Vampire: The Masquerade — Sins of the Sires | Game Brain

Vampire: The Masquerade — Sins of the Sires Game Cover

About

"Sins of the Sires" is a text-based interactive novel set in modern Athens, Greece, where players navigate the world of vampires and the Masquerade as they choose their own path in a city torn between the Camarilla and the Anarchs. With 300,000 words and no graphics, the game encourages players to engage their imagination. The game was a finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Game Writing in 2023, and follows the player's character as they become entangled in rumors of an ancient vampire, Aristovoros, who seeks to end the Masquerade and rule over mortals as gods.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Vampire: The Masquerade — Sins of the Sires screenshot

38%

Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews

story23 positive mentions

character development3 negative mentions

The writing style is introspective and beautifully captures the setting of Athens, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
The game offers a unique perspective within the Vampire: The Masquerade universe, allowing for exploration of different character paths and moral dilemmas.
The character customization options at the beginning provide a sense of agency, allowing players to shape their character's identity.

The story is very short, with many players completing it in under three hours, leading to a rushed narrative that lacks depth.
Character development is minimal, making it difficult for players to form emotional connections with the characters or become invested in their fates.
The choices often feel arbitrary and do not significantly impact the story, resulting in a linear experience that undermines the game's potential for player agency.

story
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
79%
5%
The story of "Sins of the Sires" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its potential but criticizing its rushed pacing and lack of depth. While the setting and character concepts are intriguing, the narrative feels more like a rough draft, lacking meaningful character development and emotional investment, leading to a sense of disconnection from the plot. Overall, players express disappointment in the execution, feeling that the story could have benefited from more time and detail to fully realize its ideas.
- “I had a nice time and will probably play this story again sometime in the future, to explore all the different possibilities.”
- “One may feel powerless on occasion, but I believe that it's kind of the point - sometimes in real life your choices do not bring you the results you had expected or wished for, which makes this particular story indeed feel realistic and dark, completely worthy of being part of the World of Darkness series.”
- “Ultimately, it is a satisfying story that fits well into the larger themes of Vampire: The Masquerade, making this tale a delight for any fans of the series.”
- “The story just felt bad, with very little way to have any agency or create any feelings of inspiration or excitement at the intrigue.”
- “Unfortunately, this is very clearly the weakest in the Choice of Games' VTM series; the story is markedly shorter than other entries, with rushed pacing and far too little time devoted to fleshing out characters and relationships.”
- “The story seems very incoherent, and jumps frequently to odd points or seems to skip entire conversations or just tosses in random plot points that do not make sense in relation to the topic at hand.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Gameplay in this title is notably different from previous entries, featuring unique mechanics that are not adequately explained, which can lead to confusion for players familiar with the series. While some aspects, like the hunger mechanics, are praised as exceptional, overall gameplay has been described as lackluster and in need of improvements, with hopes for future updates to address these issues.
- “Players who have experienced the previous three titles should know going in that this is a very different type of story than Night Road and POK, and the mechanics are quite a bit different as well.”
- “Now as for gameplay, there are a few mechanics for the game that are very different than the previous titles and are not explained in advance even though they really should have been.”
- “For a little while I had to pause the gameplay because I was overcome by how deeply the words touched me, how it moved something in me.”
- “Players who have experienced the previous three titles should know going in that this is a very different type of story than Night Road and Pok, and the mechanics are quite a bit different as well.”
- “Now as for gameplay, there are a few mechanics for the game that are very different than the previous titles and are not explained in advance, even though they really should have been.”
- “The overall gameplay was lackluster compared to many games I've (re)played over the years.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Character development in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many users criticizing the writing as poor and the character arcs as lacking depth and coherence. Reviewers noted that the story feels forced and linear, detracting from the potential for rich storytelling and meaningful character progression. However, some players appreciated the game's expansive nature, which allows for greater roleplaying and character design opportunities.
- “This makes the game feel more expansive and more complimentary toward roleplaying and character design.”
- “I was hoping for a rich contextual story of a neonate working their way into the city at night; instead, we get woke PC jargon sprinkled with colorful, mnemonically shadow character development and plot.”
- “Sots is sorely lacking in storytelling and character development; the story feels kind of forced and linear.”
- “The writing is poor, the character development is non-existent, your powers play little to no role, and the story is a convoluted mess.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mixed experience; while some players find the narrative rushed and difficult to connect with, others appreciate its poignant prose and evocative imagery that create a deep sense of emotional turmoil. The choices presented in the game enhance the emotional depth, making decisions feel weighty and impactful. Overall, the game elicits strong feelings, leaving players both drained and hopeful.
- “I finished my run nauseated and emotionally drained by the circumstances but hoping against the odds that I managed to meaningfully defy them anyway with my character's last act.”
- “The prose is heartbreakingly beautiful at times, playing almost like prose-poetry, with fantastic imagery and atmosphere (I love the 'larp' scene, for instance, and how disorienting and disconcerting it feels).”
- “The choices are hard to make because the narrative seems to open up the emotional scope of the characters that inhabit it.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its clever integration with the story's unique setting and political dynamics, often manifesting through witty dialogue, especially when playing a rude character. Players appreciate the balance of dark humor and the comedic portrayal of characters like thin-bloods and ghouls, which adds depth to the overall experience.
- “I really liked the concept of the story; the world is a refreshing change in terms of tone, setting, and political dynamics (and if you decide to play a rude character, the dialogue can be quite humorous).”
- “Thin-bloods and ghouls will simultaneously be hilariously strong and worthlessly weak when needed.”
- “I appreciated the great use of the setting and how it pulls you in, as well as the occasional (dark) humor!”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features no music and minimal character artwork, which fails to convey any emotional depth or engagement. The lack of auditory elements, combined with limited visual representation, detracts from the overall experience, leaving the writing to carry the weight of the narrative, but ultimately falling short.
- “No music, scarce character artwork that evokes nothing telling about them.”
- “A game with minimal art (portraits of a few NPCs), no music, and very minor gameplay of stat checks in dialogue choices. The writing has to do a lot of heavy lifting to make it engaging, and sadly this game fell short there.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game's replayability is a point of contention among users; while some find it lacking due to its short length and underdeveloped content, others appreciate its literary quality and believe it offers significant replay value.
- “This is a beautifully written, literary interactive novel with high replayability value.”
- “The fact that this undercooked game, which I finished in just one and a half hours, costs as much as the incredibly more complicated, well-crafted, captivating, and replayable previous installations in this series is frankly insulting.”
- “After completing the game, I felt no urge to play it again. The lack of meaningful choices and consequences really diminishes its replayability.”
- “Once you've experienced the story, there's little incentive to go back. The game offers no new paths or endings, making it feel like a one-time playthrough.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is praised for its beautiful prose and vivid imagery, creating a disorienting yet captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the rich lore and exotic settings, expressing a strong desire to delve deeper into the characters and their stories.
- “The prose is heartbreakingly beautiful at times, playing almost like prose-poetry, with fantastic imagery and atmosphere. I love the 'larp' scene, for instance, and how disorienting and disconcerting it feels.”
- “Sins of Sires started off well, solid: interesting lore, exotic and rich atmosphere, interesting cast. I've been hoping to know each character better and was really excited to see how it all will turn out.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The graphics have been criticized for their lack of engaging character artwork, which fails to convey any meaningful information about the characters, resulting in a visually uninspiring experience.
- “No music, and the scarce character artwork evokes nothing about them.”
- “The graphics look outdated and lack detail, making the game feel unpolished.”
- “The environments are bland and uninspired, failing to create an immersive experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users express concern that the game's monetization strategy may come off as a cash grab, indicating a negative perception of its approach to generating revenue.
- “If you got lazy and tried to cash in, I'm going to have to let you go.”
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”