GamesVampire: The Masquerade - BloodlinesCan’t wait for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2? Sink your teeth into the prequel mod insteadWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesVampire: The Masquerade - BloodlinesCan’t wait for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2? Sink your teeth into the prequel mod insteadWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Activision)
Bloodlines Prelude II - YouTubeWatch On
Bloodlines Prelude II - YouTube
Bloodlines Prelude II - YouTube
I don’t know what to make of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 any more. After allthe delaysanddevelopment resetsthe game’s been through, the long-anticipated sequel has landed on an identitybetween Dishonored and an action-RPG. That sounds great and everything, though at this point I wouldn’t be surprised if the game launches in as rough a state as Stalker 2, or indeed the original Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.
Thankfully, whatever becomes of the troubled sequel, the original game is—after nearly two decades' worth ofunofficial patches courtesy of modder Wesp5—still brilliant. It’s got a great mod community too, and one of its most interesting projects of recent years has been VTMB Prelude, an episodic story that charts the events leading up to the first game.Our Andy Chalk spoke to the devs back in 2019when the first episode of Prelude launched, but now you candive into the Early Access build of episode two.
(Image credit: Bloodlines Prelude Team)
The story sees you starting out as a human vampire hunter working for the Society of Leopold, a violently religious Inquisition-like faction dedicated to ridding the world of vampires, ghouls, and other supernatural entities. The first episode featured new levels, tons of dialogue, boss fights, and—from what I gather reading the community’s feedback—a bit of a twist ending. The trailer for Prelude II shows off some lovely environmental work and level designs, and really reminds me just how ahead of its time Valve’s Source Engine was. Those clean sharp geometries, the lovely lighting; it fills me with early 2000s nostalgia while still holding up beautifully.
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