After much secrecy, Paradox has revealed that The Chinese Room, the developer of Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, is now working on Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. The studio’s latest development update introduces a new protagonist named Phyre, who is fully voiced and playable.
In The Chinese Room’s latest developer stream, it is revealed that Phyre is an Elder vampire who has recently awakened after a 100-year slumber and finds themselves slightly bewildered by modern-day Seattle. Phyre carries a mysterious brand on their hand that is somehow connected to a voice in their head, belonging to a modern vampire named Fabien. Fabien serves as an ever-present companion for Phyre throughout the adventure, although the reasons for their connection are initially unknown.
While Phyre’s backstory is already established, there is flexibility in how they are presented in-game. Players have the ability to choose Phyre’s gender, clothing, and clan.
Bloodlines 2 is a story-driven RPG that offers different ways for players to shape their narrative experience. In addition to conversational dialogue choices, players’ clan choice will affect the powers available to them. These powers can be further enhanced by considering the emotional resonance of potential prey before feeding. Even choices like Phyre’s clothing can impact how other characters respond to them.
This latest video from The Chinese Room is part of a series of development updates for Bloodlines 2. Previous updates have covered the game’s design philosophy, atmosphere, themes, and neo noir art style. Check out the series of development updates for more information.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has faced challenges since its announcement in 2019. After controversies, the original developer Hardsuit Labs was replaced by The Chinese Room. Despite its troubled history, the game is now back in full swing and set to release for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S next year.
