Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has a voiced main character

Your character in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 isn’t a blank slate and will speak during dialogue scenes. New developres The Chinese Room introduced the protagonist in a new video, in which they show a couple of interactive conversation and then layout the backstory underpinning the troubled narrative RPG.

Here’s the video, with the example conversations at 1m 25s and 12m 15s:

Bloodlines 2’s protagonist is called Phyre, and they’re an Elder vampire first turned in the 17th century and now awoken in a modern world they don’t understand. Joining you as you steer Phyre through Seattle is Fabien, a “strange and ever-present voice” in Phyre’s head.

While now being voiced, conversations are still driven by dialogue trees and your selections will apparently shape “how the story unfolds” according to a press release, as well as leading to multiple different endings. Although not a blank slate, players can also still customise the protagonist, choosing their vampire clan, gender, and clothing – with these choices further shaping our characters you encounter react to you.

Bloodlines 2 has had a torrid development process so far, with work beginning at Hardsuit Labs and led by Bloodlines 1 director Brian Mitsoda. Mitsoda was fired from the project in 2020, and Hardsuit Labs were taken off development entirely in early 2021. The Chinese Room were announced as the new developer in September, with some of Hardsuit’s work on the game seemingly being retained.

Paradox’s Sean Greaney does note that the footage shown above is “post alpha” and subject to change, so I shall reserve final judgement. My interim judgement however is that it did not impress or excite me, either in terms of its dialogue or presentation. It all seemed pretty mundane and familiar.