"Bloodlines 2 Dev Diary Unveils Core Mechanics"

The Chinese Room studio has recently released an exciting new development diary for *Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2*, brimming with fresh gameplay footage. In this update, the developers dive deep into how the vampire protagonist will navigate the art of hunting within the game's rich world.

In the universe of *Vampire: The Masquerade*, the central rule is the Masquerade itself, which mandates that vampires must keep their true nature concealed from the prying eyes of mortals. This core principle is meticulously woven into the gameplay of *Bloodlines 2* through the introduction of a Masquerade meter, which monitors actions that risk exposing the vampire's existence.

The Masquerade meter features three levels of breach, each signified by a color-coded eye icon at the top of the screen:

• Green: Represents a minor violation. At this stage, simply hiding from view is sufficient to avoid consequences.
• Yellow: Indicates the player has committed several infractions, perhaps fed on humans, or used aggressive vampiric powers. Here, the player must manage witnesses or take care to evade police attention.
• Red: Signifies a full breach of the Masquerade, with police actively pursuing the player. At this critical point, the best strategy is to flee and hide. If the meter reaches its peak, the Camarilla, the vampire governing body, will intervene, as demonstrated in the gameplay clip.

To mitigate their "infamy" and restore their standing within the Masquerade, players have a few options at their disposal: they can manipulate the memories of witnesses to erase the incident from their minds, or they can take a more drastic approach by eliminating the witnesses entirely. If the police become involved, the safest course of action is often to hide and wait until the heat dies down.

The developers have assured players that the challenge of maintaining the Masquerade will intensify as the game progresses. To succeed, players will need to act swiftly and make decisive choices to keep their vampire identity under wraps.