Vampire: The Masquerade — Out for Blood
- July 29, 2021
- Choice of Games
- 2h median play time
"Vampire: The Masquerade — Out for Blood" is a visual novel adventure game where you play as a newly turned vampire in the World of Darkness. Navigate complex political intrigues, balance your human and vampire nature, and make choices that determine your character's fate. Immerse yourself in a rich, dark universe filled with supernatural creatures and deadly secrets.
Reviews
- The game features an engaging atmosphere and a well-crafted small town setting that adds depth to the story.
- There are multiple endings and choices that can significantly alter the player's experience, enhancing replayability.
- The writing is generally enjoyable, with some characters being memorable and fun to interact with.
- The pacing is inconsistent, with a rushed ending that leaves many plot threads unresolved.
- Many choices feel inconsequential, leading to a sense that player agency is limited and that the story is on rails.
- The game does not fully embrace the Vampire: The Masquerade lore, feeling more like a generic vampire story than a true entry in the franchise.
- story158 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the atmospheric setting and engaging premise but criticizing the execution. Common complaints include a lack of meaningful player choices, flat character development, and pacing issues that lead to a rushed conclusion. While some players found the narrative enjoyable and immersive, others felt it fell short of expectations, particularly in its adherence to the established lore and depth of storytelling.
“I really like the atmosphere of the small haunted town in America with its own little secrets and mysteries, which nicely adds to the overall detective-like story.”
“The writing is evocative, the story is engaging, and there's a ton of branching paths to explore.”
“The premise of the story is great, and it seems to have a solid foundation to build upon!”
“Either because your character has decided your motivations for you or the plot acts like what you did never happened.”
“The story feels like it's missing something for it to be a better experience.”
“The characters are mostly flat and unlikable, the game itself is buggy and unfinished, and the plot unironically rips off large chunks of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.'”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for its low effort and unbalanced mechanics, with many features feeling unfinished or underdeveloped, such as the shop system and resource management. While it incorporates RPG elements and a storyteller system, the overall pacing and execution leave much to be desired, though it may appeal to fans of choice-driven gameplay and the vampire genre.
“Highly recommended if you like RPGs and choice-driven gameplay, and especially recommended if you enjoy the Vampire: The Masquerade setting or vampire-hunting films.”
“There are two mechanics at play in this game.”
“The second is that it uses a version of the storyteller system, a mechanic which takes an attribute, adds it to your skill, and compares it against a difficulty number.”
“It's what it looks like: low effort slop with just enough RPG mechanics to trick you into thinking it's an RPG.”
“The stats mechanics suck.”
“If you never really go to buy weapons, you really don't need it due to the resource dots background, and the whole shop mechanic just feels... unfinished.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its ability to enhance the immersive experience, effectively transporting players into the world of Vampire: The Masquerade. While some players appreciate the atmospheric quality of the music, others point out the absence of a dedicated soundtrack, suggesting that background music could further enrich the gameplay experience. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, though its implementation varies among players.
“Everything about the game is of quality; they managed to transport us to the world of Vampire: The Masquerade in a most interesting way, which is reinforced by the style of the drawing, the texts, and the music. Like the song of the siren, we are bewitched in a completely imaginary world.”
“I admit, I put on the soundtrack to 'The Lost Boys' in the background as I played it.”
“A background music track would be nice, like in 'Coteries of New York.'”
“As a text game, there is no music.”
“And music background would be nice like Coteries of New York.”
“I admit, I put on the soundtrack to Lost Boys in the background as I played it.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are minimal, primarily consisting of a few well-done images of NPCs, which some players feel are insufficient given the game's price point. While the artwork for characters is appreciated, many users believe that there should be more visual content to enhance the experience. Overall, expectations for graphics are low due to the text-based nature of the game, but the limited visuals still leave some players wanting more.
“The visuals are impressive, especially considering the game's focus on storytelling.”
“The few images that do appear are well done and add to the overall experience.”
“As a text game, you don't expect much in the way of visuals, but the pictures of the NPCs are a nice touch.”
“They give special artwork to characters who don't really do much on their own, thus just 'dressing up' unimportant NPCs.”
“It has virtually no graphics (though the few images that show up are well done).”
“The only downside is I think there should be more graphics.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by a haunting small-town setting filled with secrets and mysteries, reminiscent of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot," which enhances the detective-like narrative. Reviewers appreciate the dark and intense ambiance, noting that it complements the well-written story and characters, although it diverges from the typical "Vampire: The Masquerade" style. Overall, the atmosphere is engaging and encourages replayability.
“I really like the atmosphere of the small haunted town in America with its own little secrets and mysteries, which nicely adds to the overall detective-like story.”
“So far the story is well written and flows smoothly, with a mysterious atmosphere that complements the characters.”
“I will say that this does not feel very much in line with the style and atmosphere of a typical Vampire: The Masquerade setting, but instead feels heavily inspired by Stephen King's book, Salem's Lot.”
“I think the atmosphere is there if you pay attention.”
“Highly replayable, with the right amount of dark and intense atmosphere.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its branching storylines and character interactions that vary based on player choices, ensuring that no single playthrough reveals the entire narrative. However, some players feel a lack of incentive to replay, citing a disconnection from the characters and story, which may diminish their interest in exploring alternative outcomes. Overall, while the potential for multiple routes exists, personal engagement with the narrative plays a crucial role in motivating replay.
“A quick look at the achievements should give you some idea of just how replayable this game is. Some of the characters you meet on your playthrough will only appear depending on the choices you make, so one play will not reveal the whole story—probably not even half of it. It's easy to miss something important that would influence future decisions and outcomes.”
“Highly replayable, with the right amount of dark and intense atmosphere.”
“A quick look at the achievements should give you some idea of just how replayable this game is, and some of the characters you meet on your playthrough will only appear depending on the choices you make. One playthrough will not reveal the whole story, probably not even half of it, and it's easy to miss something important that would influence future decisions and outcomes.”
“The whole picture is not revealed in one playthrough, so I guess there's some replay value in this, but I feel little incentive to do it because I didn't really connect with any of the characters and the story in general; therefore, I don't really care what could have happened had I taken different choices.”
“I like that there were clearly several routes I could have taken in the game; it looks like this should have some replayability!”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and an unfinished feel, which detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the characters are perceived as flat and unlikable, further diminishing player engagement.
“The game is buggy and feels unfinished, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
“The characters are mostly flat and unlikable, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
“The plot unironically rips off large chunks of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot', which feels lazy and uninspired.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and often out-of-place elements, featuring a mix of whimsical quips and references that may not resonate with all players.
“The game is filled with weird, out-of-place wacky humor and clever quips that keep you laughing.”
“I love the quirky references and the absurd situations that make every moment entertaining.”
“The humor is delightfully bizarre, making even the most mundane tasks feel hilarious.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of managing the store and conducting research enjoyable during the initial playthrough, but it becomes repetitive and tedious in subsequent runs.
“Taking care of the store and researching in the library is fine on the first playthrough, but feels bland and tedious in additional playthroughs.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional core of the game in the charming setting of running a small business, which evokes feelings of excitement and connection to the community.
“Excited to try running your small business in this charming town, which serves as the emotional core of the story.”
“The game beautifully captures the highs and lows of life, making every decision feel impactful and emotionally resonant.”
“I was genuinely moved by the character arcs; their struggles and triumphs felt real and relatable.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the character development is limited, primarily due to the short length of the story, which leaves a sense of untapped potential for deeper exploration of the characters.
“I felt like there was more to the story; the characters are lacking in character development, primarily because the story is somewhat short.”
“The character development is shallow and fails to create a connection with the players, leaving them feeling indifferent to the outcomes.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of depth in the characters; their arcs felt rushed and underexplored, which diminished my overall experience.”