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 – concealing their existence from humans. Bloodlines 2 reflects this with a Masquerade meter, visually representing the player's actions and their impact on secrecy.
Breaching the Masquerade triggers three escalating levels of alert, indicated by an eye icon at the top of the screen:
- Green: A minor transgression; simply hiding will suffice.
- Yellow: Multiple infractions, feeding, or aggressive power use have occurred. 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 is full, as shown in the provided gameplay clip.
Players can mitigate their "infamy" by making witnesses forget or, alternatively, eliminating them. If the police are involved, hiding and waiting is the most effective strategy.
The developers emphasize that the risk of exposure increases throughout the game, demanding swift and decisive action from players to maintain the Masquerade.