
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 indicating actions that risk exposure.
Three levels of Masquerade violation are represented by colors on an in-game eye icon:
- Green: 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 broken, and the police are pursuing the player. Immediate escape and concealment are crucial, as the Camarilla will intervene once the meter fills completely (as demonstrated in the accompanying video).
Players can mitigate their "infamy" by making witnesses forget their actions or, alternatively, eliminating them. If the police are involved, hiding until the situation cools down is the simplest solution.
The developers emphasize that the risk of exposure will escalate throughout the game, demanding quick thinking and decisive action from players to maintain the Masquerade.