Swansong promised a cool vampire detective RPG, but for me, it mostly fell flat. The story has potential, with great lore and some interesting choices, but the clunky gameplay and weird camera angles kill the mood. The dialogue is overly stiff, and it's hard to get invested when the characters and animations feel so robotic. For hardcore Vampire: The Masquerade fans, there might be something here, but sadly, it's a frustrating missed opportunity.
If you've never played Vampire The Masquerade (the role game, you know, with real-life dice, and guides…) this game can be a good introduction to you. I'm looking forward to the next story!
It was fine but It could have been soooo much better. Especially, since it is taking place in the world of Vampire the Masquerade.
A jankey but enjoyable game set in the World of Darkness. If you like Vampire then I think you'll enjoy this. Of the 3 characters only 1 has a real arc that they see through but the detective aspect is cool an the WOD is always great.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong lacked polish at release and had a number of mechanics that I couldn’t quite find enjoyment in, but it had its moments. Divided into chapters that jumped between three protagonists, it involved a warehouse number of notes, codes and keycards. At times I got into playing the part of investigator, but when it came down to it, it didn’t feel like I was playing a vampire, and I think that’s a problem in a vampire game.
Its issues went down to its core foundation. Consumables and gear, for example, could be ignored completely, which begged the question why they were there to begin with. Converting tabletop systems into video game format can lead to a convoluted mess, and Swansong was certainly an example of that.
Its issues went down to its core foundation. Consumables and gear, for example, could be ignored completely, which begged the question why they were there to begin with. Converting tabletop systems into video game format can lead to a convoluted mess, and Swansong was certainly an example of that.
It's interesting development of interactive movies genre. Upgrading skills and disciplines and using all it to get through the story is cool, but when the game through a dice in dialogs to deside who will win it's almost unbearable temptation to accept bad result, when you easily can load game and try again. So, maybe it's not the best mechanic.
If you familliar with "World of Darkness" it will be quite pleasant journey. There are lots of lore knowledges and familiar moments here for the fans. But if you new to this universe, maybe you should first try Bloodlines and Redemption (if you don't afraid outdated graphics ofcourse)
If you familliar with "World of Darkness" it will be quite pleasant journey. There are lots of lore knowledges and familiar moments here for the fans. But if you new to this universe, maybe you should first try Bloodlines and Redemption (if you don't afraid outdated graphics ofcourse)
What the fuck.
I knew it would get a bit wonky after playing the Council but somehow they found a way to make some things of this game worse? or maybe I misremember it?
So I start the game and the prologue is long. Fine. It's a story driven game, okay.
I mess up with the first part of the Emem chapter and decide to restart the chater.
No can do.
I have to restart from the very fucking beginning. and.I.can't.skip.it.
Because you can't reload any save - just a scene. And it doesn't tell you exactly what that means. <3
So I bite the bullet and play it again. This time it's fine. I'm having fun.
I start the malkavian part of the game, still in the first chapter. And thanks to a bug, I can't move to the next section.
I restart the scene thinking it will only restart the malkavian chapter - annoying but fine.
~+It restarts the entire.fucking.game.
Again.~+
~+ So I cry, quit and deinstall <3 ~+
Like - what I saw of the game was fun enough but come the fuck on...! I get wanting the player to commit to their choices without save scumming or whatever but this is bullshit! D:
Maybe I'll try it again sometime but I doubt it.
I knew it would get a bit wonky after playing the Council but somehow they found a way to make some things of this game worse? or maybe I misremember it?
So I start the game and the prologue is long. Fine. It's a story driven game, okay.
I mess up with the first part of the Emem chapter and decide to restart the chater.
No can do.
I have to restart from the very fucking beginning. and.I.can't.skip.it.
Because you can't reload any save - just a scene. And it doesn't tell you exactly what that means. <3
So I bite the bullet and play it again. This time it's fine. I'm having fun.
I start the malkavian part of the game, still in the first chapter. And thanks to a bug, I can't move to the next section.
I restart the scene thinking it will only restart the malkavian chapter - annoying but fine.
~+It restarts the entire.fucking.game.
Again.~+
~+ So I cry, quit and deinstall <3 ~+
Like - what I saw of the game was fun enough but come the fuck on...! I get wanting the player to commit to their choices without save scumming or whatever but this is bullshit! D:
Maybe I'll try it again sometime but I doubt it.
If this was anything but a Vampire the Masquerade game it would take heavier hits in the review score. However it’s not too common to get a game set in this universe and it even be of this quality. A compelling and intriguing story of three unique characters navigating their way through the world of darkness. Many good scenes with plenty of choice and consequences mildly let down by the myriad of bugs you’re likely to experience. Overall an enjoyable experience if you’re able to dodge the bugs 🐜
Portuguese & English review
Portuguese -
O pior drama interativo que já joguei... A história é tosca e o sistema de interatividade não faz sentido. Primeiro que basicamente o jogador é travado pelo próprio jogo, até os diálogos são forçados a um certo travamento coisa que quem jogou indigo prophecy ou até o aclamado Detroit become human, sabe que não faz sentido porque se o jogador descobre algum detalhe extra, deveria ter acesso imediato tal como nos outros dramas interativos, não estou a falar da escolhas.
Sobre as personagens, a pior é a Leysha tem uma crise existencial durante a gameplay que é ridicula, a Louis Enem é uma personagem mediana que até gostei, o Galeb... É algo que até dá gosto de jogar, mas a personagem perde a graça devido às limitações técnicas do próprio jogo.
A pior entrada desta franquia.
English -
The worst interactive drama I've ever played... The story is crude and the interactivity system doesn't make sense. Firstly, the player is basically blocked by the game itself, even the dialogues are proposed to a certain blocking, something that anyone who played Indigo Prophecy or even the acclaimed Detroit Becomes Human, knows that it doesn't make sense because if the player discovers some extra detail, it should have immediate access just like in other interactive dramas, I'm not talking about the choices.
About the characters, the worst thing is Leysha has an existential crisis during a gameplay that is ridiculous, Louis Enem is an average character that I actually liked, Galeb... It's something that I enjoy playing, but the character loses its edge. thanks to the technical limitations of the game itself.
The worst entry in this franchise
Portuguese -
O pior drama interativo que já joguei... A história é tosca e o sistema de interatividade não faz sentido. Primeiro que basicamente o jogador é travado pelo próprio jogo, até os diálogos são forçados a um certo travamento coisa que quem jogou indigo prophecy ou até o aclamado Detroit become human, sabe que não faz sentido porque se o jogador descobre algum detalhe extra, deveria ter acesso imediato tal como nos outros dramas interativos, não estou a falar da escolhas.
Sobre as personagens, a pior é a Leysha tem uma crise existencial durante a gameplay que é ridicula, a Louis Enem é uma personagem mediana que até gostei, o Galeb... É algo que até dá gosto de jogar, mas a personagem perde a graça devido às limitações técnicas do próprio jogo.
A pior entrada desta franquia.
English -
The worst interactive drama I've ever played... The story is crude and the interactivity system doesn't make sense. Firstly, the player is basically blocked by the game itself, even the dialogues are proposed to a certain blocking, something that anyone who played Indigo Prophecy or even the acclaimed Detroit Becomes Human, knows that it doesn't make sense because if the player discovers some extra detail, it should have immediate access just like in other interactive dramas, I'm not talking about the choices.
About the characters, the worst thing is Leysha has an existential crisis during a gameplay that is ridiculous, Louis Enem is an average character that I actually liked, Galeb... It's something that I enjoy playing, but the character loses its edge. thanks to the technical limitations of the game itself.
The worst entry in this franchise
Was hilariously CRINGE at first regarding the fan fiction-esque quality of this game, then turned into a boring nightmare of lame puzzles and QTEs that do nothing to draw the player in.
All the vampires look like edgelords and Hot Topic fanatics, and the voice acting is as wooden as the stakes I wish I could drive into this game.
Not even worth playing ironically for laughs.
All the vampires look like edgelords and Hot Topic fanatics, and the voice acting is as wooden as the stakes I wish I could drive into this game.
Not even worth playing ironically for laughs.