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Cabernet

Cabernet Game Cover
95%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
95% User Score Based on 1,137 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
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Cabernet Game Cover

About

Cabernet is a single player role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Party for Introverts and was released on October 24, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Cabernet is a single-player horror RPG set in a 19th-century Eastern European-inspired world, blending supernatural and political intrigue. Play as Liza, a young vampire wrestling with morality, as you explore a hauntingly atmospheric story filled with decadence, sacrifice, and choice. Featuring exceptional gameplay, stunning visuals, and an emotional, replayable experience.

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Cabernet screenshot
Cabernet screenshot
Cabernet screenshot
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,137 reviews
story387 positive mentions
stability52 negative mentions
  • Engaging and well-written story with meaningful choices that impact the narrative.
  • Beautiful art style and fully voice-acted characters enhance the immersive experience.
  • Rich character development and diverse side quests provide depth and replayability.
  • Numerous bugs and technical issues, including save problems and quest progression glitches.
  • Some quests and character interactions can feel abrupt or unresolved, leading to a rushed ending.
  • Limited save slots and the inability to save anywhere can be frustrating for players.
  • story
    986 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Cabernet" is a rich and immersive narrative that intertwines the life of Liza, a newly turned vampire, with themes of morality, societal dynamics, and personal choices. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the impact of their decisions on the storyline, although some critiques mention pacing issues and technical bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the game is celebrated for its engaging storytelling, unique art style, and the emotional weight of its narrative, making it a standout in the vampire genre.

    • “Cabernet is a breath of fresh air within the relatively stale vampire setting and can fairly confidently rely on its writing to keep the player engaged over its approximately ten-hour story.”
    • “The story is incredibly well thought out and done with love, the characters are compelling, and each of their storylines brings something genuinely unique to the world.”
    • “If you love immersive storytelling, haunting aesthetics, and a game that actually says something, sink your teeth into Cabernet.”
    • “While the main story has a pretty strong opening, it never manages to reach the same level of intrigue as in the prologue.”
    • “Overall, the main story was lackluster by virtue of simply not enough time being spent interacting with the notable characters and it all feeling very railroaded.”
    • “Much worse was that a critical character is introduced within the final hour of the game, simply adding to the rushed feeling of the story.”
  • gameplay
    192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Cabernet is characterized by a blend of exploration, dialogue, and light RPG mechanics, with a strong emphasis on narrative choices that significantly impact the story. While some players appreciate the immersive vampire mechanics and the engaging morality system, others criticize the simplicity and occasional technical issues that detract from the experience. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize storytelling and character development over complex gameplay mechanics.

    • “I thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay, the characters, and the choices I was presented with.”
    • “The gameplay was satisfying and despite the possible repetition, it never felt grindy.”
    • “The gameplay is so good, the choices, the dialogues, and the voice acting are superb.”
    • “It cannot be recommended for its puzzles, gameplay, main story, and certainly not for the rampant technical issues that gnaw at its immersion.”
    • “Unfortunately, some very big flaws appear in later chapters: the vampire powers don't evolve in any meaningful way, the time slot mechanic seems arbitrary and morality is ultimately meaningless.”
    • “There are some noticeable bugs, visual glitches, and awkward gameplay.”
  • graphics
    175 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, stylized 2.5D art style that features beautiful hand-painted backgrounds, creating a cozy yet melancholic atmosphere. While some players noted that the character expressions and animations could be simplistic or rigid, the overall aesthetic is widely appreciated for its uniqueness and fittingness to the narrative, evoking nostalgia for classic visual styles. Despite minor graphical issues, the visuals are generally regarded as stunning and integral to the immersive storytelling experience.

    • “The visuals have a unique, stylized 2.5D storybook art style with beautiful hand-painted backgrounds that help capture the otherwise melancholic atmosphere.”
    • “The artwork is beautiful and gives each character a flair of their own, the voice acting combines with it to form wonderful personalities with every character.”
    • “The art style is gorgeous, the voice acting and music are astounding, and the story genuinely pulls you in at every moment.”
    • “The whole paper-doll aesthetic does fall apart a little bit whenever there's any kind of action scene, because it just looks silly.”
    • “Graphically, the game feels a bit lackluster.”
    • “The art style is fine but movement feels very rigid and kind of took away from the story at some points.”
  • music
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its effectiveness in setting the emotional tone. While some found the ambient tracks to be repetitive during long play sessions, the majority appreciated the melodic compositions, particularly the piano and string arrangements, which complement the game's visuals and narrative. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.

    • “The music—a melancholy blend of strings and ambient piano—is very effective at reinforcing the eerie, somber emotional tone without being distracting, which is great because you'll be listening to it quite a bit; I happen to like pianos, but your mileage may vary.”
    • “The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful and I find myself humming the songs long after I've stepped away from my computer.”
    • “This game hits all the right notes, both literally in the form of its romantic era orchestral soundtrack, and figuratively in its story that provides just the right blend of freedom and order to craft a story that feels all too personal.”
    • “Most of the music consists of ambient tracks, which can get fairly repetitive during lengthy play sessions.”
    • “The music is a bit boring and repetitive.”
    • “It's not great (actually, it's awful), but I got over it because the soundtrack and basically everything else about the game was so amazing.”
  • atmosphere
    73 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its striking art style, melancholic music, and immersive storytelling, creating a rich and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the unique 2.5D storybook visuals and the emotional depth of the characters, which contribute to a gothic, atmospheric world that feels both captivating and haunting. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics, compelling voice acting, and a well-crafted narrative establishes a memorable and enchanting atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “The visuals have a unique, stylized 2.5D storybook art style with beautiful hand-painted backgrounds that help capture the otherwise melancholic atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere, the storytelling, the soundtracks, and the dark, immersive world kept me hooked from start to finish.”
    • “Cabernet is a wonderful narrative RPG oozing with atmosphere and style, enjoyable characters, and an engaging setting.”
    • “The game’s art is great, the voice-over is even better, and I like the atmosphere, but the rest of the game feels lacking.”
    • “This mechanic adds no value to the game, its atmosphere, nor its story.”
    • “As it went further in, you could feel the atmosphere tightening up.”
  • emotional
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its depth and impact, with players reporting a range of feelings from joy to heartbreak. The beautifully crafted narrative, combined with a hauntingly effective soundtrack, creates an immersive experience that resonates deeply, often leading to tears and reflection on personal choices. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine emotional connections with characters and their stories, making it a standout title for those seeking a heartfelt gaming experience.

    • “This game is a very heartfelt exploration of politics, addiction, hope, and despair.”
    • “Incredible storytelling that made me cry once or twice, great replayability (I'm on my third playthrough so that I can explore all the options), and an overall amazing game.”
    • “The message of hope, hope persisting among the endless horridness, the depression, the misery, the unfairness of life is something so core to me as a person; almost every word said in the epilogue made me feel like I'm talking to a reflection of myself.”
  • stability
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game has been widely reported as "buggy," with numerous glitches affecting gameplay, including quest-breaking issues and visual anomalies. While some players found workarounds and noted that the bugs did not completely ruin their experience, many expressed frustration over the frequency and severity of these issues, suggesting that potential players might want to wait for updates and patches before diving in. Overall, the stability of the game is a significant concern, with many users recommending frequent saving to mitigate the impact of bugs.

    • “Perfectly suited for cosying up on the sofa, runs great on my handheld gaming PC!”
    • “I will be updating this review once the devs are able to patch it and I can play the game (hopefully) bug-free.”
    • “The game is very buggy; I had quite a few bugs, some went from funny to annoying, while others broke the game.”
    • “There are some major glitches, bugged timed events, etc. The voice acting is kind of bad for most of the characters; I respect the voice actors, but it sounded more like they were sitting in a closet reading for an audiobook.”
    • “As the game is right now, if you are expecting flawless gameplay and no frustrating glitches, then you are better off waiting for some updates and bug fixes.”
  • replayability
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability, with players praising its engaging characters, meaningful choices, and multiple endings that encourage different playthroughs. Many reviewers noted the depth of the morality system and the variety of routes available, making it enjoyable to explore alternative outcomes. Overall, the consensus is that the game offers significant replay value, appealing to those who appreciate choice-driven narratives.

    • “It has great replay value; the characters are great and the story is really engaging.”
    • “The game also offers a good amount of replayability, with meaningful choices and different outcomes depending on what you do and who you end up with.”
    • “Incredible storytelling that made me cry once or twice, great replayability (I'm on my third playthrough so that I can explore all the options), and an overall amazing game.”
    • “I don't know about replayability because I don't see myself making different choices the next time around, but it's amusing and poignant, and choices feel important, even if I know logically that they probably aren't.”
    • “There is definitely a lot of replay value, as I only completed 50% of the achievements, and there are a lot of alternative choices I could make in another playthrough.”
    • “It's not like you'll miss out greatly (which was very much to my relief), but the game still has a lot of replay value.”
  • grinding
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be manageable and engaging, with many noting that it avoids feeling tedious despite some repetitive elements. While certain sections, particularly in the first half, can feel monotonous, the gameplay remains satisfying, and side quests are generally seen as enriching rather than burdensome. However, some users recommend strategies like coin farming to alleviate feelings of scarcity and suggest saving after the first chapter to avoid unnecessary repetition.

    • “It's a beautiful and interesting story with incredible voice acting and just the right amount of skill building to make it fun and not tedious.”
    • “I never felt forced to do the side quests; they weren't tedious and made the story richer and deeper.”
    • “I recommend that you keep a permanent save of the game after the first chapter, since for replays there are no important choices to be made in that chapter and it would just be tedious to go through the first chapter again.”
    • “The first half of the game is very tedious and repetitive.”
    • “Anyways, this makes backtracking tedious; aside from this, there are also weird issues that break immersion when you don't complete a side quest correctly.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been criticized for its inconsistent performance, including stuttering during loading and issues with the quest log, which can lead to lost progress. Additionally, the control scheme is not intuitive, requiring players to navigate menus using a mix of inputs, which may necessitate customization for a better experience. Despite these technical issues, the engaging story and voice performances are noted as highlights.

    • “The characters are all brought to life (or unlife) with beautiful voice performances and excellent writing, and I overall found the experience engaging and enjoyable.”
    • “An excellent vampire story anchored by an excellent lead performance.”
    • “If I have any criticism, it would be that sometimes the game's performance in certain areas, especially loading from disk, stutters momentarily and the voice acting of some characters leaves a bit to be desired.”
    • “Not optimized, as navigating menus was a mix of using the joysticks or trackpads as well as face buttons. I couldn't seem to tweak a trackpad to perform as a mouse with a large range of motion the way I can for many games. You may want to edit your control configuration to suit your tastes.”
    • “If I have any criticism, it would be that sometimes the game's performance in certain areas, especially loading from disk, stutters momentarily, and the voice acting of some characters leaves a bit to be desired.”
    • “Some of these issues are ignorable, like the walk cycle animation loop stuttering, but some are quite noticeable, like the entire quest log being constantly broken. The worst ones force you to lose all progress since you last saved, which wouldn't be a problem except...”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is described as clever and engaging at times, with some characters providing both comedic and emotional depth. However, the humor can become inconsistent, with some interactions feeling repetitive and the overall experience marred by bugs that shift from amusing to frustrating.

    • “The story is yours; it draws you in, and the game is clever and funny at times, while at other times, the characters and their stories make you want to cry.”
    • “Take Hussar, for example. Taking the time to learn his story and befriend him rewards you with discovering what is under that armor of charm and humor.”
    • “There are some funny interactions that add to the experience, even if the story starts to lose its way later on.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game excels in character development, featuring excellent voice acting and captivating writing that enhances the overall storytelling experience. Players are particularly impressed by the character design and the depth of the characters, contributing to a visually stunning and engaging narrative.

    • “But where this game truly shines is the story and character design!”
    • “Excellent voice acting and character development.”
    • “Not only was the art style captivating, but the writing and character development blew me away.”
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10h Median play time
10h Average play time
7-14h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Cabernet is a role playing game with horror theme.

Cabernet is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Cabernet.

Cabernet was released on October 24, 2024.

Cabernet was developed by Party for Introverts.

Cabernet has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Cabernet is a single player game.

Similar games include The Pale Beyond, Citizen Sleeper, Yes, Your Grace, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York and others.