When Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2 finally released last year, the story was intriguing, but the mechanics felt a bit anaemic. Compared to the wild, kitchen-sink design of Troika’s original, The Chinese Room's combat relied far too heavily on vampire fisticuffs. Bloodlines 2's first DLC looks to change that by introducing much-needed variety to the arsenal.
Playing as Benny in Loose Cannon
The upcoming expansion, Loose Cannon, shifts the spotlight away from the main protagonist, Phyre. Instead, players step into the shoes of Benny, a side character who serves as Seattle's vampire sheriff.
Benny’s story begins when he goes rogue, abandoning his post on a personal quest that drives the expansion's plot. While some might find him a bit of a "volatile" arsehole, playing as him allows for a much more hands-on approach to combat. The DLC explores the events leading up to his disappearance and why someone with his personality was ever appointed sheriff in the first place.
How Bloodlines 2's first DLC Fixes Combat
As a member of the Brujah clan, Benny provides the perfect excuse to bring back proper melee and ranged combat. Unlike the base game, where weapons were often relegated to being disposable items wielded via telekinesis, Benny can use a variety of tools effectively:
- Ranged weaponry, including various guns.
- Bladed weapons for close-quarters lethality.
- Blunt weapons for heavy impact.
- A brand new set of unique combat finishers.
There is a bit of irony in this shift, as the original Bloodlines lore gave Brujah characters a bonus to unarmed combat. The Chinese Room is pitching this as a "new take" on the Brujah playstyle—and frankly, I’m happy to ignore the lore if it means getting my hands on a big pile of guns.
Concerns Over Reimagined Locations
While the gameplay improvements are welcome, I do have reservations about the announcement that Loose Cannon will feature "new quests across reimagined familiar locations." The base game only featured about five locations, and revisiting places like the Anarch biker club sounds exhausting. If the developers want to keep us engaged, we need fresh environments to explore.
Despite the rocky start and lower-than-expected sales for the base game, Paradox Interactive has promised to stick with the project. It seems their commitment is holding firm as Bloodlines 2's first DLC prepares to launch on Steam tomorrow.
