010
02
‘Tis the season to
argue ad infinitum
whether Die Hard is
a ‘Christmas movie’
(as opposed to just
a film that happens
to take place during the festive
period). Alas, our beloved medium
isn’t safe from the debate.Who
would have thought
a game in which
you can glide
around like a bat
saying “I AM THE
NIGHT!” could be
classed as a
Christmas game?
At Paradox Con inBerlinwespeak
to Hardsuit Labs’ narrative lead,
Brian Mitsoda, and senior narrative
designer, Cara Ellison, about
Vampire: The Masquerade –
Bloodlines 2’s December nights and
festive undead frolics.“So Christmas is important in this
game because the game is set in
December,” Mitsoda begins. “[...] The
reason we set it in December is
because it’s the darkest time in
Seattle. So of course the nights
are much longer and so it just so
happens that it’s Christmas.”
Aseveryvampire – from your
freshly made
Thinblood to
power-hungry
elder vamps
wanting to snack
on ancient
Antediluvians – is
bound to uphold
theMasqueradeand conceal their
existence from humans, darkness is
perhaps the only true ally a vampire
has. But the season was chosen for
more than practical reasons. Ellison
tells us she and Mitsoda drew on a
wealth of sources when crafting thenarrative, from Hannibal (“[the way
he’s] so manipulative but so suave”)
to The Americans (“Soviet agents
that are pretending to be Americans
[is] really helpful for writing about
vampires [...] pretending to be
normal human beings”).SLAY BELLS
She later goes on to discuss film
director Shane Black’s penchant for
setting his action comedies at
Christmas as it’s such a distinctive
and familiar part of the year for
audiences. She continues, “To me
personally, there’s something jarring
about something awful happening at
Christmas. It’s, like, such a festive,
nice time.”
“It is good to have that kind of
setting as a backdrop because
you’re doing horrible things and
there’s a Christmas tree over there.”
Mitsoda agrees, “It’s definitely one ofVamp in tomb
for Christmas
Brian Mitsoda and Cara Ellison on Bloodlines 2’s seasonal bite
IT’S A GOOD
CONTRAST. [...]
I THINK IT MAKES
IT DARKER.That red stuff we’re
drinking? Mulled wine.
Definitely. That’s why it
smells a bit funny.team talk
“It might seem a little
weird to release a
game with Christmas
festivities front and
centre outside of
December, but I can’t
wait to see what dark
machinations Hardsuit
Labs has in store with
this setting. One thing
I’m sure of, we’ll be
decking the goons
with the blood of many
a decked goon in
Seattle next year.”
Jess Kinghorn
Staff writer