Bloodhunt — a new free-to-play vampire battle royale

The World of Darkness battle royale Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt was released to Steam on 27 April 2022 — more than seven months after its debut on Steam Early Access in 2021.

Bloodhunt is a free-to-play third-person battle royale title that gives players the role of a bloodthirsty vampire.

Before jumping into the 45-player vampire-on-vampire massacre, players will have to pledge their allegiance to one of four vampire factions — the Brujah, Nosferatu, Toreador, and Ventrue.

Once you have chosen, you’ll fight to stay alive as you battle it out against vampire hunters and other vampire factions for control over the night-time city of Prague.

The combat is similar to that of Fortnite, in the sense that you drop onto the map before having to search for various tiered weapons that range from SMGs, assault rifles, pistols, and snipers, to melee weapons such as knives and axes.

However, what sets Bloodhunt apart from other third-person battle royales is its distinctly supernatural approach.

In addition to the game’s arsenal of weapons, each vampire faction has unique abilities which are defined by the player’s chosen archetype.

These archetype options include Brute, Vanval, Saboteur, Prowler, Siren, Muse, and Enforcer.

The archetype you choose will give you a specific set of vampiric powers, including climbing vertical surfaces, transforming into mist, temporary invincibility, and blinding other players.

Bloodhunt’s combination of weaponry and supernatural powers allows players to define their playstyle — be it sneaky surprise attacks or diving straight into battle all guns blazing.

The game’s long sightlines and relatively high time-to-kill are great for quietly stalking other players from height and distance, in proper vampire style.

As you roam the deadly streets and rooftops of Prague, you can feed off the blood of wandering civilians to gain passive bonuses like health regen or melee damage boosts.

However, you will be sorely punished for letting a mortal catch you in the act of feeding, as this “breaks the masquerade” and temporarily reveals your position on-screen for every player to see.

While Bloodhunt is free to play, it is worth noting that it includes microtransactions within the game.

Although you won’t need to spend money to play the game and its various modes, those players wanting to create unique looks for rivals to remember them by will have to pay to customise their vampire’s appearance with outfits, hairstyles, and tattoos.

If you’re looking for a break from the sweats of other competitive games like Hunt: Showdown or CS:GO, then Bloodhunt is the perfect low-stakes battle royale alternative.

So, grab your friends, gear up, and dominate the night by using your supernatural powers to hunt and outsmart your rivals and Inquisition soldiers in this third-person action shooter.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is available on PS5 and PC via Steam.

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