It may sound like an exaggeration, but The Chinese Room’s recent interview clarifies why Bloodlines 2 is going for density over scope.

As the October release of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 approaches (unless it’s delayed again – Paradox may be running out of patience), the developers at The Chinese Room have begun speaking more about the game. In their latest interview with Game Informer, they discussed the game’s haunting rendition of Seattle.

Instead of a sprawling city, the team is crafting something more compact. Art director Ben Matthews stated, “We’re not making Grand Theft Auto. This isn’t a big, open-world game where the horizon is your limit. We really paid attention to that, trying to make everything as dense as possible.” The team’s philosophy favors detail over sheer scale.

Following in Deus Ex’s Footsteps

This approach is reminiscent of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, where Prague’s main hub offered a tight but rich design full of hidden areas and narrative density. While not massive in size, the area was engaging and encouraged exploration—an ideal model for a Bloodlines title, especially considering the original game’s immersive sim roots, layered politics, and deep character development.

If The Chinese Room is channeling the spirit of Deus Ex, intentionally or not, that bodes well for Bloodlines 2. The game is currently slated for release this October on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. Soon we’ll find out whether their vision leaves a lasting mark.

Source: PCGamer, Game Informer