Reviews are in for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 and they're probably about what you expected them to be. They may not be what you wanted them to be though, but given the game's troubled development this is probably the best possible outcome for the game that was once extremely anticipated by fans.
To call the development of Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 "troubled" may be a profound understatement. It's been one of the most tumultuous and publicly fraught productions in recent memory. The project, a sequel to a beloved 2004 cult classic, was initially helmed by Hardsuit Labs and carried the hopes of fans, especially with original Bloodlines writer Brian Mitsoda on board. However, after an impressive 2019 reveal, the project fell into a disturbing silence, punctuated only by a series of high-profile delays. The situation went south when in 2021 publisher Paradox Interactive publicly removed Hardsuit Labs from the project, fired Mitsoda and other key creatives, and effectively sent the game back into the shadows, delaying it indefinitely.
Following a long period of uncertainty where many assumed the game was canceled, Paradox announced a complete development reboot, handing the reins to The Chinese Room (Dear Esther, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs). The Chinese Room essentially started over, scrapping most of the original vision. The new version features a different protagonist, and a fundamental shift in gameplay that appears to pivot away from its deep, systemic RPG roots toward a more streamlined, narrative-driven action-adventure.
The Chinese Room is not exactly known for crafting combat-heavy, action-RPG games. It just isn't their forte. The studio built its reputation on the "walking simulator" genre with titles such as Dear Esther and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. These titles feature deliberate pacing, atmospheric exploration, and a near complete lack of combat mechanics. The studio has touched a bit on horror with Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Still Wakes the Deep, but these games prioritize psychological horror and storytelling over fast-paced action and deep RPG systems that are expected for a Bloodlines sequel.
That all said, the review scores for Bloodlines 2 is probably what we all expected them to be. Right now on OpenCritic, the critic average is just 64%, with only 32% of all critics recommending Bloodlines 2 over other games released this year. The actual scores do cover a rather large range, from a 3 out of 10 up to a couple of 8s out of 10.
A summary of those critic reviews from OpenCritic can be seen below. If you're still interested in Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, it will be released in just four days on October 21, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Game Information
Game Title: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Platforms:
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 64 average - 32% recommended
Critic Reviews
3DNews - Мила Пономарева - Russian - 5 / 10
CGMagazine - Erik McDowell - 6 / 10
CNET - Oscar Gonzalez - Unscored
Daily Mirror - Aaron Potter - 3.5 / 5
Dexerto - Jessica Filby - 3 / 5
DualShockers - Scott Baird - 5 / 10
Eurogamer - Robert Purchese - 2 / 5
Everyeye.it - Fabrizio Cenci - Italian - 8 / 10
Game Rant - Nick Rodriguez - 7 / 10
Game Sandwich - Aden Carter - 4 / 10
GameGrin - Mike Crewe - 7.5 / 10
GameMAG - Russian - 6 / 10
GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 7 / 10
GameSpot - Jessica Cogswell - 7 / 10
Gameblog - French - 8 / 10
GamesRadar+ - Jasmine Gould-Wilson - 1.5 / 5
Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 75 / 100
IGN - Leana Hafer - 7 / 10
IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 7 / 10
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 6 / 10
PC Gamer - Fraser Brown - 78 / 100
PCGamesN - Lauren Bergin - 5 / 10
PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones - 7.5 / 10
Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 4 / 10
Spaziogames - Italian - 7.8 / 10
The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 7 / 10
TheSixthAxis - Steve C - 7 / 10
Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 7 / 10
Game Title: Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Platforms:
- PC (Oct 21, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (Oct 21, 2025)
- Xbox Series X/S (Oct 21, 2025)
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 64 average - 32% recommended
Critic Reviews
3DNews - Мила Пономарева - Russian - 5 / 10
Quote not yet available
CGMagazine - Erik McDowell - 6 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a sequel in name only. A flawed but fascinating action-adventure that might satisfy World of Darkness devotees, but few others.
CNET - Oscar Gonzalez - Unscored
Across the board, Bloodlines 2 is just a disappointment. It should be oozing with style and gothic vibes that make you want to paint your fingernails black and put on some My Chemical Romance. Instead, it's just the same thing over and over again that feels uninspired and unchallenging.
Daily Mirror - Aaron Potter - 3.5 / 5
Open-world RPGs that let you roleplay as a modern vampire don’t come around every day, and Bloodlines 2 is a pretty good, if somewhat unspectacular, attempt.
Dexerto - Jessica Filby - 3 / 5
Bloodlines 2 isn’t your typical RPG. It tells a great and complex story while taking you on an adventure where every choice you make affects the narrative, inside a city that feels alive with lovable and hateable characters. However, it could have done so much more to live up to its predecessor and TTRPG inspiration.
DualShockers - Scott Baird - 5 / 10
While it has the trappings of the World of Darkness, this game does a disservice to Vampire: The Masquerade.
Eurogamer - Robert Purchese - 2 / 5
The Chinese Room has managed to make something from a box of inherited parts, but this action RPG feels hollow and functional, and is only redeemed by some stellar performances from the characters and cast.
Everyeye.it - Fabrizio Cenci - Italian - 8 / 10
Quote not yet available
Game Rant - Nick Rodriguez - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 picks up where its predecessor left off, but does it live up to the legacy of the cult classic?
Game Sandwich - Aden Carter - 4 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is the sequel to an amazing game that was full of life, where everything felt meaningful, and the design felt purposeful. Unfortunately, anything that its highly-regarded predecessor had has been stripped away and replaced with a generic combat system, a story that tries too hard to be the next big crime drama, and a lifeless world with little to do and a Masquerade Court that, like me, has lost all care in the world. Very few benefits outweigh the negatives that have befallen this fictional version of Seattle, leaving me feeling sorry for all the fans that waited 21 years to get a story that, if it wasn’t for the Bloodlines name, would be forgotten to time except by the most faithful scene queens and goths.
GameGrin - Mike Crewe - 7.5 / 10
Whilst fans of the original may not like the stark difference between the two titles, Bloodlines 2 is still an engaging vampiric tale that, if given a chance, will sink its teeth into you!
GameMAG - Russian - 6 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a good example of the gap between ambition and execution. Despite an intriguing premise and well-developed main characters, the game ultimately feels too linear and repetitive, with limited player choice and shallow world interaction. Many of the lengthy dialogues have little to no impact on the story, side quests are dull and formulaic, and the world itself feels empty and lifeless. In the end, Bloodlines 2 comes across more as a walking simulator with light RPG elements than a worthy successor to the cult classic.
GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has a wealth of issues, from an open world that feels wasted to combat that feels scrappy throughout. Thanks to a gripping narrative that you can shape with your actions, however, you'll likely still enjoy your time spent sucking blood across Seattle.
GameSpot - Jessica Cogswell - 7 / 10
Although Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 isn't particularly ambitious or polished, it makes up for its faults with enthralling gameplay, gorgeous environments, a good story, and even better characters.
Gameblog - French - 8 / 10
Quote not yet available
GamesRadar+ - Jasmine Gould-Wilson - 1.5 / 5
It's impossible to roleplay a narrative that's already set its course.
Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 75 / 100
The final result of Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 offers a glimpse into what could have been the best vampire game ever created. However, its many ideas don't quite gel as they should, and there are flaws in the execution. This leaves us with an enjoyable game that could have been an irresistible bite.
IGN - Leana Hafer - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 takes another flawed but unique and remarkable bite at the jugular, with plenty to love and loathe alike, but I certainly enjoyed my time as an elder vampire at the very least.
IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 7 / 10
With a unique first-person perspective and technical aspects that leave much room for improvement, Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 offers us a neo-noir adventure set in 21st-century Seattle. As an Ancient newly awakened from his slumber, we must investigate a dark plot while negotiating with the clans and increasing our influence in the city. As if that weren't enough, we'll have the help of a Malkavian inspector, Fabien, whose consciousness survives in the mind of our protagonist. Past and present come together in an investigation in which no character is above suspicion
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 6 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will certainly appeal to the die-hard fans of its world, thanks to the story. Unfortunately though, it commits the cardinal sin of simply not being fun enough to play, and that's a difficult coffin to clamber back out of.
PC Gamer - Fraser Brown - 78 / 100
A gripping story full of intrigue and murder that struggles to find its footing as an RPG sequel.
PCGamesN - Lauren Bergin - 5 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 fails to recapture the original's magic, instead magnifying the worst parts of Troika's classic, with janky combat and occasionally woeful performance issues. Long-time VTM fans may enjoy haunting Seattle's snowy streets, getting to know its well-written cast, and testing each clan's unique playstyle, but it's a far cry from what it could have been.
PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones - 7.5 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 might not be the sequel that folk from 2004 wanted for their game, but it is the game we've got. Though largely sparse open world and technical issues are hardly encouraging, the beautifully evocative interior environments, surprisingly engaging traversal and combat mechanics, together with its neatly unconventional 'buddy movie' conceit which sees two vampires attempting to inhabit the same body and each with their own motivations, makes Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 a good deal more intriguing than I originally expected it to be.
Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 4 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 is a shambles. Its best qualities are always short-lived, buried deep beneath the frustrations of non-existent RPG elements, extreme padding, and diabolical technical issues. Beyond the promise of its opening hours, this is a tragic misfire of a game.
Spaziogames - Italian - 7.8 / 10
In a industry dominated by safe, risk-free productions, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a bold game, even in its failures. The Chinese Room has created an ambitious work (perhaps too ambitious for its own means) yet one capable of leaving a mark. It's not the sequel many dreamed of, but perhaps it's the one this dark world truly deserved: a flawed title, yet brimming with personality and vision.
The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 could have been an excellent vampire experience, but its uninspiring gameplay, technical issues, and frustrating combat leave it in the dark.
TheSixthAxis - Steve C - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is a good game, but one that's held back by the expectations of being a sequel to an all-time classic. If you can step away from the baggage of the Bloodlines title, there is a lot here to enjoy in terms of narrative and atmosphere, though the combat is too repetitive.
Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 7 / 10
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 is no classic, that's for sure. The game's side content is mediocre at best, and its technical optimization is among the worst seen recently. That said, the setting's atmosphere is intact, the combat is fun, and the main story is well-crafted. I recommend it to fans, but only at a lower price than the launch one.
