Bloodlines 2 Team Explains Key Mechanics in New Dev Diary

The Chinese Room studio has released a new development diary for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, showcasing exciting gameplay footage. This diary focuses on the mechanics of vampire hunting and maintaining the Masquerade.

In the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, vampires must uphold the Masquerade – the secret pact to conceal their existence from humanity. Bloodlines 2 reflects this with a Masquerade meter, visually tracking actions that risk exposure.

Breaching the Masquerade triggers three escalating alert levels, displayed via an eye icon:

• Green: A minor infraction; simply hiding will suffice.
• Yellow: Multiple violations, feeding, or aggressive power use. Players must manage witnesses or avoid attracting police attention.
• Red: The Masquerade is shattered, and the police are pursuing. Escape and concealment are paramount, as the Camarilla will directly intervene once the meter is full (as demonstrated in the accompanying video).

Players can mitigate their "infamy" by making witnesses forget their observations or, less subtly, eliminating them. If the police are involved, hiding until the situation cools down is the most straightforward approach.

The developers assure players that the risk of exposure will steadily increase throughout the game, demanding quick thinking and decisive action to maintain the Masquerade.