Vampire: The Masquerade’s Act 2 update opens up the map and rebalances Archetypes, among other changes. Battle Royale is a free-to-play mode in The Masquerade.
The Act 2 update for Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is now available, and it includes a new indoor battle arena and rebalanced Archetypes. Although Sharkmob’s free-to-play battle royale set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe is still in early access, the developers have improved many aspects of the game as it approaches a full release on PC and PS5 before the end of the year.
The game is based on the tabletop game Vampire: The Masquerade and pits vampires against vampires on the streets of Prague. Similar to other games in the genre, players can go it alone or form a vampire group. Each vampire’s special abilities distinguish Bloodhunt, though players must exercise caution around mortals during matches. Those who do not follow The Masquerade, a code that forbids vampires from revealing their true nature to the public, will have their true nature told to other players on the map. Bloodhunt also has no pay-to-win mechanics instead of relying on skins and other cosmetic items to make money. During Act 1, the game’s community grew, reaching an all-time high of 20,572 on Steam. With the Act 2 update, the developers are hoping to attract more players.
Act 2 brings many changes to the game, including the opening of the Rudolfinum Concert Hall in Prague, according to the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt patch notes provided by Sharkmob. The structure served as a communal haven for the Toreador clan, but it, like the rest of the map, is now a battleground for vampire bloodshed. Act 2 also includes changes to the Nosferatu clan, which was deemed a little too powerful in Act 1. During Vanish, the clan’s maximum speed was reduced, and the duration of Vanish was reduced.
Certain melee and ranged weapons received balance changes in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt Act 2, including a slight buff to the Pump Shotgun and a nerf to the Crossbow. The magazine size for Dual Crossbows has been increased, and the maximum explosion damage has been increased to 2m instead of 1m. The Sniper Rifle received a minor buff, with reloading becoming available sooner after a bullet is fired. Act 2 also includes several changes to the Quality of Life, such as performance indicators that will appear when the game encounters unexpected issues. Certain bugs were squashed, and the climbing mechanic was also improved.
Bloodhunt’s Archetype and weapon balance changes appear to be a step in the right direction for the battle royale. However, there are no optimizations for players experiencing performance issues on their PCs in the update. The developers have stated that they are working on it; however, it is a large task that will take longer than the improvements to the quality of life and balance made in this update.
The increased difficulty of balancing special abilities when added to the battle royale genre is a problem. With different clans and Archetypes offering distinct advantages and disadvantages, Bloodhunt was bound to have balancing issues. However, it’s a good sign that Sharkmob has already made the necessary nerfs, starting with the Nosferatu clan. As Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt develops, we hope to see this practice continue.
On PC, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is now in Early Access.
Source: Sharkmob, Bloodhunt/YouTube
