Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 204 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong Game Cover
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In "Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong," a narrative-driven RPG, players navigate the complex world of the Boston Camarilla, a secret society of vampires. As Hazel Iversen, the new Prince, players must maintain the Masquerade, the law that keeps vampires hidden from humans, through strategic choices and actions. Every decision affects the fates of three main characters, creating a thrilling and immersive experience in the World of Darkness.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews
story73 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • The game delivers a well-told and engaging story that immerses players in the Vampire world.
  • The main characters are unique and well-developed, each with their own compelling arcs.
  • The game captures the essence of Vampire: The Masquerade, focusing on themes of intrigue, morality, and the banality of evil.
  • The mechanics and skill system can be frustrating, often punishing players for not specializing in specific areas.
  • The graphics and animations are outdated, with many visual glitches and poor character models.
  • The save system is restrictive, forcing players to replay large sections of the game after failures, which can be tedious.
  • story214 mentions

    The story of "Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong" is generally praised for its depth, complexity, and engaging narrative, featuring multiple perspectives that intertwine in a rich vampire lore. While many players appreciate the intricate character development and moral choices, some criticize the execution, citing issues like linearity, pacing, and technical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a compelling narrative for fans of the genre, though it may require patience due to its flaws.

    • “I went into this expecting a well-told story and the game delivered 100% on that.”
    • “The developers have managed to capture the dark, intricate lore of the Vampire: The Masquerade universe while infusing it with their signature style of storytelling and character development.”
    • “The story is deep, exciting, and mature, and the characters are believable and compelling, though the high level of assumed knowledge about the VTM world may be a little off-putting to newcomers.”
    • “The story is not very good, the characters are badly written, there is no atmosphere to speak of, and the moralizing of the story is both annoying and strange (vampires are the victims now...? really?).”
    • “The design of the story element is screwed over by being able to choose chapters in the first half of the game & then mid-way through 3 stories, you have to play the game in the order the developers decided.”
    • “So while the conversations are believably written and voiced, the plot never does a thing to move itself forward and doesn't reward you for playing, just suffering along in spite of it.”
  • gameplay78 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its clunky mechanics, slow pacing, and lack of a reliable save system, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While some appreciate the narrative-driven elements and the faithful adaptation of tabletop RPG mechanics, others find the overall experience tedious and unengaging, often suggesting that the game is not worth its price. Despite its flaws, the intriguing story and investigative gameplay may appeal to fans of the genre, particularly those who enjoy exploring lore and solving puzzles.

    • “The overall gameplay, plot, and ambience took me back to the Bloodlines 2 times, when I was nothing but a happy neonate.”
    • “Couple that with multiple approaches influencing a decent amount of minor outcomes and you get some real fine gameplay.”
    • “However, the game also features interesting gameplay mechanics that are true to the tabletop RPG experience, along with some good story, character, and moment.”
    • “The mechanics are the game's weakest point, the skill system seeming intuitive from the start but often punishes you for not speccing in a particular way.”
    • “Not worth the full price at all, and barely worth it on a sale, unless you can get through clunky animations, visual bugs during dialogue and otherwise boring gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay might not be attractive to the mainstream audience, but if playing detective and solving mysteries sounds like your cup of tea, you probably find this game enjoyable.”
  • graphics32 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received largely negative feedback, with many players describing them as outdated and reminiscent of PS2-era visuals, despite its 2023 release. While some users appreciate the environmental art and find certain aspects visually appealing, the character models and animations are often criticized for being stiff and glitchy. Overall, the graphics are seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience, even if some players are willing to overlook them for the sake of the story.

    • “Personally, I find the graphics stunning, and the environments beautiful.”
    • “Especially the visuals and the atmosphere - some of the parts are so beautiful, I would simply stop in my tracks just to have a look around.”
    • “The sound and graphics are great, especially paired with high-quality wireless earbuds for a fully immersive experience.”
    • “Graphics are horrible, extremely outdated, hair glitching in throat.”
    • “This game was released in 2023, yet the graphics are just not there.”
    • “The graphics are quite dated for a 2023 release.”
  • stability12 mentions

    The stability of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting numerous visual glitches, game-breaking bugs, and issues that require mission restarts. While a few users noted a lack of significant problems, the overall consensus highlights a frustrating experience marred by technical issues that detract from gameplay. Many players feel that the game's stability issues warrant a refund, given the frequency and severity of the glitches encountered.

    • “No glitches or bugs, as far as I can see. The game runs smoothly, providing a stable experience throughout.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or significant issues.”
    • “The game maintains a consistent performance, allowing players to immerse themselves without worrying about technical problems.”
    • “I say at first because eventually and inevitably you will run into at least one of the plenty game-breaking bugs/glitches this game has which force you to restart the whole mission from the beginning without any guarantee it won't happen again and again and again.”
    • “Poor graphics, strange voice behaviors and fade outs, many, many glitches and bugs.”
    • “As a consumer, the bugs and glitches in this game were refund-worthy.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its elegance, mystery, and immersive visuals, creating a captivating experience for players, particularly fans of the genre. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in storytelling and character development, the overall ambiance remains a standout feature that enhances the gameplay.

    • “From the moment you enter this world, you’re enveloped in an atmosphere dripping with elegance and mystery.”
    • “The storytelling, character development, and atmosphere are top notch.”
    • “Especially the visuals and the atmosphere - some of the parts are so beautiful, I would simply stop in my tracks just to have a look around.”
    • “The story is not very good, the characters are badly written, there is no atmosphere to speak of, and the moralizing of the story is both annoying and strange (vampires are the victims now...? really?).”
    • “So what about the VTM atmosphere?”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game offers a mix of opinions on replayability, with some players appreciating the multiple ways to approach situations and the depth of the story, while others criticize it for lacking true replay value and polish. Although there are choices that can lead to different outcomes, some feel that the game does not provide enough incentive to replay it multiple times. Overall, it seems that while there is potential for replayability, it may not be fully realized or satisfying for all players.

    • “Plenty of replayability too, with multiple ways to solve situations.”
    • “The replayability is insane, the story is interesting, unpredictable, and deep.”
    • “Decent replayability with choice and consequence.”
    • “This is a hyper-deceitful tactic that management likely employed to have evidence for replayability in pre-release marketing, and it mortally wounded this game, because there is zero reason for it.”
    • “My final verdict is 'a decent visual novel/investigation game aimed at the existing VTM audience, but the lack of polish and true replayability leave a lot to be desired.”
    • “Or maybe the game expects you to 'do better' on another playthrough, to learn from failure, for 'replay value'.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as an "absolute banger" that enhances immersion and complements the story, while others find it detached and inconsistent. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its quality and ability to engage players, despite some criticisms regarding the delivery and integration with dialogue.

    • “Music: absolute banger of a soundtrack, it shouldn't go as hard as it does.”
    • “Incredible story and a soundtrack that will get you into the character's skin in an instant.”
    • “The music and sound ambiance were very immersive and the environments looked absolutely stunning as well.”
    • “The music is detached, as is the dialogue. You can actually hear that different voice actors are reading their lines in detached sections and sometimes even using different microphones.”
    • “The music, the characters, the story, and the vast amount of options in these hitman/Holmes-esque levels???”
    • “The music is fine.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its integration of the rich lore from the vampire: the masquerade universe, showcasing strong storytelling and atmosphere. However, some players feel that certain characters, like Emem, lack depth beyond the initial chapters, and while character designs are appealing, they are hindered by subpar models and animations.

    • “The developers have managed to capture the dark, intricate lore of the Vampire: The Masquerade universe while infusing it with their signature style of storytelling and character development.”
    • “The storytelling, character development, and atmosphere are top-notch.”
    • “After chapter 1, Emem lacks further character development.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting moments of immersion and adrenaline that evoke intense feelings. While some appreciate the emotional depth in specific scenarios, others feel disappointed when comparing it to previous titles, leading to frustration and unmet expectations. Overall, the emotional experience varies significantly among players, with some finding it deeply impactful and others feeling let down.

    • “The first really sold the detective game genre, with hidden but not impossible to find clues, difficult decisions on where to spend your resources, and easy-to-fail dialogue choices if not paying enough attention. The super cool outcome made me feel immersed, thrilled, and boosted my adrenaline for a real moment, and I'm not an easily shaken person at all.”
    • “I respect the efforts, because developers put it in the game for sure, but I really feel angry. I don't know if it is because I really liked Bloodlines and I was waking up the next day just to continue, and now my expectations hurt me. So if you expect something like Bloodlines and more emotional depth, you will not like it.”
    • “Leysha and Hilsey's scenario - I felt some emotional depth.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the need to restart entire chapters for minor mistakes or missed details. This leads to repetitive gameplay and significant time loss, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the experience.

    • “A major annoyance was the tedious restarts of entire chapters because one detail was missed or failing a single conversation.”
    • “I replayed a couple of the scenes I majorly bungled and probably lost a couple of hours replaying what I'd already done, trying to mend mistakes or find alternative solutions, and that can get tedious or repetitious.”
    • “But playing through these missions is tedious when it works, and incredibly frustrating when it bugs out.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for underwhelming performance on certain rigs, particularly given its minimal player control requirements. Additionally, players have noted that the random number generation (RNG) appears to be heavily skewed against them, despite the strong vocal performances and appealing art direction.

    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wider range of players.”
    • “The game runs seamlessly, showcasing excellent optimization that enhances the overall experience.”
    • “I tried it and found the performance to be lackluster on my rig. More importantly, for a game that asks little of player control beyond what might be required for a visual novel, the RNG seems to be aggressively weighted against you.”
    • “The optimization is poor, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “Despite having a decent gaming setup, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, making it frustrating to play.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players noted that while there were some amusing bugs encountered during gameplay, they were not overly disruptive to the overall experience.

    • “The game is filled with hilarious moments that kept me laughing throughout.”
    • “I loved the witty dialogue and clever puns; they added so much charm to the experience.”
    • “The humor in this game is spot on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

14hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
6-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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