Category: gamescom
August 19, 2025
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is the Noir Mystery Thriller I Didn’t Know I Needed in My Life
By Rodney King
Summary
- We play through the opening hours of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 and can’t wait to sink our teeth in for more.
- Playing as the Elder Nomad vampire in modern day Seattle feels at times like a classic noir detective film.
- Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will launch October 21, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S.
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There I was, walking into a seedy, underground bar where the air smelled like a mix of cigarette burns, stale alcohol, and broken dreams. I was there to talk with Fletcher, the resident owner of this establishment, as he sat alone at the piano in the corner, stringing lonely notes together hoping they’d form a memorable tune. A lead sent me here, something about how a mortal girl had stumbled upon knowledge of the Masquerade, an elaborate veil of deception maintained by the Camarilla vampire faction to convince humans that vampires do not exist. How did she find out? And more to the point: How am I able to talk to her if I’m already dead?
This was how my three hours with the captivating Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 came to a close, just as I started to peel back the layers of a larger mystery that was unfolding throughout my time with the game. With a narrative that was at times seemingly pulled from classic noir films like “The Maltese Falcon” and “Double Indemnity” (which I was not expecting), in addition to the volumes of work as part of the rich World of Darkness universe, I was left immensely impressed by everything I had played and now eagerly await its release on October 21, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is the follow-up to the cult-classic Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines. Fans have been eagerly awaiting a sequel for years, and now with The Chinese Room (Still Wakes the Deep, Dear Esther) at the helm, this first-person ARPG is close to finally seeing the light. And, based on what I’ve played so far, it may just be worth all that waiting for.
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Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 launches October 21, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S.
Vampire: The Masquerade® – Bloodlines
2 – Premium Edition – Preorder
Paradox Interactive
$89.99
Pre-order Bloodlines 2 and get an exclusive in-game jukebox with iconic tracks by original Bloodlines composer Rik Schaffer.
You are the Nomad — an elder vampire awakening from a century-long slumber, new to the modern nights. Trapped in your Blood is a stranger’s voice. This mysterious entity, a vampire detective known as Fabien, will be your guide to 21st-century Seattle. In sections of the game, you will explore the city through his eyes as you revisit a cold case from a hundred years ago that threatens undead and mortal society.
Hunt your way through a modern-night Seattle on the brink of an open supernatural war in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, where visceral vampire action meets a neo-noir murder mystery. Navigate the vampire Court of Seattle and its dark underbelly in this action RPG, realized by the BAFTA award-winning studio The Chinese Room.
Shadows & Silk
Unleash new depths of darkness and artistry in Shadows & Silk. Embrace the shadows as a Lasombra, commanding the very essence of darkness to bend to your will. Or, revel in beauty and passion as a Toreador, channeling your artistic spirit to captivate and influence those around you. This Shadows & Silk unlocks two distinct and powerful vampire clans, each with unique abilities and playstyles, as well as a total of eight new outfits, offering a new way to experience Bloodlines 2.
Santa Monica Memories
Premium Edition also includes Santa Monica Memories, which lets you relive the nostalgia of the original Bloodlines. To decorate your haven, this cosmetic pack features iconic items, including a Stop Sign, Ankaran Sarcophagus, and Voerman Portrait. Additionally, with Santa Monica Memories, your haven will be adorned with a clan LED sign each time you complete the game as a new clan.
You are the Monster
Blood sustains you and empowers your vampiric Disciplines. You’ll stalk and feed on the city’s population at night. Use your supernatural powers or raw persuasion on unsuspecting mortals to lure them into dark alleys and slake your Hunger. However, be cautious about breaking the Masquerade: revealing your true nature risks reprisals, starting with law enforcement and escalating from there. Remember, you are not the only creature that goes bump in the night.
Experience immersive, visceral combat that rewards various playstyles and approaches based on your choice of vampire clan. Will you engage in close combat with supernatural strength, attack from a distance with blood sorcery, or silently thin the herd like the apex predator you are? Your clan choice will support these playstyles and more.
A World of Darkness
Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society or rail against it. Experience Seattle – a city full of alluring, dangerous characters and factions, not to mention the mortals at stake in the clash of powers beyond their knowing. In this sequel to the cult classic, your choices, plots, and schemes will determine the balance of power and what becomes of the city and its people.
Vampire: The Masquerade® – Bloodlines 2 – Deluxe Edition – Preorder
Paradox Interactive
$69.99
Pre-order Bloodlines 2 and get an exclusive in-game jukebox with iconic tracks by original Bloodlines composer Rik Schaffer.
You are the Nomad — an elder vampire awakening from a century-long slumber, new to the modern nights. Trapped in your Blood is a stranger’s voice. This mysterious entity, a vampire detective known as Fabien, will be your guide to 21st-century Seattle. In sections of the game, you will explore the city through his eyes as you revisit a cold case from a hundred years ago that threatens undead and mortal society.
Hunt your way through a modern-night Seattle on the brink of an open supernatural war in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, where visceral vampire action meets a neo-noir murder mystery. Navigate the vampire Court of Seattle and its dark underbelly in this action RPG, realized by the BAFTA award-winning studio The Chinese Room.
Santa Monica Memories
Deluxe Edition includes Santa Monica Memories, which lets you relive the nostalgia of the original Bloodlines. To decorate your haven, this cosmetic pack features iconic items, including a Stop Sign, Ankaran Sarcophagus, and Voerman Portrait. Additionally, with Santa Monica Memories, your haven will be adorned with a clan LED sign each time you complete the game as a new clan.
You are the Monster
Blood sustains you and empowers your vampiric Disciplines. You’ll stalk and feed on the city’s population at night. Use your supernatural powers or raw persuasion on unsuspecting mortals to lure them into dark alleys and slake your Hunger. However, be cautious about breaking the Masquerade: revealing your true nature risks reprisals, starting with law enforcement and escalating from there. Remember, you are not the only creature that goes bump in the night.
Experience immersive, visceral combat that rewards various playstyles and approaches based on your choice of vampire clan. Will you engage in close combat with supernatural strength, attack from a distance with blood sorcery, or silently thin the herd like the apex predator you are? Your clan choice will support these playstyles and more.
A World of Darkness
Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society or rail against it. Experience Seattle – a city full of alluring, dangerous characters and factions, not to mention the mortals at stake in the clash of powers beyond their knowing. In this sequel to the cult classic, your choices, plots, and schemes will determine the balance of power and what becomes of the city and its people.
Vampire: The Masquerade® – Bloodlines 2 – Preorder
Paradox Interactive
$59.99
Pre-order Bloodlines 2 and get an exclusive in-game jukebox with iconic tracks by original Bloodlines composer Rik Schaffer.
You are the Nomad — an elder vampire awakening from a century-long slumber, new to the modern nights. Trapped in your Blood is a stranger’s voice. This mysterious entity, a vampire detective known as Fabien, will be your guide to 21st-century Seattle. In sections of the game, you will explore the city through his eyes as you revisit a cold case from a hundred years ago that threatens undead and mortal society.
Hunt your way through a modern-night Seattle on the brink of an open supernatural war in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, where visceral vampire action meets a neo-noir murder mystery. Navigate the vampire Court of Seattle and its dark underbelly in this action RPG, realized by the BAFTA award-winning studio The Chinese Room.
You are the Monster
Blood sustains you and empowers your vampiric Disciplines. You’ll stalk and feed on the city’s population at night. Use your supernatural powers or raw persuasion on unsuspecting mortals to lure them into dark alleys and slake your Hunger. However, be cautious about breaking the Masquerade: revealing your true nature risks reprisals, starting with law enforcement and escalating from there. Remember, you are not the only creature that goes bump in the night.
Experience immersive, visceral combat that rewards various playstyles and approaches based on your choice of vampire clan. Will you engage in close combat with supernatural strength, attack from a distance with blood sorcery, or silently thin the herd like the apex predator you are? Your clan choice will support these playstyles and more.
A World of Darkness
Enter the World of Darkness and rise through vampire society or rail against it. Experience Seattle – a city full of alluring, dangerous characters and factions, not to mention the mortals at stake in the clash of powers beyond their knowing. In this sequel to the cult classic, your choices, plots, and schemes will determine the balance of power and what becomes of the city and its people.
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