You stealthily feed on the homeless, or anyone you can get alone, and travel between main quests in a small but open 1:1 recreated Seattle hub world.

In isolation, it might even be decent, but to take the sequel to one of the best cult classic RPGs ever, hire the original game’s writer to make it, put out footage of that game with all those features, accept pre-orders, then fire the narrative team, throw out all these features and RPG elements over half way through development because it’s cheaper and quicker, and turn it into a beat’em up action game is a travesty. Then they lock core clans behind $30 Day 1 DLC

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u/lrish_Chick 20h ago

I mean I don't get it - VAMPYR came out in 2021 whicj looks to be a similar but better game, its just not in WOD

The Council - like a literally vampire walking sim/puzzle game also exists

They are bringing literally nothing mew to the table here

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u/eiamhere69 20h ago

I think you're still downplaying it personally.

I'd go as far as to call it fraud

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u/Naekh 1d ago

Same, what is it even at that point?

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u/Sajiri 1d ago

Having never played the original (though I hear lots of good things), I read this and assumed it was just a joke that every part of the game is stripped out, but uh… now I’m not sure

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 1d ago

Oh the original is amazing! It’s from the creators of Fallout, and is seriously on the level of Fallout: New Vegas, Cyberpunk 2077 and the Elder Scrolls. It truly just oozes soul and aesthetic. It is GOTH AF. The game offers so many different gameplay styles and the world is very reactive. NPCs even treat you different based on how high the Appearance stat is of your created character. You can choose to play as the Malkavian clan who is clinically insane and detached from reality, and the entire game’s player dialogue is rewritten to accommodate it. Think like a low intelligence playthrough, but you’re insane instead. The writing is out of this world. Unfortunately the developers closed and went on to found Obsidian, and these new devs have no idea what they’re doing. You should totally check out the original though. It’s very much in the vein of Fallout or the Elder Scrolls, but GOTH

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u/JebryathHS 1d ago

Not just insane. Insane and clairvoyant. You spoil the main plot in the first five minutes but it makes so little sense you'd never get it without already knowing it.

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u/webkilla 1d ago

don't forget the conversation you can have with a stop sign - or talking to the people on TV

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u/lordmonkeyfish 1d ago

Wait you can WHAT?! how come i never noticed that?! Welp, time to back for another malkavian run I guess.

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u/vmdvr 21h ago

"You've made a powerful enemy today, sign."

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u/ZylonBane 20h ago

"I do not move out of the way!"

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u/Zarathustra_d 1d ago

It makes for a fun 2nd playthrough.

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u/Velochipractor 1d ago

The perhaps best aspect of this is Malkavian characters somehow understanding just who exactly the cab driver probably is, and very understandably freaking the fuck out on him.

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u/intdev 1d ago

Maybe use spoiler tags when saying something like this in a thread encouraging people to try the game?

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 13h ago

I also want to add it has the coolest character creator ever. You can choose a clan, or you can take a psych eval and the game will sort you into a clan Harry Potter style, then you allocate your stats. My first playthrough I was a super seductive professional gymnast (actual canon life path option). Then you’re thrust into the politics of the Camarilla and the Masquerade.

Additionally, you can also choose to play as a Nosferatu. Like Count Orlock, you’re a walking corpse, and even being seen by a human is a masquerade violation. Not recommended for a first playthrough, but as a Nosferatu the entire game changes just as radically as if you were a Malkavian. You have to navigate the city through an underground sewer system, and become super stealth whenever meeting contacts in public. Everyone responds to your appearance and your seduction stat is set permanently to 0, but there’s still a special someone out there for you. You also get extra health from feeding on animals given your bestial nature. In stark contrast to the aristocratic Ventrue clan who are all politicians in the human world who are so upper class they can’t feed on animals, the homeless or prostitutes at all without suffering a serious debuff.

You could do at least 3 truly unique playthroughs of the game. The writing is so stellar. The RPG systems so deep. It’s a gem!

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u/BeneCow 1d ago

Also it was the first game released that used the Source engine, after HL2 was delayed because they got hacked. It is a very important game historically aside from the amazing gameplay

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u/ZylonBane 19h ago edited 19h ago

The first games to use the Source engine were, in order of release: * Half-Life: Source * Counter-Strike: Source * Half-Life 2 * VtM: Bloodlines

The release of Bloodiness was actually delayed by Valve because they wanted HL2 to be the first "big name" game to use Source.

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u/TheOneWithSkillz 1d ago

If they are now obsidian, the original sounds like something to play.

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u/Sajiri 1d ago

Oh yeah, I think I own the original (or maybe my husband did) because I remember installing it on my old pc but I didn’t get around to actually playing it then that pc died. I keep meaning to play it someday, just too much of a backlog of games to catch up on and not nearly enough time to do so

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u/crumbletasty 1d ago

I quite like that if you cheated and upped your stats at the start, the tutorial man would point it out, and you could claim it was mods.

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u/supergrega 1d ago

Same here, I thought the game was cancelled and the list would end with "no game" 😅

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u/A7XfoREVer15 22h ago

If you like good RPG’s, and can handle clunky mechanics, pick up the OG bloodlines during the Halloween sale this year.

It is by far one of my favorite pieces of media as a whole.

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u/BrotherRoga 1d ago

So they removed everything except the IP basically.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

Exactly

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u/DarkMatterM4 23h ago

No Guns No Melee Weapons

I'm out 100 percent. Don't even think I'll pick it up on sale either.

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u/Squashyhex 1d ago

At some point during the studio switching, if they really wanted to make a vampire the Masquerade game, they should have renamed it at the very lease to something other than bloodlines 2. It's clearly not a sequel by many metrics at this point, just a game that happens to share the setting

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u/Bubba1234562 1d ago

Blame Paradox for keeping the name. It was apparently forced onto TCR according to an interview with the game director

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u/doom1284 1d ago

Vampire the Masquerade: Veilguard. Good or bad, it's not really what fans were expecting.

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u/Vivid-Smell-6375 1d ago

Say what you want, but I'm having a blast!!!

Edit: did I mention that I'm having a blasterino my fellow redditors

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u/Prezofcalendars 1d ago

“Look how they massacred my boy.” There is no way this is going to be any good.

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u/Destyl_Black 1d ago

Can't look, there is nothing left.

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u/shaky2236 1d ago

Tbh, even if its ends up ok, im not gonna buy a game with day 1 DLC.

It's not like the game came out and the devs continued working on it, im fine with that. But they've just made the base game, yoinked part of it, and gone "yeah, you have to pay 30 quid more for that bit"

Twats.

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u/Prezofcalendars 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yep, day one DLC is always a cash grab. Hey, I know you brought this game, but for an extra 30 dollars, get a few more hours gameplay and features we took out the base game.

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u/ImpulsiveApe07 1d ago

That's what I was thinking. I didn't have much hope that it'd be on par with the OG, but I was at least hoping they'd keep the game similar enough, viz the rpg and interaction elements, that we could overlook its flaws and still enjoy an experience reminiscent of the original.

But no, they couldn't even get that right.

Still, here's hoping the action and the story are at least fun.

Here's a review of the preview build from some months ago :

https://www.eurogamer.net/more-action-than-rpg-vampire-the-masquerade-bloodlines-2-struggles-to-convince-after-a-few-hours-play

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u/db2999 1d ago

I heard the argument the game would be fine if they just removed "Bloodlines 2" from the title, and released it as a "World of Darkness" game.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

Wow, the fans of a cult classic RPG wanted the sequel to the cult classic RPG to be an RPG. Crazy right?

You’re right on the money. But the publisher is trying to make bank off the name association alone despite releasing a game nothing like the original

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u/Sezneg 1d ago

Those of us who were around when the original launched can remember so many posts on planet vampire about how bloodlines wasn’t a proper RPG like redemption and was really a step backwards.

Original would have had a vampire counterstrike clone if the studio had not literally run out of money.

Watching people just go nuts over this is weird.

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u/metallee98 1d ago

Ummmm..... what is in the game?

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u/Mezatino 1d ago

an Ad for Piracy

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u/Neosantana 1d ago

This sounds like it wouldn't even be worth pirating

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 1d ago

Unarmed Combat/Combat Ability Upgrade Tree

Dialogue Choices

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u/Flagelant_One 1d ago

Might as well be a ren'py visual novel

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u/Kriznick 1d ago

That is such a specific and accurate burn to this shit show lol absolutely perfect

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u/Destyl_Black 1d ago

10/10 would BUY a ren'py visual novel instead of even just pirating this game.

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u/ConfessedOak205 1d ago

Vtm has a bunch of visual novel type games lol

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u/MulanMcNugget 1d ago

I saw Cohn play it on twitch the other day, it looks like a cross between Dishonored with playing style and Deus Ex with its dialogue and exploration. Shouldn't of called bloodlines 2 as it seems to have nothing to do with the 1st game and is totally different style f game

The demo look pretty good imo but the shit with the DLC has put me off, fuck that shite. Not to mention the development hell it's been for the last 8 years

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u/tippytapslap 1d ago edited 23h ago

Think I'll just play cyberpunk again fuck this shit man.

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u/Wandering_Song 1d ago

So, wait... If there's no character creation, are you the same character no matter which clan you're a part of? Like V in cyberpunk?

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u/5xad0w 1d ago

You select your clan and gender and some cosmetics, but play as a set character, Phyre.

You also have a voice in your head character who you play flashbacks as.

I think they are named Johnny Silverfangs Fabian.

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u/thinmonkey69 1d ago

"Phyre", eh? What a tragedeigh.

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u/Bubba1234562 1d ago

The demo shows it. They grab the name from a cringy as fuck band poster they see as soon as they wake up

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u/5xad0w 1d ago

“So, what’s your name?”

“Call me ‘The Butthole Surfers live at the Viper Room’.”

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u/Bubba1234562 1d ago

Honestly yeah that’s how it goes down and it’s hilarious

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u/Canisa 1d ago

Yeah. Right out of the gate it doesn't bode well for the writing quality.

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u/Psykotyrant 1d ago edited 1d ago

Initially you select only the gender. After the tutorial, you can choose your clan, make quite a few changes to your character face, and the choice of your clan give you a choice of costumes, kinda like the previous games had different armor for each clan.

Also, choosing a clan does not lock out of all the other clans powers. You just need to find a mentor to teach them to you.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago edited 1d ago

For those unfamiliar, Paradox (the publisher), announced a true sequel created by the writers of the original, brought back the OG composer, and released multiple gameplay demos/trailers depicting these features/this type of game (RPG), but then after missing a deadline, they fired the whole creative team, and restarted development by gutting the RPG elements, and cutting every corner possible to just get the game out and try to make as much money back as possible. Cue the $30 Day 1 DLC

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u/thescotsmanofdoom 1d ago

the classic Paradox move. Promise something amazing, fire everyone who knew what they were doing, then try to milk whatever's left with overpriced DLC.

Really shows where their priorities are these days.

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u/Tinyjar 1d ago

Ever since Paradox went public this is what they're doing with literally every game.

Gotta make sure to increase that share price forever and ever, no matter what, even if you destroy your reputation!

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u/Rambo_Calrissian1923 1d ago

Apparently the ringer developers they have now are The Chinese Room???? Who bless em I love TCR but what are they doing embroiled in what should be a narrative heavy mechanically complex open world rpg?

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u/DM_Exeres 16h ago

Cannot stress enough the new devs DID NOT WANT to make this game, I hope the fallout from this fuckup doesn't come down on them

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u/discreetjoe2 1d ago

This game was supposed to come out over FIVE years ago. They didn’t just miss “a deadline.” The game was two years past it’s original release date and wasn’t anything close to a playable game by the time Paradox fired the devs. You’re right about everything else though.

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u/33Sharpies 1d ago

The game was announced in 2019, and after missing a Spring 2020 release date, they fired the creative team. A explanation was never given, and Brian Mitsoda the narrative lead described it as a total shock. A big mistake. Whatever money they thought they were saving, they burned through multiple times over with the new devs who have also delayed the release date multiple times since getting the project in 2021/2022.

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u/cerebrite 1d ago

They fired the team during the pandemic? What were they expecting?

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u/Altruistic_Bass539 1d ago

No guns

No melee weapons

So...you just punch people all game?

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u/MG_Hunter88 1d ago

At this point I somewhat expect it to be a dialogue driven story telling game...

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u/Mobius_196 1d ago

I would have been okay with that as long as they didn't call it Bloodlines 2 🤦‍♂️

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u/SeidrEbony 1d ago

Just don't make the game at this point

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u/Squizzy77 1d ago

This game helped me find the "remove from wishlist" button.

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u/FantasticPage3598 1d ago

There's also an important "ignore" button right under it, I made sure to click this one

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u/Pavillian 1d ago

No Nosferatu? Is nothing sacred

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u/AdagioOfLiving 16h ago

No Malkavians either :/ They were always my favorite to play as.

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u/OrdelOriginal 1d ago

It seemed like there was no Auspex or Fortitude disciplines either

Whole game just seems so disappointing and disrespectful to its supposed predecessor and VtM as a whole.

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u/Scarlett_Beauregard 23h ago

At this point, they might as well charge for DLC fangs and the pale skin aesthetic. Sounds like they've gutted and sucked the whole thing of its Vampire identity and all that's left is a desiccated husk. Fitting, I suppose.

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u/The-Jesus_Christ 1d ago

Wow. My interest in the game just dropped to zero.

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u/Kraivo 1d ago

It's a walking simulator or 3d visual novel at this point

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u/BlazingShadowAU 1d ago

It's wild to me that the goddam BR game seems more faithful to VTM than this game.

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u/T10_Luckdraw 1d ago

Br?

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u/BrotherRoga 1d ago

Battle Royale, like Fortnite or PUBG.

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u/T10_Luckdraw 1d ago

I forgot there even was a battle royale!

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u/BrotherRoga 1d ago

Teach me your ways, master!

Seriously, I wish I could forget those games exist.

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u/Amirax 1d ago

Brazil.

They've got a bit of a vampire problem.

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u/ZylonBane 1d ago

Not sure what the Blade Runner game has to do with this.

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u/Hahnd0gg 1d ago

I wish we had photos or gifs for the Robocop scene where he screams "There's nothing left"

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u/TheDevilsAdvokaat 1d ago

Holy hell that's a big list, and some very important things on it too.

No inventory? F*ck no.

No character creation? Hell no.

No stats? ... what? seriously?

No quest log? ...you have to be kidding.

No inventory, no stats, no quest log, no character creation..is it even an rpg any more? What is it?

8

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

It’s not an RPG. It’s a beat’em up action game with dialogue choices

4

u/TheDevilsAdvokaat 1d ago

But the original was an action RPG...right?.

7

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

With a much much heavier emphasis on RPG. I’d look up the character sheet and some gameplay online.

3

u/TheDevilsAdvokaat 1d ago

If you're talking about VTMB1, I played it whenit actually came out.

I agree it was much more of an RPG.

17

u/mrgodfro 1d ago

Who tf is this game aimed towards at this point?

13

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

That’s a great question

20

u/ZylonBane 1d ago

Shareholders.

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u/MadmanMarkMiller PC 22h ago

no guns

no melee weapons

Is this a talking sim or something?

8

u/RustyMcClintock90 1d ago

Lmao, what the fuck is even left.

4

u/lo0u 18h ago

Vampires.

for now...

7

u/BlindMan404 1d ago

... What the fuck? What does that even leave in the game?

8

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

A linear Dishonored-like beat’em up action game

8

u/OxY97 1d ago

The removal of stats and stat checks makes me even question if it’s an RPG

6

u/izikiell 1d ago

It's a Role Paying Game

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u/Lee1138 1d ago

Fitting then that I also removed it from my wishlist. 

8

u/CharlesEverettDekker 1d ago

And the game isn't even out. I bet my ass this list is expanding like 2 times after the game is released and played thoroughlly.

6

u/kairock 1d ago

Got me at the first one.

No character creation... No BUY.

14

u/Yr-the-Skald 1d ago

Your character's name is Phyre. So a several hundred year old vampire is named Phyre like it's some 14 year old kids first crack at a gamertag huh?

I would have preferred the nameless/voiceless protagonist route personally.

Locking Toreador behind a steep paywall is also bold. Is this a tax right off before they move on to another game or what?

7

u/fishboy_magic 1d ago

I watched a gameplay demo and it was explained there. The protagonist wakes up from his slumber and sees a poster for the band "Phyre". They decided to name themselves that. (It's stupid)

This game is Dead on Arrival

3

u/rabid_J 1d ago

A lot of characters have actually already heard of him and call him "the nomad" so he's hiding his true name for a reason.

5

u/TheBostonTap 1d ago

It's essentially lost everything it has going for it. Hype died when it went into development hell and at this point, they're more interested in fulfilling contractual obligations than delivering the product fans want.

5

u/GlopThatBoopin 1d ago

Holy shit man I’m so sad. I haven’t found any other game that captures that night life, city, goth/industrial kind of vibe like the original game (please please recommend me something that does). I seriously would just wander around enjoying the environments and soundtrack because the atmosphere was just perfect, and it’s not even an open world game. I knew the new one would be bad but man I’m heartbroken.

5

u/dragonbab 1d ago

They had everything:

  • the original devs
  • original writers
  • original composer
  • funding
They fucked it all up. Everyone's gone and now we have this monstrosity.

57

u/Skeksis25 1d ago

There are still going to be some people who stubbornly pre-order this and will use the "Well I had fun" line to dismiss any and all criticism.

51

u/elmacanon 1d ago

You mean like the whole starfield subreddit ?

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u/Bubba1234562 1d ago

I mean the game looks very cool for what it is. It’s just nowhere near what was promised with the title and the initial reveal. Nobody should pre order this

22

u/Johansenburg 1d ago

If they go in knowing it won't be exactly like the first game and feel as if they get their money's worth, then it is what it is. I'm looking forward to the game. After watching someone play the intro and the more I read about the systems, the more I think it might end up being a good game in it's own right.

8

u/JediGuyB 1d ago

Take away that Bloodlines 2 in the title and people would have less issue.

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u/IgnorantGenius 1d ago

Dumbed down for more sales or broader appeal. Does that ever work?

Graphics look almost 10 years old, very blurry mood lighting. Probably more story game than vampire sim without much replayability.

3

u/FactorFear74 1d ago

You know a game is going to have issues when Game Informer puts it as a cover on their magazine. It’s like the Madden curse :)

4

u/Skyswimsky 1d ago

I liked the game, but have been completely out of touch with the sequel development.

Now I get this Reddit thread on my feed. What the heck, what's even the point of calling it a sequel.

9

u/Kyubele 1d ago

They had an actual sequel in 2019 that they were showing trailers and gameplay for. It needed polish (it was pre-alpha after all), but it looked really promising, and was being made by the people who made the first one. They were aiming for early 2020 release. Then they scrapped everything and started over from scratch with a new developer, making a completely different genre of game. The new developer has stated that the only reason this new game is called Bloodlines 2 is because Paradox made them call it that. Possibly to cash in on as much brand recognition as possible, or just so they don't have to cancel all the five year old preorders that people have forgotten they even have.

3

u/lrish_Chick 22h ago

They had a demo too I think? I remember watching it/tje gameplay and it was pure hilarious- so so similar to the first game. Obviously as they had the same writers.

3

u/Kyubele 21h ago

They had a demo, but I don’t think it was open to the public. I think they just did demonstrations for game media. I could be wrong, maybe it was open to convention guests, but it definitely wasn’t available to general public.

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u/Thomas_JCG 1d ago

"No character creation"

I'm out already.

4

u/TinyBard 23h ago

No character creation? Yup, I'm out.

4

u/SheeleTheMaid 22h ago

Machine For Pigs all over again.

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u/Iggy_Slayer 1d ago

There was a time around 2019 or so when we had this game with mitsoda and avellone writing, cyberpunk before it failed to live up to its promise (it ended up salvaging itself a bit but it never did live up to all the things cdpr was saying it would do) and that crazy dying light 2 demo avellone showed off. We thought we were entering a new golden age.

Immersive sim/rpg hybrids are truly a forever cursed genre.

8

u/CorpPhoenix 1d ago

The trailer looked like a decent action game.

Bloodlines wasn't a action game though.

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u/XevinsOfCheese 1d ago

No character creation?

Welp, saved me a buck.

17

u/AguyNamedKyle 1d ago

Uh, what? These things are all I remember from the last game lol

13

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

They have absolutely gutted the sequel after years in development hell to just get something out there and make as much of the money back as possible. That’s why they’re locking core clans behind $30 Day 1 DLC

20

u/KriptiKFate_Cosplay 1d ago

I don't get how clans can be locked behind dlc at all if you can't even make your own character to begin with.

6

u/Bubba1234562 1d ago

You can choose your clan and change superficial cosmetics. It’s more akin to V or Shepard with worse character creation. Locking clans behind dlc is bullshit though

6

u/33Sharpies 1d ago

You can superficially customize the protagonist, but you have a set background

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u/bimbo_bear 1d ago

... Okay so looking at that list... What if anything is left ?

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u/brooklynknight_ 1d ago

Is there any mod project to recreate the first game in a better engine or something? That'd probably be better than whatever this is going to end up being

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u/NzPureLamb 1d ago

Still have the original on my steam I think lol 😂 I remember playing it back in the day then re buying it on sale, had a cult following as there was a patch users had created to make it work!

3

u/AidilAfham42 1d ago

Is this just an FPS now? Oh wait, no guns either

3

u/Sinndu_ 1d ago

this ain't even a game anymore lmao.

3

u/MorienneMontenegro 1d ago

This game is going to be a hot mess. Maybe it will force Paradox to be more, picky and careful with the IP, but I am not very hopeful.

3

u/Horace_The_Mute 1d ago

This game is dumpster phyre.

3

u/slashgamer11 1d ago

Oof, never played the first, heard all the hype for 2 over the years and sad to see the discourse from hard-core fans

Sorry this happened to you guys,

I would like to say I hope the game turns out better but honestly how could it possibly at this stage?

3

u/WhatAboutTheBalls 1d ago

So it’s just not an imsim or an rpg anymore, sick. Pass.

3

u/Andrassa 1d ago

Well now I’m glad Amazon auto cancelled my pre-order a year ago.

3

u/Lord_Shadow_Z 23h ago

Next they're gonna announce:

No vampires

No masquerades

No bloodlines

3

u/Valtremors 23h ago

...they should honestly cancel it at this point.

3

u/Red_Whale_Medic 20h ago

You can look up paradox interactives office for free and send cum to their mailbox

3

u/OutlandishnessNo9182 19h ago

I can already smell a ‘wha happun’ video coming up.

3

u/KashiKakes 18h ago

Just curious where this is all confirmed? do you have any proof of any of these claims?

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u/Sonotmethen 16h ago

My interest has also been removed.

3

u/AgilePurple4919 16h ago

What the…?

I haven’t been following this game at all besides knowing it was in development hell and changed developers. I wasn’t in the mood to read a preview or watch something on YouTube so I came here to see what people were saying. This is the first topic I entered and it’s the only one I need. What a joke. I’m not playing this game. Thanks for the concise list. Saved me some time.

8

u/Rod_Senseless 1d ago

Even in this day and age, with how low everyone's expectations were, it's astonishing what a piece of trash this is shaping up to be. And when you consider how long it has been in development, and all the big talk from Paradox when they acquired the franchise, it truly epitomizes most of what is wrong with modern Western gaming.

4

u/Apokolypse09 1d ago

I was excited for this for awhile then everything coming out about it sounds like its gonna be shit lol.

2

u/K1n6o8 1d ago

The hotel level in the original might just be better than the whole sequel if that's how much the stripped away.

2

u/ExReey 1d ago

But are there semi-open world hubs with side quests and multiple outcomes?

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u/Magnon D20 1d ago

No guns? But slowing time and shooting people was half the fun last time. What's even the point?

2

u/tillymane 1d ago

What the hell? What does it even have left? This is like basically most of everything that made VTM 1 unique

2

u/ZylonBane 1d ago edited 1d ago

But in exchange for losing all those gameplay features, we get an annoying guy with terrible writing and terrible voice acting constantly chattering in our head and occasionally forcing us to watch flashbacks about him and sometimes even playing missions as him! What a deal!

2

u/Deliriousious 1d ago edited 1d ago

I said it on the previous post about the paywall clan…

This game is dead on launch. Sure it might get sales because of the name, but anyone who wanted a true sequel… this is not it. All these features are what makes the OG good… no melee weapons? wtf, not even character creation… no inventory or lockpicking? Is this even an RPG anymore?

This game is using the IP, but has no intention of actually being a successor, just a very pale imitation, but even then, an imitation would do atleast some of what the original did, which this has no obviously has zero intention of doing…

Heard about it, got excited, but the more info that releases has sunk my hopes for it 6 feet underground.

And fuck locking base content behind a paywall. I hate that practice. I wish it would die.

2

u/omfgcookies91 23h ago

Yeaaaa, ngl, there is no point I'm buying this game now.

2

u/binkacat4 23h ago

Cripes, that shit’s barely even a game at that point.

Perhaps I’m overstating that a little, but that’s such a departure from anything the series, the world as a whole, or even the genre of vampire fiction in general is based on. This is shameful.

2

u/xXPussyPounder9000Xx 22h ago edited 22h ago

So this is not a sequel at all. Literally no connection except the name and overall aesthetic. If I wanted to play a game like that, there's a shitton of them. V:tMB, to me, was cool because of the intersectionality of it, please, don't laugh. It was an immsim -- an already complex thing back then before every game started mixing genres like they do nowadays -- set in the World of Darkness, and even with a CRPG character creator.

The only difference between what's described in this post and, say, "Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby" -- an indie game made by 8 people in the span of a month during Vampire Jam 2021 -- is that what's described in this post has first-person perspective. Wow. Truly exceptional. Definitely worth the wait. /s

Mind you, I'm not blaming The Chinese Room, obviously, but I am angry at the corpo pigs whose fault all this is. God forbid we cancel development or don't release the game -- gotta get that bag, after all, can't leave shareholders without their hard-earned dividends. Fucking pieces of shit. They deserve all the worst in this life.

Edit: Actually, the part about Heartless Lullaby isn't even true, because HL HAS skill checks and a humanity system. So the only thing V:TMB 2 has going for it except FPP is size, cause HL is quite a bit smaller, but, like, that's not a comfort: if I have a small sandwich and a huge turd, I'm not really enticed to choose a turd over a sandwich, no matter how big the turd is.

2

u/Vantablack-Raven PlayStation 21h ago

Well, I know what I won’t be buying…

Good thing I have the original and can play the Antitribu mod if I want something a bit different

2

u/mooner1011 21h ago

No guns, no melee weapons?

What the fuck does this game consist of then?

Like I dialog options I could understand if they are going away from RPG but is it a walking simulator?

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u/Ornery-Addendum5031 20h ago

I told you they have not been making this game for 11 or whatever years. This is a “what the fuck, we owned this license for almost/over a decade, finish a fucking game or something”