LogInThe developer shared the combat system details.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a game awaited by many, but there's still a long time until its release, so players can only piece the title together from the information The Chinese Room provides.
This time, its Project Creative Director Alex Skidmore shared the combat system details, revealing that fans will be able to try it out in three main gameplay styles: Strategic Stalker, Action Brawler, and Narrative Adventurer.
You can probably guess which focuses on what from the names alone, but let's take a look at the developer's descriptions.
Image credit: The Chinese Room
- Strategic Stalker relies on stealth and the element of surprise. It lets you prepare your Discipline power and jump on your enemies when they don't expect it. "Did you enjoy the Dishonored series, or playing stealth-focused builds in Fallout or Elder Scrolls games? Me too!"
- Action Brawler is what I feel most players prefer in any game: just run into the thick of it and destroy your opponents with your skillful maneuvers. Who needs strategy when you can just show them what you're made of? You can mix the two playstyles for best results or just stick to one. "Any Clan can brawl but this is where the Brujah shine. You’ll see them in our January gameplay reveal video. Their powers are aimed at dominating close combat. References for this style are action-brawling games like the God of War series, Shadow of Mordor and Elden Ring."
- Narrative Adventurer is for you if you'd rather follow the story than waste time on long-drawn fights. Of course, you can still exercise your mechanical skills, but this part is less important than the thrill of adventure. "We envision that a core of the Bloodlines 1 fans identify with this playstyle and also fans of TCR's titles to date ... so we’re making sure the gameplay pillar doesn’t add action at the detriment of these important players."
Image credit: The Chinese Room
When designing the system, The Chinese Room wanted to "create an action experience that can compete with modern titles." We'll see if they manage to achieve this in the fall of 2024.
The studio focused on immersion over complexity and created a "streamlined control scheme with actions that are easy for all three playstyles to pick up and play." To make fighting deeper, they also added some context-aware moves.
"For example, the defensive mechanic is a dash, allowing players to dodge incoming attacks or reposition. If dodge is used towards an enemy performing a melee attack, it becomes a counter, staggering the enemy – it is fine for players to never do this move, but for those that want a higher skill-ceiling, it is there."
Image credit: The Chinese Room
If you're scared too many abilities are overwhelming, don't worry: only 4 are available at a time as they are mapped to the face buttons, but you can combine them to finish villains off with a flourish.
Among this all, don't forget that you're a vampire: the team promises bloody fights where you'll get to feed on humans in the middle of it.
"As an Elder vampire, Phyre has become desensitised to violence, and we want the same to happen to the player over the course of the game - maybe being shocked the first time they chop someone's head off, but after a while accepting that violent carnage is par-for-the-course when you are a 400 hundred year old vampire in a city where everyone is out to get you."
We'll see what else TCR has prepared in its next gameplay trailer that launches on January 31 and then in another blog post coming two weeks from now.
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