If Baldur’s Gate 3 is “a complete roleplay setting,” Bloodlines 2 is a “situation”

Baldur’s Gate 3 is inarguably among the many finest videogame variations of a TTRPG. From its genuine recreation of certainly one of Dungeons and Dragons’ most iconic settings, to the superbly written supporting characters and numerous gameplay techniques that will let you convey your chaotic antics to life, it is the quintessential DnD sport. However earlier than Shadowheart and Astarion there was Jeanette (or Therese) Voerman and Sebastian LaCroix: for a lot of, the unique Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was what Baldur’s Gate 3 is right this moment: the (principally) good digital illustration of White Wolf’s TTRPG. But it surely’s now 2025 and Larian’s set the bar exceedingly excessive. With the specter of the primary sport without end looming, I ask if BG3’s success has made Bloodlines 2’s improvement tougher.

“I feel it is truthful to say that it has,” narrative director Ian Thomas tells me. “There’s that feeling that we must always have the ability to open [things up] and customise [everything from a] fully clean slate. However for those who’re telling a particular story, I feel you want a form to pour the story into, like a mildew. In case you fully open up the entire choices and throw any person into an area, how do you make that character the pillar of the story?”

Against this, Bloodlines 2 is a extra centered RPG: the town has clear boundaries, not each NPC is interactable, and you may’t (at the least in my expertise) yeet a vampire off of the facet of a cliff mid-boss combat by throwing rats at him (thanks, Lua). “For me Baldur’s Gate 3 is writing a complete roleplaying setting, whereas what we have finished is write a roleplaying module,” he says, promptly sparking a debate about whether or not the time period is ‘module,’ ‘journey,’ or ‘situation’ (White Wolf’s World of Darkness band supervisor Jason Carl appears fairly set on situation).

“It does make it laborious when individuals see [Bloodlines 2] and go ‘oh I assumed this was a complete setting, I assumed this was GTA the place we may do something!’ Whereas we’re attempting to go ‘no, it is this slice of time and place.'”

Whereas the thought of a Baldur’s Gate 3-scale Vampire: The Masquerade sport is definitely interesting, the unique Bloodlines was a comparatively self-contained, mission-based sport, taking you from A (for Ankaran Sarcophagus) to B (for Beckett or bloody demise – you select) with side-quests alongside the best way. A completely open-world VTM RPG might be wonderful, positive, however Bloodlines 2’s linearity feels extra in-line (pun meant) with the unique sport. However, a woman can definitely dream.

If you cannot watch for the Bloodlines 2 launch date, now we have a rundown of all of the Bloodlines 2 clans that can assist you land in your decide forward of launch. Alternatively, for those who’re seeking to observe your skulking and sneaking, now we have an inventory of all the perfect vampire video games – glowing is strictly forbidden.

Would you prefer to see a Baldur’s Gate 3-style VTM sport? Tell us on Discord, and let me know what period you’d set it in, too.