Now in development by The Chinese Room and published by Paradox Interactive, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 has had a notoriously rocky road. Years of delays and studio shake-ups have left fans cautious, leaving them to compile a list of all features no longer included in the game.
The original Bloodlines, released in 2004, became a cult-classic RPG thanks to the freedom, player choice, and deep systems. But under The Chinese Room, the sequel is shaping up to be a very different kind of game, stripping away many of the mechanics that gave the first its identity.
Bloodlines 2’s long troubled development
Originally announced in 2019 under Hardsuit Labs, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 was pitched as a true RPG sequel to the 2004 cult classic. It was first expected to launch in 2020, but quickly slipped through multiple delays before being pushed back indefinitely.
In 2020, the project was rocked by the sudden firing of lead writer Brian Mitsoda and creative director Ka’ai Cluney. By 2021, publisher Paradox pulled the game from Hardsuit Labs entirely, leaving many fans to believe it had been shelved.
It wasn’t until 2023 that Paradox revealed that The Chinese Room, best known for Dear Esther and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, had taken over development. With this shift, the scope of the game changed dramatically, focusing on a pre-made protagonist and more action-driven gameplay rather than classic RPG systems.
After years of development hell, Bloodlines 2 is now set to release on October 21, 2025. Ahead of launch, fans have already compiled a list of mechanics missing from the sequel that were key to the original.
No character creation in Bloodlines 2
In 2004, Bloodlines featured character customisation, letting you create a custom vampire with full stat allocation, clan choice, and backstory options.
In Bloodlines 2, you now play as Phyre, a fixed elder vampire with a predetermined backstory. You can still pick your clan, pronouns, and outfits, but for fans of the original, it feels like a step back.
The Chinese Room has said this change is intentional, as they want an “authored protagonist” to support a tighter narrative, with player expression coming in the form of dialogue choices.
No traditional weapons, hacking or lock picking
Unlike the 2004 original, where players carried guns, melee weapons, and blood packs, Bloodlines 2 removes permanent weapons entirely. Phyre never wields them directly. As the developers put it, “these are things any mortal can do.” This has left fans on Reddit to compile a list of everything no longer included in the sequel that was present in the original.
Instead, weapons are used through telekinesis. You can rip a gun from an enemy, fire it mid-air until it’s empty, then toss it aside. Objects in the environment can also be hurled as projectiles, with vampiric abilities filling out the rest of the combat to make it feel more distinct.
This philosophy extends beyond fighting. Lockpicking and hacking minigames are gone, with obstacles and traversal now handled through your supernatural powers.
RPG Systems stripped away
Bloodlines 2 features no stats or character sheet. In the original, players could allocate attributes, skills, and feats, but progression in the sequel is instead tied to regaining and expanding Disciplines.
Dialogue has also changed. Persuasion, intimidation, and seduction checks are gone, replaced by tone-based choices. Outcomes are now shaped more by clan, relationships, or reputation.
Other core RPG features have been removed as well. There is no inventory or quest log, making the game feel less like a direct sequel and more like a reboot with a very different design philosophy.
The Humanity and Frenzy systems have also been stripped away, with morality stats completely absent. Where the original was a stat-heavy RPG, The Chinese Room appears to be building an action-narrative experience instead.
Toreador and Lasombra locked behind DLC
Paradox has confirmed that two clans, Lasombra and Toreador, will not be included in the base game at launch. Instead, they are part of the Shadows & Silk DLC, bundled with the $90 Premium Edition or sold separately.
For many fans, this felt like a slap in the face. After years of delays, seeing Toreador, one of the more iconic clans from the original, being locked behind a paywall has sparked heavy backlash. Other outlets have highlighted community anger, which risks damaging the game’s launch ahead of its release.
Final thoughts
Personally, I find it a bit of a shame, especially for those who were excited back in 2019 when the game was first revealed. Fans expected a deep, intricate RPG, but what we have now looks very different from what was initially promised. It’s even surprising that Paradox kept the same subtitle rather than positioning this as a reboot or spin-off.
With the release set for October 21, 2025, on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Steam, GOG, and Epic, it won’t be long before players can judge for themselves. Whether Bloodlines 2 manages to satisfy long-time fans hungry for a true sequel or instead finds success by bringing in a new audience remains to be seen.
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