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Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby

81%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
stability, monetization
81% User Score Based on 221 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows

About

Experience Vampire: The Masquerade in a new way through this isometric cRPG. Change perspectives as you travel through the Heartless Club as a Human and a Vampire. Roll the dice, take your choices, and embrace the night in this narrative prologue.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot
Vampire: The Masquerade - Heartless Lullaby screenshot

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 221 reviews
story37 positive mentions
stability8 negative mentions

  • Engaging story and atmosphere that captures the essence of the Vampire: The Masquerade universe.
  • Impressive for a free game made in a short time, showcasing potential for a larger project.
  • Interesting character dynamics and multiple ways to approach situations, appealing to fans of narrative-driven games.
  • Lacks a save function, making it frustrating for players who cannot complete the game in one sitting.
  • Writing quality is inconsistent, with numerous grammar issues and a lack of depth in character development.
  • Gameplay is limited and feels more like a demo than a fully realized game, with slow movement and minimal player choices.
  • story
    88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its intriguing plot and character development, while others criticize it for being too short, linear, and lacking depth. Many reviewers express a desire for a more expansive narrative, indicating that the current offering feels like a prologue to a larger story yet to be fully realized. Overall, while the writing and atmosphere resonate well with fans of the genre, the execution leaves some players wanting more substantial content and choices.

    • “Intriguing story, multiple ways to approach it, highly recommend!”
    • “The story and the gameplay itself I did not find interesting enough to play the first part again, so I will never finish this game.”
    • “Great intro into what could possibly be a great game story-wise, finished the game in about 30-40 minutes, nice little prologue that I hope to see flourish into a full game one day.”
    • “The dialogue is cringeworthy, the characters are cardboard cutouts, the plot is barebones, and the resolution is cringeworthy.”
    • “This game isn't explaining the rules of the setting, because it expects you to know them already, and if you don't, the plot is going to be completely incomprehensible.”
    • “It's tagged with 'story rich' but the writing is mediocre and the characters are one-dimensional and cliché.”
  • graphics
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the art style and atmosphere, while others criticize the low-quality visuals and lack of polish. Many agree that although the graphics may appear mediocre or unfinished, they complement the engaging story and overall aesthetic. Overall, while the visuals may not meet modern standards, they contribute to the game's unique charm and immersive experience.

    • “I would love to play a longer version of this since I got interested in the story and quite liked the art style.”
    • “The graphics and story writing are top!”
    • “It really nailed the world of darkness and while the art style is really simple, it works well.”
    • “This has some really mediocre looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of gamers, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost.”
    • “Graphics are very low poly.”
    • “Graphically, it looks unfinished with a lack of style and texture.”
  • gameplay
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its simple mechanics and narrative-driven approach reminiscent of "Disco Elysium," while others criticize it for lacking depth and engagement. Many noted the absence of a save mechanic and the need for improvements, but there is potential for future development and exploration of the mechanics. Overall, it offers a promising glimpse into the "World of Darkness" universe, though it may not satisfy all players.

    • “Gameplay is Disco Elysium but Vampire: The Masquerade, with the stats screen, the dialogue system, and the dice rolls to determine outcomes. As something already based on a tabletop game, that fits pretty well.”
    • “Short but from the sounds of things there may be more coming, and this apparently has multiple endings. Really enjoyed this; it's in the style of Disco Elysium in terms of gameplay and style. This was the winner of the VTM game jam, and it's clear to see why. Looking forward to seeing more of this and other games like it in the VTM universe.”
    • “The gameplay is fairly simple; it is clear this will be more of a story game where your choices apparently make an impact.”
    • “This features garbage, cringey writing, bad gameplay, bad game assets... this is the kind of thing even Apple would reject for iPhones, and yet here it is, being an advert for nothing here on Steam.”
    • “There's, ultimately, not that much to talk about as the mechanics and minimal representations of systems are just that - representations.”
    • “Mechanically I'd say this is a point & click adventure game with some stat checks.”
  • atmosphere
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charm and fidelity to the Vampire: The Masquerade setting, effectively capturing the tone and aesthetics reminiscent of the original Bloodlines. Despite some graphical limitations and bugs, the sound design and writing contribute to a rich, immersive experience that resonates well with fans of the franchise. Overall, the game successfully delivers a captivating atmosphere that enhances its narrative and character potential.

    • “The atmosphere and writing are well delivered, very much in tune with the IP.”
    • “It captured the same atmosphere as Bloodlines, and I absolutely loved it.”
    • “The vampire: the masquerade atmosphere is captured really well, in writing, characters, and setting, and a couple interesting choices give it a fresh perspective.”
    • “Despite the weak graphic component, the plot and atmosphere are well conveyed.”
    • “While fairly linear, the atmosphere, tone, and setting chime true and cast a lovely macabre picture to play through.”
    • “The vampire: the masquerade atmosphere is captured really well, in writing, characters and setting, and a couple interesting choices give it a fresh perspective.”
  • music
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its clubbing beats that complement the game's aesthetics and setting. However, some users reported technical issues, such as the music stopping unexpectedly, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these bugs, the soundtrack is described as engaging and fitting for the game's atmosphere, enhancing the storytelling and visual elements.

    • “The first thing I liked was the music; it's not annoying and reminds me of the OST from other World of Darkness games.”
    • “Really engrossing story, loved the club aesthetics and the music.”
    • “The aesthetic is perfect, the art direction is very pleasing to the eye, and the music is great.”
    • “The music will often stop playing for no reason, and there are some annoying bugs towards the end where you can't get into a room unless you click click click click on everything.”
    • “This game was developed in a month and you can see it in the game (music sometimes stops, character slides over the floor instead of walking).”
    • “Game music was clubbing beat and suited the club scene especially when you went into other rooms and acted like the club music; the graphics and characters were quite good.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is generally criticized for being buggy, with several players encountering game-breaking glitches that hinder gameplay. While some users find these issues forgivable due to the game's free-to-play model and short development time, the overall consensus leans towards frustration with the frequency and severity of the bugs.

    • “I do really enjoy VTM, but sadly this game is riddled with possible game-breaking glitches. One I keep encountering is as soon as I open the game, leaving me unable to even play.”
    • “Way too buggy and too boring for such a small game.”
    • “Far too buggy of an experience.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of this game has been criticized for being misleading, as it is essentially an advertisement or demo for a non-existent full game rather than a complete product. Users express frustration over the practice of publishing such demos as standalone games, viewing it as a deceptive tactic that clutters the market and detracts from legitimate developers. Overall, this approach is seen as harmful to gamers and the gaming community.

    • “This is only free in the same way that adverts on YouTube and banner ads in your browser are.”
    • “Just because advertisements are free, doesn't mean they're worth your time.”
    • “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express mixed emotional responses, with some feeling a lack of investment due to the game's short story length, while others find it surprisingly impactful, forming attachments to characters before experiencing their loss. Technical issues, such as game crashes and the absence of a save feature, also contribute to frustration and emotional distress among players.

    • “Surprisingly heart-wrenching, 'Heartless Lullaby' managed to get me attached to several characters before ripping them away.”
    • “I wish you could save your game. I went a long way for it to just crash. Please make saving the game a thing. I love VTM and I am sure I will love this game once it has been fixed up. I'm just emotional from the lost progress; I hate redoing something so far from starting. I downvoted this, but I'm upvoting in the edit because I'm still gonna play one day.”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to the slow walking speed, making travel feel laborious and necessitating a significant time investment to progress.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “There's no running, only fairly slow walking, so going anywhere will feel pretty tedious.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it consistently funny and enjoyable. The comedic elements contribute positively to the overall experience, enhancing engagement and entertainment.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, with clever writing that had me laughing out loud.”
    • “I love how the game blends absurdity with wit, making every interaction a delightful surprise.”
    • “The quirky characters and their hilarious dialogue kept me entertained throughout my entire playthrough.”

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