Vampire: The Masquerade — Night Road

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 928 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • replayability
Vampire: The Masquerade — Night Road Game Cover
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"Vampire: The Masquerade — Night Road" is a text-based narrative game where you play as a vampire enforcer, navigating a world of moral ambiguity and supernatural politics. Your choices impact the story's outcome, as you balance the Masquerade with your own desires and loyalties. With a focus on dialogue and decision-making, this game offers a rich, immersive vampire experience.

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Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 928 reviews
story286 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • Incredibly well-written with a captivating story that immerses players in the World of Darkness.
  • Offers a vast array of choices and character customization, allowing for multiple playthroughs with different outcomes.
  • Successfully captures the essence of Vampire: The Masquerade, making it a must-play for fans of the franchise.
  • Lacks a save feature, forcing players to restart the game from the beginning after a death or mistake.
  • Some characters, particularly Julian, are seen as annoying or poorly written, detracting from the overall experience.
  • The game can feel railroaded at times, with limited branching paths despite the numerous choices available.
  • story838 mentions

    The story of "Vampire: The Masquerade - Night Road" is generally praised for its depth, engaging characters, and the ability to shape the narrative through player choices, reminiscent of a tabletop RPG experience. However, some players express disappointment with its linearity and the feeling that many choices lead to similar outcomes, limiting the overall impact of decisions. While the writing is often described as solid and immersive, there are critiques regarding pacing and the integration of gameplay mechanics that can detract from the storytelling experience.

    • “The story is very captivating and keeps you wanting more, and the characters are well written, even the side ones.”
    • “A truly enjoyable story, with excellent characters and massive attention to detail.”
    • “The story is ambitious, with many ways to deal with problems, consequences, intrigue, and violence.”
    • “I am disappointed because I have played free Ren'Py games with longer stories, where the choices radically changed the plot, not just the flavor... and they are full of images that not only note what people look like, but their expressions during conversations, locations, moods, etc. I am disappointed because I paid $15 for a 99% black and white story.”
    • “The story seems more linear than it lets on and I have to wonder how much divergence there really is as I found myself pushed into situations where my options were more limited than expected.”
    • “In the end, the story and events of the game are just all over the place, feeling less like an emotional and interesting story and more like a strange slice of life game about being a vampire grunt with very little real connection to anything going on, so it makes you constantly feel like you don't really belong in the story.”
  • gameplay120 mentions

    The gameplay of *Night Road* is heavily text-based and relies on role-playing and stat-building mechanics reminiscent of tabletop RPGs, offering a variety of character options and paths that enhance replayability. However, the game suffers from a lack of balance in its mechanics, limited guidance for players, and the absence of a save feature, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While it successfully captures the essence of the *Vampire: The Masquerade* lore, the execution of its gameplay elements has drawn mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and others criticizing its mechanical shortcomings.

    • “Every clan gives your character a great backstory, and I love the fact that it changes gameplay and certain scenes, adding a lot of replay value.”
    • “A well-written adventure that cleverly implements tabletop mechanics and provides the player with a satisfying variety of options that enable a degree of personalization of the experience that is absent among video games.”
    • “That said, this game is a perfect example of what gems interactive fictions can be, from far deeper skill-checks and game mechanics to a truly replayable story with many moving parts to explore, all of which change with you.”
    • “It doesn't have the graphic and active gameplay qualities of Redemption or Bloodlines.”
    • “The mechanics and UI are terrible.”
    • “The gameplay is boring and dull; you feel more like you're in a book instead of a game where you can make choices of your own.”
  • replayability98 mentions

    The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, with players praising the diverse clans, impactful choices, and multiple story paths that encourage multiple playthroughs. The addition of DLCs further enhances the experience, offering unique mini-adventures and character customization options. While some critiques suggest limitations in replay value after initial runs, the overall consensus highlights a rich, engaging narrative that rewards exploration and experimentation.

    • “Every clan gives your main character a great backstory, and I love the fact that it changes gameplay and certain scenes, adding a lot of replay value.”
    • “Very replayable as your choices make a lasting impact on how the story plays out, and I was constantly shocked by how frequently the game recalled every choice I had made so far.”
    • “With all these different outcomes from your choices, VTM: Night Road is very replayable, and even though I’ve played for many hours and done multiple playthroughs, there are still paths I’ve yet to explore!”
    • “The only thing I'd say doesn't add much to the game is replayability, even if it might initially feel like it, seeing all the clans, skill-rolls, and choices involved, but most of it is smoke and mirrors.”
    • “What I did notice is that seeking out certain characters can lead to a side plot or two which is cool and gives something extra (especially for replay value!) but after your first playthrough you're gonna know the long and the short of what the general story has in tow for you.”
    • “I'm not sure it's going to be that replayable.”
  • music86 mentions

    The game's music aspect has received mixed feedback, with many players noting the absence of a built-in soundtrack as a significant drawback. While some found this lack of music disappointing, they suggested using external soundtracks from other Vampire: The Masquerade games to enhance the experience. Overall, players emphasized that despite the absence of music, the strong writing and immersive storytelling can still engage players if they are willing to supplement the experience with their own audio choices.

    • “Throw the OST to Shadows of New York, Bloodlines, or some lo-fi vampire beats in the background and you've got yourself a thoroughly enjoyable choose-your-own-adventure book to read.”
    • “I suggest playing with a dark ambient soundtrack as background noise; it really enhances the atmosphere that the text drips with.”
    • “Turn out the lights, turn on the soundtrack to the original VTM Bloodlines, and let the story take you away.”
    • “The game is stripped of music, backgrounds, advanced menu/UI options, and other production value aspects that were in the previous games.”
    • “There is no built-in music, and barely any images aside from a couple character pictures.”
    • “The absence of graphics and music is disappointing, even as someone who has enjoyed choice-of games in the past.”
  • graphics84 mentions

    The game's graphics are minimal, primarily consisting of a few beautifully painted character portraits, with no animations, sound, or extensive visuals, which some players found disappointing. However, many reviewers appreciated the focus on storytelling and character development, arguing that the lack of graphics did not detract from the overall experience and even enhanced immersion. Overall, while the visual aspect is basic, the compelling narrative and character choices are highlighted as the game's strengths.

    • “It captures the VTM experience incredibly well; I've greatly enjoyed its writing and the artwork is very nice.”
    • “Good writing that is in tune with the overall atmosphere you'd expect from a WOD/VTM entry, an intriguing main storyline, a varied spectrum of interesting characters (the artwork for them is gorgeous, too), multiple ways to go about solving your missions, flexible customization of your character, and more.”
    • “There are no graphics (only a few illustrations), and honestly, this ended up being a feature rather than a bug.”
    • “It doesn't have the graphic and active gameplay qualities of Redemption or Bloodlines.”
    • “There are no graphics, no music, no sound, or animations.”
    • “The absence of graphics and music is disappointing, even as someone who has enjoyed choice-of games in the past.”
  • atmosphere26 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is described as immersive and intense, appealing particularly to fans of earlier versions of the series. Reviewers appreciate the strong writing, character artwork, and the ability to enhance the experience with a dark ambient soundtrack, although some feel the atmospheric elements could be more pronounced. Overall, the game successfully captures a "World of Darkness" vibe, balancing horror with engaging role-playing choices.

    • “Immersive atmosphere, a lot of choices, hard decisions, nice role-playing elements.”
    • “I suggest playing with a dark ambient soundtrack as background noise; it really enhances the atmosphere that the text drips with.”
    • “The game is horror in the sense that it's a World of Darkness game, so there's a certain baseline of awful things being done to bodies and souls, but instead of kind of pornographically lingering on that stuff, I'd describe the game's prevailing atmosphere as kind of... taut, atmospheric tension.”
    • “Atmosphere: 3/10”
    • “The most atmosphere you get are certain vtm-esque fonts here and there, the descriptions of places you go to (which are okay, never something I focus much on) to the pictures of the characters.”
    • “Not v5 heavy atmosphere so if you are an older fan of v2 or v20 like me you will enjoy this game as well.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dark, dry wit and clever pop-culture references, enhancing its serious themes without veering into silliness. Players appreciate the engaging dialogue and the well-crafted characters, which contribute to a unique comedic experience that complements the overall narrative. While the humor is well-received, some players note that the lack of multiple save options can limit replayability, adding an ironic twist to the game's otherwise enjoyable comedic elements.

    • “With chuckling humor sprinkled in without ever drifting off into goofiness.”
    • “Everything from its references (pop culture and callbacks to bloodlines), to its art, to the locations (some of which I've actually been to!), and finally sandpaper-dry humor, all blend exceptionally well together.”
    • “Great and funny dialogue.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players generally appreciate that the game features minimal grinding, with achievements being easily attainable and the overall experience capable of being completed in a short time frame. This aspect contributes to a more enjoyable and streamlined gameplay experience.

    • “Buckle up then, no actually, buckle up, because you're about to embark on a journey of blood sucking, experience farming, and drifting your piece of crap starter car.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players found the ending deeply moving and a worthy addition to the dark fantasy genre, others criticized the story for feeling disjointed and lacking a meaningful connection, leading to a sense of dislocation within the narrative. Overall, it evokes strong feelings for some, but leaves others feeling disconnected.

    • “I cried at the ending.”
    • “Since playing the cult classic Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, I wished for more dark world games and, in terms of emotional experience, Night Road is a worthy addition to the dark fantasy genre.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game experienced a buggy launch, but most issues have been addressed since then. While some minor bugs remain, the implementation of v5 rules and lore is generally considered solid. Overall, stability has improved, though occasional glitches persist.

    • “A little buggy in places.”
    • “Although the launch was buggy, most issues have since been fixed.”
    • “The implementation of v5 rules and lore is surprisingly solid, even if the game itself is still a little buggy.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The game excels in deep character development and meaningful choices, embodying the essence of RPG gaming. However, it suffers from a slightly railroaded plot and insufficient development of side characters.

    • “This game is what RPG gaming is about: deep character development and choices that matter.”
    • “The plot feels slightly railroaded, and there is a noticeable lack of development for side characters.”
    • “The game fails to provide meaningful character development, leaving players wanting more depth and choices.”
    • “Character development is minimal, making it hard to connect with the characters on a deeper level.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization of the game is noted for its dynamic character interactions, where factions and characters form opinions based on player behavior and mission outcomes, enhancing the immersive experience. However, some users feel that the world lacks a vibrant, lively atmosphere, describing it as feeling "undead."

    • “The world and characters feel alive; characters and factions develop opinions of you based on your behavior as well as your mission performance.”
    • “The world and characters feel alive; characters and factions develop opinions of you based on your behavior as well as your mission performance.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

11hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
5-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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