Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York

Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York
70
Metacritic
73
Steam
77.047
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$19.99
Release date
11 December 2019
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
73 (1 847 votes)
Recent
72 (11 votes)

Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York is a narrative experience set in the rich universe of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition. It presents the struggle for power between two vampiric factions - the Camarilla and the Anarchs - bathed in the night lights of the Big Apple.

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Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York system requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7 SP1
  • Processor: Dual Core 3 GHz
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: ​1 GB VRAM OpenGL 2.1+
  • Storage: 2 GB available space
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maidenofswords
maidenofswords

this game is great for anyone new or seasoned to vampire the masquerade and the world of darkness as a whole! great art, story, atmosphere, and general vibes. it explains all the lore terms so new players don't get lost. really interesting characters and some great interactions! definitely worth a go if you like vtm and visual novels.

The_bubbadook
The_bubbadook

This was my first time trying a video novel which took commitment getting past the corny nature of this style of game, but was well rewarded. The art and atmosphere is perfect for this vampire world and scratched an itch that Bloodlines 2 left behind. The first run through was good, the second is GREAT especially in seeing how the creators foreshadowed the climax throughout the entirety of the story. Goes to show that it doesn't take fancy rendering and graphic splashes to make a good game. Loved all the characters and the interactions and am looking forward to try the other games out too.

Rock
Rock

I enjoyed this, but I wish it had been a bit longer as well as the character you picked in the beginning had a bigger impact (or just have the one and have them be weaved deeper into the story like in Shadows of New York).

Colonel Gaddafi
Colonel Gaddafi

Fun while it lasts, although the ending is unsatisfying.

Worth picking up in a sale if you're a fan of the genre, and treat it solely as a prologue for the (much better) sequel "Shadows of New York".

ddosphersie
ddosphersie

Start is good, art is decent, everything else is subpar. Your choices don't matter - even if inside the scene you will pick every single "compliant" choice, story will still treat you as if you were unruly. Feeding mechanic forces you to choose the feed dialogue options during the quests to not lose the game. Choice of the backstory does't matter. The whole plot can be summarised by a single line and the greatest intrigue is that (spoiler) prince and head anarch are allies.

Just... don't play it.

elena_tapean
elena_tapean

A sequel to Shadows of New York, The Coterie starts by making the player select one of the three main protagonists to begin their stories. I picked Eric, the rebellious teen who was turned a vampire illegally (his "sire" ran off after turning him). As such, I found myself meeting with Qadir, the NY Sheriff from the previous game. He takes me to a lonely room and then to Elysium, the Art Hole, where the Prince, Miss Hellen Panhard, sentenced me to Final Death. But before that, a mysterious red-haired vampire called Miss Sophie Langley offered to help me stay alive. As such I'm now doing her vampiric errands. One of these errands is to build a coterie. An alliance of sorts, striking partnerships and doing favors along the way. Right now Eric, my chosen character, is starting to question whether it is possible to break from Sophie's influence. I hope I'll get the good ending for Eric.

PROS:
- Awesome scenes;
- Music is fitting for the scene and the environmental sounds are spot-on;
- Decision-making with more options;
- New feature: you have to keep the Beast in check;
- Easy to learn mechanics;
- Dialog log and dictionary are handy;
- More achievements;
- Three main protagonists.

CONS:
- The music of some scenes is irritating (you feel the need to get out of there as soon as possible);
- Nothing for the moment.

If you're a fan of vampires, especially Vampire the Masquerade, then you definitely have to play this one, but only after Shadows of New York. Best of luck!

Thaco
Thaco

In many ways an above average visual novel on account of the writing, and for a VtM fan it hits all the right notes. Stops abruptly though, and doesn't really make you feel like you've had any say in the ending. It would have been good to have been more aware about the limit of evenings that you have. You can't complete all quests, for instance. A good story and solid design, but again, the ending is unsatisfying and your choices never amount to much in the end. This needs more than one ending and some kind of resolution. This is a story with only half of a third act. Baffling. Because of all this there is not really any replay value, and personally I don't feel like trying to play from the other two clans. Not a lot of point in trying to get the other achievments if you end up with the same ending. It's almost a great game, I enjoyed it up until the end. I want to give it a thumbs up but flaws are too great (although far fewer than the merits.) Many people gave it thumbs up, so let this review help you see if you'd be in the minority like I am.

Kazvas
Kazvas

This has been a fantastic way for me to learn more about vtm lore and mechanics and im really enjoying playing through the story and getting inspiration for my own tabletop vtm game along the way!

vanni
vanni

Loved the characters, soundtrack, art and overall vibe, but the ending was just awful, and the story was way too linear. Worth it if u buy it on sale, otherwise just dont

Killface
Killface

I couldn't believe how much fun I had in this game. No it isn't perfect. As mentioned in some reviews the choices don't matter so much, but ONLY in the beginning. As the game progresses your choices matter more and more. I really hope they make more games like this because I honestly had more fun playing this than most
actions games.

Simpy love it and look forward to the next one and hopefully more after that,

Level 100 Cup of Grump
Level 100 Cup …

I got it on offer, and that's why I'll give it a thumbs up.

Don't get me wrong. The story isn't bad! The art is fantastic too but... I expected more.

I liked the system of not being able to save-scum. I liked the characters and the writing. But it was painfully linear with few options to diverge from the railroaded path. There also seems to be no alternate endings.

And to me, that's kinda what a visual novel-game is supposed to be: Lots of branching choices and many many (many!) different endings to make up for the lack of gameplay.

Because that's what it comes down to. It's pictures with text on top of it. And you click your way through.
This is FINE! But to compensate, I then expect it to be rich in the story-path department.

This isn't. Not at all.

Conclusion
Story is great! But very linear. This game should have probably had 3 times the content with branching paths to warrant the full price-tag.

Would definitely pick up when it's on offer though.

Stacy's mom
Stacy's mom

I do recommend this game, I think it was worth the heavily discounted price I paid. However beautiful the images and music are, the story just feels half assed. It's pretty short and lots of things painted as important would just never be mentioned again. The ending is hurt by this at most apart from being just total nonsense. I'm putting the thumbs up because I genuinely enjoyed the beginning and the companions' quests.

Gigantic potential, stomped on by budget or lack of time or both. I don't think it was talent that was missing from the mix and I'm eager to try another game from these developers. Hopefully one where they go all the way.

PurpleProphet92
PurpleProphet92

I wasn't expecting anything but it's better than I expected, even though I wasn't expectin'... uh, nevermind.

MEME PRIME
MEME PRIME

Promising beginning, stronger middle, and an abysmally disappointing ending. Though this game features strong characterization for most NPCs, it leaves no room for meaningful choices on the part of the player. The last act comes without warning, resulting in a number of unfinished story arcs, and railroads you to an ending where none of the "choices" you've made result in anything of substance. The plot of this game would have done better as a noir short film or comic than as a game where the player expects to have any impact on the outcome.

Morningstar
Morningstar

Feels rushed and incomplete. Only one real ending, with none of your choices significantly effecting the outcome.

Markus Vykos
Markus Vykos

The ending is a bit abrupt,though it screams VTM,convoluted Camarilla politics and all that. Torque,Kaiser and Qadir carry the cast imo, Arturo is not that interesting a character,let alone Langley and Panhard.

HappyTiny2001
HappyTiny2001

7/10 (Definitely worth sale price but not a masterpiece).

MJL
MJL

This was an interesting enough story, the first time around - but having played through with all three characters, it becomes clear, aside from some very minor dialogue differences, that the story is completely linear, which is a little disappointing (even if you want to be meta about how it fits into the overall narrative). It's an interesting concept, and I'm a sucker for a vampire game (heh), but the poor mechanic around feeding and the lack of impact of choice throughout meant this whole experience was a lot more like reading a vampire novel from the late 90's more than a choose your own adventure.

Krozond
Krozond

Great for anyone wanting to play Vampire: the Masquerade, but doesn't necessarily have a ttrpg group

FriderichG
FriderichG

To describe this as a video game or even a virtual novel is an overstatement. With the minimum expected artwork and very little variation in plot options, this 'video game' recreates the feel of an '80s chose your own adventure book, with less variation in plot progress and endings. This was not worth the money.

su353
su353

It's alright, Kinda short, You don't have enough time to complete all the questlines in one playthrough.

MichaelZ
MichaelZ

So despite not having more than a knowledge of the source material's existence, I decided to give the game a whirl because I dig adventure games...that and it was on sale for pretty cheap, so why not. And I have to say, I'm glad I did. The game's story is interesting, full of intrigue and some genuine surprises along the way. After three playthroughs however, there wasn't a whole lot of variety, though there was enough differences between characters to not make it tedious to play through. A few more branching paths or decisions that actually made a difference would've been nice, but despite being more linear than I'd like I still enjoyed my time with it. Definitely check it out if you're a fan of text adventures or just want an intriguing story. Obviously, if you want more action, you should definitely look elsewhere.

Ishmael, King of the Sea
Ishmael, King …

it's alright. I hate that there is permadeath in visual novel and that you can't save. Some of the writing is great; some not so great. There are three clans to play through so I'm curious to see how the story changes.

Clara
Clara

A very pale shadow of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.
This isn't so much a game as an illustrated (but not animated) choose your own adventure. Worse, beyond the second night, the choices you make don't matter rendering the game ultimately pointless. Add to the lack of music when Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines had a great soundtrack and the whole thing was a huge disappointment to me, I'm very glad I go this on sale and didn't pay full price.

Cosmonautica
Cosmonautica

Great story. Easy, engaging introduction to Vampire the Masquerade.

Bigo
Bigo

Uma boa experiência se você jogou o rpg de mesa e tá bastante afastado do jogo que nem eu

TheBuge
TheBuge

- Good but linear story line + only 1 ending.
- Has side quest but not necessary to finish game

blackjester
blackjester

beautiful art and music but depressingly short.

Victusnaddz
Victusnaddz

choose your this,that,this i had the fun.

Hydangera
Hydangera

This game had a lot of potential - the writing is well-paced and the characters have personality. There's a variety of Clans you get to interact with and it's a good starting point for people who know absolutely NOTHING about VtM (there's an in-game dictionary, even). That being said, there is literally zero replay value to this game. Despite having achievements for finishing the game as three different clans, you are literally playing the same story, word for word in many parts, for the entire game. Nothing you do has any impact, the game just sort of pushes you along to the inevitable ending. There are a few points where you can die early on, but instead of having chapters you can replay, you have to start the ENTIRE. GAME. AGAIN.

This means tapping through each choice and conversation again, especially if you don't realise (like I didn't) that the CTRL key allows you to high-speed skip to the next dialogue choice (which will rarely offer you alternative events) until your third or fourth attempt at the game. It is good for achievement hunters as the achievements are all fairly easy to get, but if you don't care about achievements, this game can be played through, once, for the story.

Weirdly, all of the characters get called 'them' despite having obvious masc or fem presentations - you don't get to design your character whatsoever so the idea that they left the pronouns open as though you could choose is a bit weird. There is plenty of LGBT+ content which is shown in a neutral-positive light rather than trying to raunch it up or make it a moralistic tale which is refreshing.

There's absolutely no way to bond with any of the characters beyond a working relationship as you form your Coterie. You will occasionally be able to use powers at predetermined instances (which again, have little effect on the story, don't look cool or provide you benefits). There is no levelling in this game, no progression, and no actual combat. I would say this game is less an RPG and more of a visual novel.

Rating it as a video game... I am still struggling to figure out what the 'game' aspect of this game is. Rating it from a visual novel angle, I would read more by the same author because the quality of writing and pacing is good and the political intrigue of the Camarilla is something that I enjoy immensely. The ending of the game feels more like a "to be continued" than an actual ending, so I am anticipating a continuation to the story in some way. Still, if you're looking to PLAY an actual GAME, this is one to avoid.

xxcrashedfile
xxcrashedfile

The other critiques about a linear plot structure are true, but I find that there is a good amount of replay value based on the amount of characters you can interact with during the game. I really enjoyed the game, at least.

Cuindless
Cuindless

Very railroaded game. Play nice and do what everyone says otherwise they simply FORCE you to do what they say or they just kill you and it's game over. Zero player agency.

Mads
Mads

*reccomendation is for vtm fans, i dont think non-fans will get much out of this*

Took me a couple tries to really get into this one and while its overall enjoyable, it feels too unfocused and unevenly paced for me to call it a standout. Protags feel pretty meh outside their unique clan moments, the ending is pretty awkward and rushed (kinda a theme with vtm games). The coterie members and the Sheriff are all pretty cool though, especially Hope. Some cool moments and sidequests, and the standalone expansion Shadows of New York certainly builds off tjis in a way that makes it worth playing first, but I can't really reccommend it to anyone not already into VTM. If you are into it, then it can be pretty fun and certainly quick. Def worth playing if shadows interests you.

7/10 Pretty decent for VTM fans, but too unfocused and nothing really stands out well enough to reccommend without caveats.

frenzyslave
frenzyslave

Cool story.
Noob meets world - unfortunately noob is in the Ivory Tower... urk

vortigernrex
vortigernrex

Wasn't really into VNs but this one kept me glued to it all the way through, thanks to good writing with a fair amount of player interactions (including choosing your character ... wish there were more to choose from). A pleasant surprise all round. Just a pity its sequel switched writers and fell horribly flat.

DuskredDragon
DuskredDragon

I was leaning towards giving this a good review through most of the game, till the end. The writing and characters kept me pretty well hooked throughout. It's a series I've heard about but never really looked into. Delving into this world, there was some interesting concepts and lore to get into. Actually hooked me enough that I played late into the morning after a long shift. The UI isn't the best, missing a few features these types of games usually have. Quick save is kind of nice to have for example, sometimes it's hard to gauge what tone your character will take with a line you chose. Nice to have the option to go back if your character angrily yells a line of dialogue you were expecting to be a joke. Multiple save slots are good in case you want to replay but not redo totally from the start. Stuff like that. It's a very slimmed down VN game, nothing new/extra to it, and it's missing some features typical of the genre. So, for a good portion of the game I was fine with all that, and actually quite liked certain aspects. Then towards the end it really started to pick up pace, and I realized it's likely going to reach the end, very soon, too soon it feels like. I didn't really get much of the side missions done, only two in my "coterie" I guess. There's this big story moment that happens real quick all the sudden, then I'm left trying to figure how my character is going to make it out of this just totally F'ed situation. And, the game ends. Cliffhanger. ...I just don't get why this is a thing people do for anything. No one likes it and it just leaves a bad taste. I'm sure there's reasons that can be provided for why people consider it reasonable to do this, I don't accept it at all personally. I guess I'm just done with this series now, don't want to invest anything further just to get strung along. I would have said $12 was worth it for the first part, but the ending just flipped me totally around on that. Best to get when it has a large cut in price, with the understanding you're paying for a story sans the ending.

Hildegard von Schaltknüppel
Hildegard von …

Should you die randomly, you've got to play the whole game again from the beginning. Got to Night 14 on my second attempt with 3 people recruited already when my character got offed because I decided not to drink blood at every opportunity the game offered. So the game decided, I should kill a random person on the street and then get murdered by some specialty kill squat. Let's just say, I'm not going to play through all that again (even though you can use CTRL to skip through the dialogue super quickly). Thank you for wasting my time.

Grizzly Man
Grizzly Man

I was so bored I couldn't even get through the opening monologue.

Japakkomies
Japakkomies

It's more like a book than a game. But very addictive is you like the World of Darkness.

Bloody Vampire
Bloody Vampire

Amazing adventure. Plenty of fun but you have to have the patience to play it.

nutiketaiel
nutiketaiel

Not worth the money. Extremely simplistic, extended exposition with minimal character interactions, lots of choices with no meaning and a poorly designed interface. Way less charactr agency than the player deserves. I regret buying several of these games at once. A poor representation of the VtM world and experience.

CodeMonkey34
CodeMonkey34

Good story. Solid backgrounds.

buh_
buh_

An enjoyable experience full of interesting characters and a beautiful art style. A good story for fans of VtM.

Ladazma
Ladazma

Another great VtM storyline. Lore and consistency is on point. Just enough storylines and options to make it interesting. Only slight implementation of mechanics but they fit for this style of game.

This opinions was in no shape influenced by the Prince, the Primogen Council, or the Camarilla as a whole. Remember, "vampires aren't real."

Thomas Foolery
Thomas Foolery

I really love the World of Darkness universe. I love Vampire Masquerade. I love the table top, the buggy game fro the 2000s, the art, the music, everything. I even enjoy visual novels and choose-your-own-adventure games.

I just can't recommend this game/visual novel. I do not like playing as a pre-made character. Maybe I'm spoiled from the other Vampire Masquerade titles. I just can't immerse myself in the story, unless I can create my own character.

If they alter this game/visual novel to include character creation, then I will try this again. Even pay full price.

WiseG33k
WiseG33k

This is another case of wishing Steam reviews had a neutral option. I recommend Coteries of New York, but only if it's at least 50% off. Anything beyond that discounted price is not worth it, even if you're a massive WoD fan.

If you're unfamiliar with the lore, this is a decent introduction to Vampire the Masquerade V5. The writing is pretty solid throughout and the presentation, both in terms of visuals and audio, does a phenomenal job capturing the brooding atmosphere of the World of Darkness. Sadly, that's about where the positives end.

Under the veneer, I was immensely disappointed at just how linear of an experience this was. Of course, the illusion of choice and consequence only breaks on subsequent runs, and I can't, in good conscience, deny that I really enjoyed my time on that first playthrough.

If you're craving something that has more reactivity and multiple endings, I highly recommend Night Road and Parliament of Knives, the latter being my personal favorite, at least at the time of this writing.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Didn't think much of it but im starved for content. Took a plunge and enjoyed it!

AlexHayden_XII
AlexHayden_XII

I went in and bought this game ignoring every criticism and check it out for myself. At first I didn't mind on how linear and repetitive everything is, but as the final act came to a close I felt really disappointed. The game has strong points though, the story was ok but the execution was horrible. I don't know if I should not reccommend this to anyone or let people see for themselves.

For those wanting to try the game out, just play Night Road and Parliament of Knives. You'd have more satisfaction playing them and sale or not, your purchase feels completely worth it.

J.Little
J.Little

'Coteries' manages to tell a story right at home in the World of Darkness: It is another story about a fledgling - recently embraced - having to deal with the push and pull of all the older, more experienced Kindred of New York. They're embroiled in the usual politicking, largely playing their part as a pawn in the schemes of the Elder and try to simply carve out an existence in the modern nights, as well as the Camarilla. Pretty standard fare for VTM videogames, but a solid starting point nonetheless. Plus the entire machinations of the plot are equal measures ridiculous and intricate, making it (as said above) a story fitting in with the settings over all themes and tone.
A small letdown is the protagonist though. Yes, it is admirable, that most of the characters in the world refer to them by using gender neutral pronouns, allowing for the fledgling to be, whoever the players wants them to be in this regard (I expressly want to praise this choice!). The problem is their lack of characterization, because excluding the opening narration (the life they leave behind) no real character for them is developed throughout the entirety of the game. This way, the game succeeds in making them into an avatar for the player, allowing to interact with the fictional world and manipulate it. But at the same time, the protagonist isn't really connected to this world, until the plot kicks in, There is no sense of their ideals, their ethics or rational in decision making is conveyed ... because these are nonexistent. The fledgling isn't a character, they're first and foremost "Player One".
The other Kindred make up for this lack of character with the protagonist somewhat, but the story never finds its rhythm, no matter how many twists and turns it takes - maybe because of them. It lacks cohesion, barrels through its few nights at way to high a speed, while missing the chance to build tension. The conflict comes leaping out from behind the curtain, then bows out again and you almost see it shuffle its was back. You wait for the next moment, when "something happens".
All in all, it is still an enjoyable stay in the World of Darkness, the art is stunning and the tone is generally strong. Don't expect a masterpiece and you'll have a few hours of intrigue in the company of the New York Kindred.

тетеря, блин
тетеря, блин

haven't played visual novels until this time. just passed the first bag of blood playing toreodor.

pros:
– nice visuals
– and music

cons:
– for now not that many lines for character you play; I guess, some options won't change much too and the others are obviously stupid and lead to a conflict/last death.
– some music (stranger/predator-looking guy) is too darn repetitive, short and has obvious start and ending; bothered a lot. hope I won't hear it again, but I guess I will
– would be great to see more visuals like in the scene where you drink the first girl dry as toreodor; more pics of characters in their different moods. damn, the game's production is already cheap due to its genre, just pay a little extra to your artists.
– also would be great to hear more stuff like starting an engine and closing a car's door. also won't cost you much, but it would be a lot better immerse-wise
– I'd like to hear at least introduction lines of the characters I met, voiced. I guess, there won't be 100 of them, so it's not that much work to do too.

for now I'm pretty much enjoying it, just because I like the WoD lore, but I'll left a negative mark so the devs may improve on their future WoD games.

Shane Bayerino
Shane Bayerino

I'm pretty tepid on visual novels, so I can't say whether this was a "good" one. But I do think Coteries of New York is an excellent introduction to Vampire: The Masquerade for anyone who's interested in the universe or in playing the tabletop game. As you progress, you'll naturally build a pretty solid glossary of basic V:TM knowledge, which should make stepping further into this dense world a little bit easier.

A7A
A7A

This game is atmospheric and gorgeous, and has some really good characterization and writing that is very friendly to those new to Vampire the Masquerade. That said, the story falls apart completely toward the end. The ending comes abruptly, doesn't tie things together, and doesn't make much sense, even though I played through the game with all three characters, having choosen different routes each time, which, mind you, makes very little difference in the end. So yeah if you're just willing to enjoy the ride, going through the individual quests while being prepared for an ending that probably EVERYONE who plays the game will find unsatisfying - go for it, especially if the setting is to your liking. The sequel I enjoyed much more, and this game can also be cool to have played before that one, just for a bit of more background.

Millor
Millor

Very immersive game! Enthralling writing, and the art's lovely!
It's definitely a memorable experience. Do recommend for fans of VtM.

RΣⱱØLUͲ↑°Ṋ ♂™
RΣⱱØLUͲ↑°Ṋ ♂™

Very unsatisfying ending in the game. Many questions unanswered Like... story didn't advanced at all, I didn't find out about my sire, there's a sense of detachment in some part of the narrative in regards to me and my situation at the very end confrontation, the glasses dude kept accusing me of playing some part that I don't even know of, how I usurped Sophie, its all just a big mess.
, 0 personal experience. Choices are pre-determined and don't matter, and there is only 1 ending which you can't change.
If you like linear novels then it's for you.
From pros: good sign and graphical design, the beginning and mid-game stories are well written but then again, choices don't matter and that is very bad.
Take it at your discretion.

coffin wraith
coffin wraith

Great game with fantastic art, writing, characters, and music. Would recommend to anyone interested in VtM or visual novels in general. I love the setting

Mejdrich
Mejdrich

A game about choices where none of the choices matter.

Leaf
Leaf

It autosaves every line of dialogue, and there's no way to manually save. So, despite the linearity of the story, I'd argue that your choices do matter. Because once you make them, you're !@#$ing stuck with them unless you'd like to start again from the beginning.

This isn't a good thing.

Unlike every other visual novel on the market, text doesn't advance on mouse click. You can't click just anywhere on the screen. You have to click on the tiny little "Continue" arrow beneath the text box, which is a third the size of the continue button I'm seeing on the store page screenshots. This is a minor QoL issue which amounts to making this thing kind of a pain to read.

In spite of these issues, I was enjoying the writing. Up until I came to the realization that there's a set time limit to the story. It overwhelms you with quests and sidequests and expects you to do multiple playthroughs if you want to actually experience all of it.

Time management could be a fun feature... but then you realize that there's no save system, and they expect you to re-read those same scenes again and again by being very precise with where you leave your mouse pointed.

I can't. I just can't. I'm !@#$ing done.

If you're interested in the setting, play Bloodlines. Don't bother yourself with this trite.

samuraicrack
samuraicrack

If you lose, the game erases your save. Very poor game design.

I think the writing is good but you'll have to decide for yourself if bad game design and tedious backtracking is worth it.

Curried Rice
Curried Rice

I enjoyed the game as a casual experience. But less than 5 hours of gameplay for $20 is absurd. I got it on sale for $4 and i don't feel it was worth it.

Nero
Nero

A very good Nietzschean story for grown-ups. Gameplay isn't unique, or worth your time, it's for the story you should play.

subzero12479
subzero12479

all in all a great game, but the design of having only a single saveslot and no way to revert decisions is extremely frustrating. sometimes (its rare but still) the dialog option i pick has a completely different tone than i pictured, in other games you can just go back to an earlier save if this happens, here you have to live with it or start over. and i just suffered a game over quite some time into the campaign, seemingly for rng reasons, so yeah...

Joanne [MY]
Joanne [MY]

Anyone who looked at my profile can tell I'm a big vampire fan, and as I have not played any previous Vampire: The Masquerade games, Coteries of New York being my first and a visual novel at that. It is an interesting take on the vampire myth, and help me to understand this world better for when Bloodlines 2 is released.

In short, Coteries of New York is a story about a newly converted vampire coping on how to be one in the first two weeks, at the same time making allies and enemies, and trying to gain favors.

My only complaint about this game is there's no auto-skip on seen texts, to the next choice for those wanting to complete all the Steam achievements so they have to manually click enter for every text.

TheDoomSlayersWife
TheDoomSlayersWife

I really liked this! It ended so surprisingly, so I want to play it some more and make sure I can see what other ways it can end. Or at least what other things I can do.

EternalShonen
EternalShonen

I love VtM, but it seems to be a franchise more obsessed on cash grabbing than anything else today. I know White Wolf has always published books at the speed of light, but it feels to be a lot worse today. I wish they put more effort into these games. This game does shine at certain things, but the extremely linear story does not work here and just serves to annoy the player. The soundtrack is amazing though.

axiom1974
axiom1974

Love it. Those familiar with the Vampire: The Masquerade will find some of it a little basic, but there's still a lot to like here. Otherwise this can be a great intro into the Masquerade universe. Well worth the play.

BindKismet
BindKismet

game doesn't work. steam doesn't care and neither do the devs. they take your money and ignore any emails or support requests you send.

it consistantly crashes on start up. i haven't even seen the menu because all it does is crash. i've uninstalled. restarted. disabled my antivirus and firewall and nothing makes the game work.

FeedMau5
FeedMau5

despite the uhh... puzzling ending (seriously, its a wtf moment and wished the game got various endings but meh), kinda enjoyed the storyline. Loved the sound or music in game. Some are nice touch for in-game immersion and some, you just wanna let the game run and enjoy listening to it. The art in the game btw is godamn beautiful. (*cough* especially Qadir... *cough*)
Overall, play this game if you just wanna enjoy a chill or laid back game as being a young vamp looking for coterie. But if you want more explorations/RPG, go play VTM: Bloodlines instead (while waiting for the upcoming VTM game, of course)

ºŠpitƒirëº
ºŠpitƒirëº

I'll try to make this as spoiler-free as possible!

So- I binged coteries of New York only to be met with a VERY sudden finale that is simultaneously a cliffhanger. Turns out none of your choices actually really mattered in the end, you'll always be met with the same conclusion. There were SO many loose ends and unanswered questions, NPC's having voice lines that make it seem like you either missed a major event, or as if what they were referring to, was cut from the game entirely.
Here and there the game teases some possible/bonds with characters (romantic and otherwise), but even if you see them through to the end, most of them do not have an impact on the finale at all.
The plot gets driven forward much more rapidely than one would be aware of and will foreshadow possible events and re-appearances that will never take place. The game is then cut off by an entirely new big bad evil guy, seemingly out of nowhere. Said BBEG offers you an ultimatum that one will never actually get the chance to answer..

All in all:
The game feels rushed and unfulfilling, while only giving off the facade that your choices will have any impact in the long run. Multiple interactions with various characters actually felt involving but seemed to be what should have merely been the foundation of their routes, leading one to believe that there's so much more to achieve.

teyobeyler
teyobeyler

I was very prejudiced about this game before. Instead of a game, I was thinking about this is a simple interactive novel to rob WoD fans. I was very very wrong.

Sure, it is a text based game but immersion is superb. Instantly pulled me in with amazing artworks, music and of course, perfect storytelling. I have played around three hours yet but I believe the game has combat mechanics also. Can't wait to try other games of WoD of this genre.

|  Jager  |
| Jager |

A choice based game where your choices don't matter.

The good -
Some of the characters are well written, the writing is generally of a high quality, and the artwork can be absolutely beautiful and does a great job capturing that "world of darkness" mood

The bad -
Some of the characters are very poorly written or just incredibly cringy, but worst is that none of your choices really make much difference as to what happens. I played through the game two times to confirm that, trying to make opposing choices in the second playthrough, and the game I got was basically identical to the first.

But, it gets even better than that. Not only do your choices not matter, the game goes out of its way to point that out to you in the ending, almost like its mocking you for thinking anything you did would have some kind of impact. It has to be one of the worst most unsatisfying endings I've seen in a game like this.

Final thoughts -
While making meaningless choices a feature of the game feels to me like cheating the player, it can sometimes be forgiven if the narrative is strong enough to stand on its own. This one isn't. Overall, while there are some positives to recommend this, they're far outweighed by the negatives

Skelkran
Skelkran

Can't recommend, it's too glitchy. How a story game like this is glitchy, I don't know, but drinking blood doesn't seem to reduce your hunger, and it just straight up skipped a whole night of events on me, with no way to go back and try again.

Mac the Knife
Mac the Knife

You gotta be a vampire nerd to enjoy this role play game and learn about different clans. Plus you have to go thru a lot of dialogue. I cant seem to skip the dialogue and go to the interactive question choices.

angermanagement6669
angermanagement6669

just when it gets kind of good it ends in a stupid way

Anonymous
Anonymous

Starts out well, but ends abruptly. The characters are well thought out and the locations felt real to NYC.
As a native, NY is a fantastic locale for the world of Darkness. It is the after all the city that never sleeps.
I played Brujah and was able to get through the game in 6 hours, of enjoyable play. The story is a rail road and the combat lacking so it's a bit more like interactive fiction than a game. For WOD fans or those running a WOD TPG, this title provides some nice story hooks. It's also a nice intro for those unfamiliar with Vampire the Masquerade. That said, the climax comes quickly and could have been developed more.

Nephro
Nephro

great start into the world of darkness universe

Red-Eyed Jedi
Red-Eyed Jedi

I was hesitant to buy this tbh, but a sale price recently made me say 'f**k it.' I love the World of Darkness games but I never thought I could really enjoy a game like this. Well....I was wrong, I had a great time with the story, characters and gameplay, which is basically a pick-your-own-adventure book as many reviews have mentioned, but I thoroughly enjoyed this game. Will go back for a second run-through at some point, but I'm moving on to the next in the series to see each subsequent entry fairs

Dyk
Dyk

A great game ( if you like visual novel that is!) it's plot and characters are really intriguing and the twist and turns will keep you on the edge of you seat! plus if you love the vampire the masquarade it will be right down your ( gloomy) alley!

Soup
Soup

I really wanted to like this. I'm giving it a thumbs down because I don't think I'll recommend this game to a friend any time soon, though ideally I'd give it a neutral score if it was possible.

You might want to play this if you're a die hard fan of VtM, love the art and ambiance, which it does deliver, or if you want an easy 100% achievement game. Buy it when it's on discount, preferably when it hits another "historical low" sale. If you buy for full price your disappointment will be immeasurable and your day will be ruined.

If you're going to play this you might want to skip the rest of the review as there will be spoilers. Also, I feel like ranting. Here goes.

The game feels short. It takes 5, maybe 6 hours to complete with one character. In comparison, free version of The Life and suffering of Sir Brante took me 3.5h to complete - and that one was just a demo.

The story and writing generally didn't entice. True, there were moments when I was actually getting into it, but they didn't last. Most storylines seemed to follow a pattern of having an interesting premise, a middle full of making questionable sense & clichés, and an unsatisfying ending. My experience was all over the place - there was some boredom, some immersion, a few curious moments, some tediousness, & a bunch of cringe.
Sometimes it felt like maybe there was something more there at one point, but it had to be cut for whatever reasons. Take, for example, the stories of the Stalker or Benoit, which seem to be fillers in case you utterly fail to recruit people into your coterie. The first time I went through the Stalker storyline I barely got into it and bam - "latest obsession" achievement popped, story complete. It left me with a feeling of "what just happened", and that didn't change even as I replayed the bit in order to become the stalker's "bitter foe". She (the stalker) has no role other than this annoyance of a subplot and a tiny theatrical snip (pun intended) in the end, where she could've been easily replaced by just about any random vampire and it would have made no difference. Am I supposed to think "oh she's a Malk so... whatever?" and just roll with it?

And Benoit... what was that even? Most of his questline felt like word salad, the ending with the priest was awkward. Why am I suddenly looking for absolution? Why am I trusting Benoit and listening to his "trust me bro" religious/lore ramblings when his sadistic ass can't seem to even begin to process his own hypocrisy? Oh no, he's self-aware and that's just the Beast talking, so it's okay, I'm sure God can compartmentalize. I mean, he's supposed to have had numerous conversations with the priest, to the point of revealing himself as Kindred. Not much is explained, so I can only guess that no genuine wisdom or faith got through to him? I understand the desire to bring forth a moral dilemma, but the way it was implemented made it feel pointless and unnecessary. Oh, & the notorious vampire hunter in a wheelchair? Okay, would've made a tiny bit of sense if for example they were part of the Reporter arc finale. Or if I could notice them during the Gangrel Inquisition attack. Give me something tangible in order to fear them, please, instead of the narrative just telling me to. Without any tie-in, the scene with 3 menacing alleged vampire hunters in the cathedral felt like a parody.

If you played Bloodlines, you might remember Malkavians and especially their murdered Primogen with some fondness - the way he was utterly insane, with no regard to human life, but also... kinda relatable? Malks are supposed to "see" through the real essence of things, which this game also mentions. Well, apparently in this day and age they run a plethora of social network bots with sheer power of DID and mine crypto, trying to own the internet while bashing the non forward compatible boomers, I mean Elders. 'Seeing the essence' was minimized to Hope's 'vibe check' based on how I was gonna react in a set-up and moderate her chat. Surprisingly, no mention of TikTok, which actually would've been appropriate if you think about it. Whatever happened to Nosferatu l33t hackers and their Schrecknet? Oh, that's all passé, they only use high tech to watch snuff now.
All the memeful buzzwords are here for you to relate to, btc, twitter being the 'Cliff notes' of politics, Epstein, even the "you're finally awake" Skyrim joke. Made me wonder if they'd imply something like Theranos being a front for vampires to harvest blood doll samples (they didn't go there, wonder why), & I half-expected the Toreador artist character to dabble in NFTs.

Look, I can understand that work was put into this, everyone's a critic, to each their own and maybe I'm just a picky visual novel consumer. Some people will definitely enjoy this game. In fact, I did too, to a point. Things did get interesting. Briefly. Just before you get catapulted into the finale. Here the main story plot twist can be summed up as "Nobody expects the Second Inquisition!" followed by a Scooby Doo-like reveal of the evil guy behind the scenes. Except he gets away with it, in spite of you (or is it thanks to you?) meddling kids.

I think it's pretty noticeable when elements of the plot are being used as an excuse to mask writing solutions. Oh, she's a Malk so the story doesn't really have to make sense. Or, see, this guy has actually adopted this cliché detective persona, so we crammed every overused detective line we could find in here, it's not the other way around. (That being said, I actually liked the murders storyline the most, I just couldn't shake this impression)
Perhaps the biggest problem with the narration is that it often tells you how you perceive things and how you feel. It does a poor job of actually building you up to it. Here, reader, this is a mystery, so go on, feel mystified. This here disabled lady is an experienced vampire hunter, I swear on me mum. Go feel threatened. Yeah, but it doesn't feel mysterious or threatening, it feels like something's missing, like it doesn't make "enough" sense... Shush neonate, you so silly. Haven't you figured out that you're in the middle of a fanfic yet?

And yeah, I played this knowing my choices wouldn't matter much. That's why when the Ventrue blood quality weakness was revealed (I skipped the blood bag & thought that Elysium blood would've been higher grade, so it was a bit of a surprise), I thought that that was neat, maybe I'd have to mind the feeding choices. Well no, not even this matters, whichever feeding opportunity you pick or skip later on, they're all miraculously compatible with your tastes.

In the end I gave up, called my next character "Doodoobird" and... suddenly things got much more fun. "Welcome to the Camarilla, Doodoobird" "Ah, Doodoobird! You're the talk of the town. Here to join the anarchs?" Yes! Yes I am. I shall solve all your problems and sire much progeny. Also, Doodoobird is a much goofier nickname than pornoscollector, & I reckon Hope would approve.

Alrighty, rant over.

Was this all just an intro for the next game? Will the next chapter focus on you breaking a blood bond? Will it ponder the question of what's holy or unholy, explain the entanglement of the priest, wrap up the whole "fate" discourse neatly? Well, even if it will, sorry, but I think I'll pass.

Frankly, if you want to experience the World of Darkness, you might rather get VtM:Bloodlines to run on Windows 11, it will be well worth the hassle.

corellianyt
corellianyt

If your interested in Vampire the Masquerade this is not bad text based role-play.

Twists0fFate
Twists0fFate

If you like visual novels, then this game will be right up your alley. Overall, the storyline is good (could have been fleshed out a bit more) and the artwork is really good. What really makes the game are your Coterie recruit's quests. Fair warning, because of the game's main storyline, you will only have time to fully play through two Coterie recruit's storylines and two of the small side quests. But there are enough storylines in this game that you could easily enjoy another play though with a different starting character. As fun as this game is though, I would definitely wait until it goes on sale.

LunaNightbird
LunaNightbird

A visual novel based in the Vampire the Masquerade universe.

A good casual game if you just want to flow with a story and decide your fate. It plays sort of like a choose your own adventure comic book with gorgeous artwork and haunting music.

As a newly turned vampire, you are put directly in a political drama with conspiracy at its un-beating heart. You can choose from one of three characters; the Brujah called Eric, the logical Amanda of clan Ventrue, and Lamar the artistic Toreador (I wish there was a Malkavian character but I guess I have to wait for Swansong.). As you play through you uncover the mysteries of the undead world. You are a puppet amid an intense time for the Camarilla and Anarchs. I cannot say much more so you may uncover the twists on your own.

Play this game more like a book. Sit down and read through it and go with the words and form the situation in your head with the help of the art. This is not a game for those who love combat, this is a story.

Knightly Knave
Knightly Knave

Is a well written Vampire the Masqurade story. Best for people who already know the world. It makes it seem like your choices matter but they really don't. You can't really lose except in one early choice and there is only one ending, even though it seems like you're choosing factions as you go. There are a variety of side stories as you work your way through so that part would have some variety but overall just expect to be playing it once.
The music and minor animations on top of the regular visual novel format are well done. It would have been nice to have voice acting though.

inevitablechoice
inevitablechoice

The biggest asset of this game is excellent writing, vivid fleshed out characters and great visuals. Even though there is only one ending and ultimately your choices don't matter, it is still replayable and very enjoyable.
I went through it 4 times to play with all available characters and go through all small side stories.

Snommisjg
Snommisjg

Only save type is non-optional line-by-line auto-save...? Seriously?

Another juvenile coded VN that will not get a full playthru until MANUAL SAVE options are made available. Most people do not like their time being wasted. Forcing from-the-beginning replays just to see a slightly different outcome is not endearing nor persuasive to earn me as a repeat customer.

BTW, death, death, death, death or 'the only option to progress along the railroad tracks' is not a choice. I may have actually enjoyed this if it had been sold as a Visual Graphic Novel Movie without pretend game options, at least there would have been more honesty, possibly entertainment, in that transaction and a lot less insulting the intelligence of the consumers going on.

Daisy
Daisy

so many great options to choose from, so many paths to take and things to discover. I was surprised I was already at the end, but the end I got was awesome! Looking forward to the next playthrough already :)

Trof
Trof

I like the 'World of Darkness' setting, but the game disappoints. No voice-over, no animation, just some background noises, static blurry pictures and a lot of text. Its more like an interactive comic book. Not necessarily bad, but not what I expect from a PC game title

ohfourfiveone
ohfourfiveone

Play only if you love VtM.

I liked the D'Angelo and Agathon quests. The overarching storyline is boring. The writing overall is mediocre, with occasional moments of intrigue. The ending - as with so many games - is bad.

The Linux port is borked too. See protondb for the fix!

juju
juju

Extremely disappointing ending. I don't even feel compelled to play again as another clan. Before digging into this game I half thought I'd stall a replay over my Toreador loyalty, but turns out I just won't replay it because I don't really feel like experiencing this story again, the ending or the lack of agency it exacerbates(a little beyond what I'd already expect from a visual novel). Other than that, the atmosphere and visuals are great. If you want a better story AND great atmosphere and visuals, go for V:TM - Shadows of New York.

Cliff
Cliff

A nice interactive novel to spend your nights with until Bloodlines 2 arrives (if ever...)

Locke
Locke

certainly has an appeal for someone born and raised in NYC. while i'm not one for vampire-themed fiction, ordinarily, its growing on me.

GarageGuy
GarageGuy

Sometimes, you just want to read a book.
This is a "visual novel", which means there's even less gameplay than a Telltale game. This truly is a Choose Your Own Adventure book, just in digital format. You get to choose your clan, and that choice will influence how the story unfolds, although I suspect the story goes the same (or similar) way(s) regardless of what choices you make (can't say for sure, though - only did the one playthrough).
If you are already invested in the world of Vampire: The Masquerade, you will definitely enjoy this story more. The writing is...adequate. It varies from good to serviceable, with some great characters. But if you feel like just enjoying an interesting story that you have some control over the outcome of, give this a shot.

dark_ronnie
dark_ronnie

interesting, flavorful, visually stunning
All around a great visual novel, that i feel happy recommending at this point :)

Tyler
Tyler

Not a bad game, great atmosphere for a Visual Novel. However choices in this game have no consequence and you get railroaded into the same crappy abrupt ending no matter what you do. Choice of clans and allies also makes virtually no difference to the story. The game unfortunately also has woke undertones to it (nothing major, but still noticeable). Lastly the game teases romance, but never actually delivers which is a major let down. All in all the game feels rushed, and lacks meaningful choices.

luminosity
luminosity

Not a game. Not a bad visual novel if you're into that, but not a game in any way.

ZSEC
ZSEC

Loading screens are bad.. will update you when i'm done with the story.

4ever
4ever

A visual novel true to the lore of Vampire: The Masquerade, well written and detailed trying to capture the spirit of what this vampire world is about.

As visual novels go it is interesting both the main story and the side quests. Like many other visual novels it does not offer significantly alternative paths or choices that will allow a different narrative. However it does the job pretty well.

It could be a good introduction to the World of Darkness universe or for people like me who would like to be immersed again in the lore waiting for the release of Bloodlines 2 (provided that visual novels is your thing).

I was surprised with the orthodox approach of the game, the developers seem to be fans, and the game is very reflective of the vampire culture of the masquerade. Because of that I personally found the ending fitting and not that abrupt, it is clear effort was made to make a game that delivers the intrigue, ruthlessness and stagnation/conservatism of the vampire world and the ending tries to convey that.

Jemmer17
Jemmer17

I wasn't sure what to expect but I really enjoy this. It's story based, with some problem solving. Pretty good if you don't mind reading.

✮◦ ℜ𝔞𝔦𝔫 ◦☽
✮◦ ℜ𝔞𝔦𝔫 ◦☽

━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━━◦○◦━◦○◦━◦○◦━
Vampire The Masquerade - Choices Don't Matter
VTMCDM: Yooo, welcome back. Guess you didn't learn your lesson from the second game huh.
Me: You guys have Qadir, you can't blame me. Sooo, it seems like this one actually has much more choices, right?
VTMCDM: Yep.
Me: Like, deciding how to react to other people, how often you'll drink blood, or even *kinda* flirting with people (I mean vampires, sorry)?
VTMCDM: Yep.
Me: So, this game will be long enough for it to develop relationships with characters and I'm gonna see how my choices affect those around me, right? I mean, Sophie's told me she's grown fond of me and might kiss me in the future... Same with Qadir, I think something between us might happen.
VTMCDM: Um... Well...
Me: ??? My choices do matter, right? RIGHT?!
VTMCDM: I think you might want to sit down, girl...
Me: So you tell me no matter what I do, what I say or choose, there's only one fixed ending?
VTMCDM: The illusion of free choice, amirite? Hehehe.
Me: You little piece of s-
༛༛ ༛ ༛༺༻༛ ༛ ༛༛
ⁱ'ˡˡ ᵍᵒ ᵃⁿᵈ ʳᵉᵃᵈ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵃᵒ³ ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜ...

K4rri3w0lf12
K4rri3w0lf12

It's a wonderful visual novel that acts as a good introduction to both Vampire: The Masquerade (VTM) & the World of Darkness universe/world. I recommend it to any and all who are interested in VTM but have little-to-no knowledge about it.

Charisma
Charisma

Short, but enjoyable story. I would recommend this to people interested in VtM :)

Klaive
Klaive

This game has a lot of shortcomings. It's less a Vampire: The Masquerade game and more of a submission simulator. If you can stomach bending the knee enough to survive the beginning, things get more interesting and you are able to meet and work with/for a colorful host of characters. The story is decent and pretty fun. Just don't get this game thinking you're going to play how you want and have fun. You either do what the game has in mind for you to do, or it kills you.

penfoldini
penfoldini

Maybe I've been spoilt by Night Road, but this is just boring and rail-roading. Don't waste your money, I'm a fan of WOD but I would never recommend this title

VampireGamer
VampireGamer

I have never really played a visual novel before, but after this game, I finally understand the appeal.

Great story and characters that kept me interested all the way through.

If you are fan of VtM, this is a great addition to your collection.

HellSlayer
HellSlayer

Game greets you with dumb dialog choices.... interesting visuals, music and UI, decent story pulls up the game up to a solid 7.5 out of 10. The only drawback is the choices that are quite often make non sense or are one-dimentional.

Still its a pretty good game for a discount! I wish it was longer but maybe devs will someday make a proper longer with better choices game - i will follow devs just in case.

×ᚻᛠᚳᛋᚪ×
×ᚻᛠᚳᛋᚪ×

My playtime is false, due to me playing this without an internet connection. I'm a big fan of the VTM universe and this game looked decent, despite its reviews.

$20 for this game is an absolute joke. It's worth MAYBE $10.

The characters and story itself are good, and so is the art.
The problem lies with the fact that none of your choices have any major effect. There might be a slight change in dialogue, but after beating the game with all three characters, I can say that I didn't feel like my choices mattered at all.
So yeah, if you're a big fan of VTM and you get this as a gift of on a heavily reduced sale, it's worth a play. But not for the price they're asking.

Nakor
Nakor

Interesting story, competent writing and interesting characters.

Would be a clear recommendation, if not for the auto save after every line, combined with one save per character and dialog options which can f. up a story line.

Dialog works most of the time, but sometimes the selected dialog options leads to an unexpected (nearly always some kind of failure) event. Either because of game logic, or because a one sentence dialog options is a paraphrased summary of what you will do.

It's also frustrating to not be able to pick all the options and see what happens, so you're essentially forced to always pick the seemingly best option, while leaving interesting options aside.

Gorgoneion
Gorgoneion

First runthrough. It keeps the atmosphere up at all times. Very nice and wanting to explore new avenues.

CuicuiOizeau
CuicuiOizeau

The atmosphere is as grandiose as the end is disappointing.

caro.beaumelou
caro.beaumelou

If you want to play this game, I suggest you buy it on sale, as I would be disappointed to have paid full price. It's very short, about 2-2.5 hours of gameplay per playthrough, although the value of doing several playthroughs isn't really that high - the ending is always the same, the quests are always the same, it's just a question of which NPCs you'd rather spend time on. The game is extremely railroaded, being a visual novel, which meshes strangely with the concept of a TTRPG and the freedom that should go along with it. The player characters are flat and one-dimensioned, and frankly very boring; the dialogue options don't offer much depth to them, and the opportunity to only ever ask or say one thing without the ability to savescum is extremely frustrating. Other characters are a little more interesting, but not much. I also don't find the writing very good, although that is a question of preference. I'd give it a 2.5/5.

IceLogic
IceLogic

I was very pleasantly surprised by this game relative to the mixed reviews it has been receiving. The quality of the writing is quite excellent, and the plot is entertaining, tying together interestingly at the end. It's not a big branching narrative where your choices matter in a deep and enduring way, but on a more "micro" scale, your choices do make a difference in a way I found satisfying. Some things you do are remembered; you can fail scenarios by making a faux-pas, and so forth.

Things I found annoying were:

1) The save system. It's one of those fairly draconian systems that does its best to lock you into sticking with what you've done. I get it, but honestly, if a given player will have a better experience through save-scumming, I endorse just letting them do so. I had to restart once when (as above...) I did outright fail a scenario by picking choices that turned out to be very different from what their wording suggested. Nothing wrong with a bit of saving and loading.

2) The game's structure that forces you to replay in order to explore all quest lines. I barely ever replay games and hate being 'compelled' to in this manner. I don't need to see all outcomes in a single playthrough, but I do somewhat resent having an arbitrary time limit lock off certain quests altogether.

But I enjoyed my experience and will be looking forward to Shadows tomorrow. If you like VTM and good writing then check this game out.

gurt
gurt

The presentation is absolutely outstanding; 10/10. Excellent artwork, gorgeous characters, atmospheric soundtrack that makes you feel like you're there. The characters are all fundamentally interesting and deep, they're not just cardboard cutouts. The plot and quests are also interesting and well-constructed, but as the plot progresses, you start to realize that there's only ever the illusion of choice. You can make *wrong* choices (it's possible to piss off another character and never see them again), but you don't ever really have complete freedom. This leads to a little bit of weirdness...

For example, there are times when a character will appear and the text says "This is bad. This is the last person you wanted to see." ...and I thought to myself "No! I want to see this person!" or the text will make it clear that a particular choice is bad and that you have to avoid it at all costs....but that's the exact choice I want to make. There's also a bit of weirdness where a character might show up, and the game acts like you've met them before and know who they are despite the fact that the character has never appeared in your game at all.

The absolute worst part is the ending (yes, there is ONLY ONE ending).
Your allies play no role in the ending whatsoever. It turns out that you were being manipulated by someone you've never met who's revealed as the true secret villain. The game acted as if it should all suddenly make sense, but it didn't. I had no clue what the villain was talking about, and none of it made any real sense to me. Anyway, you are completely helpless, nothing more than a bystander during the climax, and your side totally loses. It's implied that you're ultimately forced to become the villain's slave.

Wow, that sucks. I get the message they were going with here. It's a dark world and you're just a fledgling and a pawn. But still, jeez. Turns out I definitely won't bother with a second playthrough just to be shoehorned into that absolutely bleak, terrible ending. Arguably the single worst ending I've ever seen in any interactive experience (visual novel or otherwise).

Nevertheless, I have to admit that the journey was better than I expected, even if the final destination was deeply disappointing.

robsonner
robsonner

The game is pretty fun, the story is interesting. The only problem is that the choices really don't matter. The ending is rushed and you have no impact on what's going to happen. It's more like a comic book than actual visual novel with choices. It's not worth the full price in my opinion. But on good sale (80%) it's fine.