Parents' Guide to Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt

This battle royale game breathes new life (or unlife) into the genre though its fast paced gameplay, atmospheric visuals, and tight controls. Despite the tough competition it faces, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt successfully stands above the others as a battle royale newcomer. It comes out of the gate swinging with distinctive visuals as players rip and tear through the murky, dark streets and rooftops of Prague. There's never been a more blissfully chaotic feeling than frantically sprinting down a street—a shot or two away from defeat—while above your head another heated confrontation rages between two or more people with gunfire serving as the surrounding soundtrack. Scaling a wall to get to a rooftop is seamless, and the chaos on the buildings feels refreshingly different from the anarchy plaguing the streets. Even though Prague is presented as one big area, each section carries its own flavor with secrets to be discovered and firefights taking new forms in every cramped alley or wide-open intersection. While this easily could have been "by-the-numbers battle royale but with vampires" instead feels like the battle royale aspect is a pivotal piece of a bigger puzzle. Before each match, there's a fully realized hub world players can explore. You can accept quests from interesting, thought-out characters who introduce players to the larger V:TM lore and events. What begins as a few minor fetch quests becomes challenges on top of your efforts to beat the other players in a match. As you turn in quests, you slowly unravel more of the in-depth story—wars that have been waged, factions that have risen or fallen, the birth or demise of powerful figures, the lifestyles of the various groups. It feels as if the game being a battle royale is merely the tip of an iceberg players will be curious about as they learn more.

Best of all, the lore is completely optional. For those who just want a different battle royale experience, there are many gameplay elements to keep you constantly coming back. While the larger map may not change much (as of right now), random "match variants" are thrown in with every match you play. That includes random AI characters that eliminate players, or constantly shrinking areas to fight on thanks to deadly mist. You'll even have the option to focus on collecting items from chests, attacking humans for power boosts, or eliminating human hunters that threaten any vampires they come across. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is a battle royale experience that has already proven to be the best the genre has to offer, boasting unbridled fun, a host of options—both in the matches and in the main hub—and a premise that can only get better with time.