A decade after the initial pitch of Bloodlines 2 to Paradox Interactive, players have finally engaged with the sequel. However, the response has not been overwhelmingly positive, as it’s currently rated as ‘Mixed’ on Steam.

The prevailing sentiment among players, even from those who offered positive feedback, is that Bloodlines 2 fails to justify its title due to a notable lack of role-playing elements that one would expect from a game in the RPG genre. One review captured this sentiment succinctly: “It is a good VtM game, but it is not a Bloodlines game.” In contrast, another review lamented, “Nothing about this game aligns with what you marketed six years ago.”

The game offers a narrative-driven experience, framing itself as an investigative adventure rather than a traditional RPG, which has elicited criticism that it diverts too far from the core elements that made the original Bloodlines a storied cult classic.

Despite the criticisms, it seems that players enjoy embodying a character in the ‘World of Darkness’ universe, as options outside of Bloodlines 2 are quite limited. However, Paradox has made it clear that the development of future sequels will not fall under their direct purview, with deputy CEO Mattias Lilja stating, “It is not in our strategic direction to make this kind of game.”

As the tumultuous development history of Bloodlines unfolds, many express skepticism about what the future holds for the series, especially considering the troubles faced by previous developers and the dark legacy of the original title.