This new Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 developer diary showcases exciting gameplay footage, focusing on the mechanics of vampire hunting and maintaining the Masquerade.
In the world of Vampire: The Masquerade, vampires must conceal their true nature from humans. Bloodlines 2 incorporates this with a Masquerade meter, visually represented by an eye icon at the top of the screen. This meter tracks actions that violate the Masquerade, escalating through three levels:
- Green: Minor infractions; simply hiding will suffice.
- Yellow: Multiple violations, such as feeding or using aggressive powers, require handling witnesses or evading police attention.
- Red: The Masquerade is shattered, and the police are pursuing the player. Escape and concealment are crucial, as the Camarilla will intervene once the meter is full. (See the accompanying video clip for an example).
Players can mitigate their "infamy" by making witnesses forget or, as a last resort, eliminating them. If the police are involved, hiding is the best strategy.
The developers emphasize that the risk of exposure increases throughout the game, demanding swift and decisive actions to maintain the Masquerade.
