Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York

I learned something about myself while playing Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York. I used to think that the fun of being a creature of the night was having supernatural abilities and a penchant for blood-sucking, but I was wrong. What this new adventure game showed me is that navigating the murky underworld of vampire politics is far more compelling than using a bunch of super-powers to beat up an army of undead monsters. That's not going to be true of every gamer, but I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed getting to know the ins and outs of the Masquerade.

I should confess right up front that I'm a newcomer to this series. I know a lot of people who love Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines and am familiar with the tabletop role-playing game, but I don't have any firsthand experience. Thankfully, this didn't prove to be a problem, because I was immediately sucked into the present-day drama of these undead monsters and their fight for control of New York City.

Without giving too much away, the story revolves around a number of warring vampire clans, with the Camarillas in the middle. There are three characters and stories to play, with each showing us the struggle from different points of view. We're able to choose between a rebellious punk, a calculating businesswoman and an artistic type with a hedonistic side. All three of these characters start the game as newly birthed vampires, allowing us to ease into the world of the Masquerade and uncover its many secrets.

If you go into Coteries of New York expecting a third-person adventure like Bloodlines, then you're going to be disappointed. This is a lot closer to a visual novel than an action game, though there's enough here for people who aren't normally into the genre. The emphasis here is on choosing dialog options and directing your fledgling vampire in different directions. Most of the game is told through written narration and conversations, with you controlling more than you might expect.

As we are introduced to new characters and become acquainted with the politics of the Masquerade, we will unlock new stories and missions to take on. We only have time to pull at two story threads per night, so you'll need to prioritize who you want to talk to and what you want to do. This is one of those games where the story is hard to talk about, since the friends I made and the twists I saw will be different for somebody else. The important part is that I never felt like a passenger to the story. It didn't always go the way I intended based on the options, but I had enough control over the action to keep me invested in the story.

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A lot of that was made easier by the incredible world-building this game does. Perhaps it's because the game comes with established lore and a rich background, but I felt like I was stepping into a fully-realized vampire world. It wasn't some fantasy or old-timey setting, but a version of the real world that just so happens to have vampire gangs fighting in the shadows. These are characters who talk about Star Wars, Fortnite, Mad Men and everything else pop culture, which helped to ground it in a version of 2019 that I could identify with.

And speaking of characters, I couldn't wait to see who would pop up next. From the private investigator to the creepy stalker to the hacker hiding out at the internet café, this game is filled with so many over-the-top personalities. These stories take you on different types of quests, ranging from a murder mystery to a tense shootout. I was surprised by how violent and action-packed this game was, even if it's only described through text. All three stories go in some truly dark and disturbing directions, but it's always fun and satisfying. There's a real sense of discovery to Coteries of New York that you don't get with a lot of vampire games.

In a lot of ways, Vampire: The Masquerade reminds me of a game I reviewed earlier this year called Neo-Cab. That was another adventure primarily told through text and dialog options. The problem I had with that game was the final act, which decided to speed through the best parts and deny us some amazing story moments. That's definitely not the case in Coteries of New York. This is a game that savors that unexpected twists and reveals. At around five hours each, the three stories are filled with great character moments that lead to crazy endings. The developers have done a good job of making each character's journey feel important and self-contained.

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If I'm looking for negatives, then I would say that it feels like the developers cut corners when it came to the backgrounds. I love the hand-painted aesthetic and detailed locations, but they are definitely recycled a lot. You'll see the same alleyway or city street represent different locations, which is a constant reminder of the shoe-string budget. Some of the impact of the excitement is lessened due to us fixated on a drawing of an empty tavern during action-packed moments. It would have been nice to see more artwork in general, especially when it comes to the characters. The writing will tell us a Sophie is wearing a special dress, but since they reuse the same picture for everything, the changes are never reflected in the visuals. That's disappointing.

I also wish Coteries of New York had a little more going on. I enjoyed the dialog options and usually felt like I was in control, but this is a game that feels like it's missing something. It needed a puzzle or problem solving, something to break up the conversations. I kept waiting for them to introduce some sort of feeding mechanic, but it never shows up. While the option to drink blood pops up from time to time, it never comes across as something you need to pay attention to or worry about. Vampire: The Masquerade is one of those games where the story comes first and the gameplay is a distant second. Maybe even third.

While Coteries of New York may be a stark departure for the franchise, it does make a strong argument for why Vampire: The Masquerade still remains popular after nearly thirty years. This is a well-written crime thriller filled with big personalities and a fully-realized world. I loved uncovering the mysteries of the vampire gangs and manipulating each situation, even if my only choices are dialog prompts. If you love vampire politics and don't mind reading, then Coteries of New York is worth sinking your teeth into.