Another Vampire: The Masquerade Game

[Wesp5]

Well, even that German review does not really sound very exited. The reviewer expected a Telltale adventure and was positely surprised that he got something more. Compared to the rather bad ratings from the bigger sites he doesn't much goes into the vampire aspect at all! I can't get rid of the feeling that like with Blood Hunt, this game might have been planned as a normal detective adventure before Paradox stepped in and convinced the developers to make it use the VtM background because they already knew that Bloodlines 2 was in development hell. You probably know more about the timing, could this be the case? In both cases, Bloodhunt and Swansong, it's obvious that the games would have worked almost the same in a different setting.

P.S.: The animations especially of the faces are still worse than Bloodlines. What engine is the game using?

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

Well, even that German review does not really sound very exited. The reviewer expected a Telltale adventure and was positely surprised that he got something more.

Well a 9 from 10 is pretty good.  https://www.gamersglobal.de/test/vampire-the-masquerade-swansong

You probably know more about the timing, could this be the case?

Could be but i think its more like unofficial "sequel" to their previous game the Council.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Council_(video_game)

P.S.: The animations especially of the faces are still worse than Bloodlines. What engine is the game using?

Well this is surprising but its Unreal Engine 4. I have thought it would be inhouse /  the engine from the Council aka CyaTech.
https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/over-80-unreal-engine-games-highlighted-during-recent-summer-events

[edx]

...this game might have been planned as a normal detective adventure before Paradox stepped in and convinced the developers to make it use the VtM background because they already knew that Bloodlines 2 was in development hell. You probably know more about the timing, could this be the case?

We got the first news about this game back in May 2019 (and Swansong was revealed as the title in October 2019). At that point, Bloodlines 2 was revealing Toreador as a playable clan, and IIRC it was announced in March 2019, so it was two/three months at most since its public reveal.

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

This game reviews are pretty crazy. Some professional reviewers gave it great notes and other trashed it. Strange game.

[Talyn82]

For those who are interested in the game but are hesitant here's my synapsis.

Well I bought the game and have been enjoying it.  I think the reason why the game has bad reviews is because people were expecting Bloodlines 2.  The game is similar to the Telltale games which I enjoyed in the past.  My two favorite Telltale games are The Walking Dead Season One and the Batman series.  The game is a detective game which I like.  To me the strength in Bloodlines was the dialogue not the combat.  If I could I would talk my way through that game.  This game is basically all dialogue there is little to no combat, and if there is it is handled through dialogue.  All the skills pertain to dialogue.  Some disciplines like Dominate and Presence are for dialogue, other disciplines like Celerity and Obfuscate can be used when roaming around.  Oh and there are two exploration skills Security and Technology.


My favorite character thus far is the Malkavian Leysha, second would be Galeb, and third would be Emem.  But they're all good at what they do.  For example Galeb is great at intimidation, Leysha is great with Dominate.  In the beginning you get to choose between four profiles.  I gave Leysha the investigator profile, I gave Galeb the veteran profile, and Emem the Jack of all trades profile.  You can repeat levels in case you messed up or missed something.  Anyway the game is not Bloodlines 2 but I enjoy it.  I've always liked the vampire politics of VTMB, and this game has a lot of it.  Also Leysha the Malkavian speaks normal not like the one from VTMB.  She does get visions and when she describes them she kind of does sound like the VTMB Malkavian. 


Before I forget expect to fail a lot of dialogue checks in the beginning. But like all rpg's you get better.  Without spoilers there's a part in the game where as Leysha you can fuck with soldiers minds by using Dominate.  Like they say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.


Anyway for those who like The World of Darkness I recommend the game.  For those who only like Bloodlines then you will be disappointed.  Anyway that's my 2 cents.

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

I don´t know why exactly i did that but i bought Swansong. But i guess couldn´t resist half price aka 30€ for the PS4 version which is a pretty good deal because the game isn´t a month old. I would have prefer the PC version but its Epic store exclusive at the moment so this isn´t an option right now. Maybe i have time to play it during Pentecost.

[Wesp5]

Please tell us what you think of it once you get to play. Whatever I see of it really turns me off...

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

Please tell us what you think of it once you get to play. Whatever I see of it really turns me off...

This would take some time. Lets say for the moment i would describe it as a Quantum Dream game with less budget. But it really depends on the overall story.
One thing seems to be pretty safe bet Swansong is a better game than the Werewolf game which doesn´t say much.
Edit: I haven´t played Blood Hunt (no desire because of the Battle Royale genre) but i think / hope that Swansong is the much more lore-friendly game.

By the way this critism has nothing to do with the game itself but i miss the days of having even a small manual. 
But i guess we should be thankful for getting a Disk in a retail game.

[Wesp5]

One thing seems to be pretty safe bet Swansong is a better game than the Werewolf game which doesn´t say much.

I just looked on Metacritic, the Werewolf game has a user score of 4.6, Swansong only of 2.6!

I haven´t played Blood Hunt (no desire because of the Battle Royale genre) but i think / hope that Swansong is the much more lore-friendly game.

Probably, but Bloodhunt is the best of the new bunch with a user score of 7.0...

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

I just looked on Metacritic, the Werewolf game has a user score of 4.6, Swansong only of 2.6!

There are many Zero reviews with Swangsong and Werewolf have many 10s which both are ridiculous.I don´t think that Swansong is a good game but a Zero or even a 1-2? No way.Same goes for Werewolf a 9-10?  With two blind eyes maybe a 7-8 if you still only interessed in playing as a Werewolf but more just no.

I think that the critic reviews are more relevant than the users but that´s only my opinion.  So 56 for Werewolf and 68 for Swansong

Probably, but Bloodhunt is the best of the new bunch with a user score of 7.0...

Strange i only see an userscore of 5.9 but to be fair a 76 (WTF?!?) for critics reviews.
My guess that Bloodhunt as a works fine, some new & fresh ideas for a Battle Royale game, has not many bugs and players doesn´t seem to care so much about the Masquerade lore.

[Monjh]

Please tell us what you think of it once you get to play. Whatever I see of it really turns me off...

Wesp, check this review:

[Wesp5]

Wesp, check this review:

Interesting, but I am still not convinced that I would like the game. The reviewer is a big VtM fan which I am not. I never played the tabletop, I only know it from Bloodlines and I came to the later from the first person view shooters Doom and Half-Life. And just watching the wooden walking in this video, or the facial animations or the hair, turns me off, especially in a game that is so dependent on dialogue confrontations! There is a scene where the fingers of the Malkavian player look like some of the old Bloodlines models and why does Caleb never brush his teeth? They look as if they are full of blood. Yes, these are graphical issues, but even the reviewer admitted that role playing is punished and that a lot of the confrontations feel unfair. This doesn't sound too good! I like the Sherlock Holmes games so maybe I would manage the adventure part, but I never played a Hitman game so I don't know if this style is mine. Also as he mentioned surprising twists, of course the Malkavian player and her daughter are exacly what I expected them to be, I just googled it ;). So I'm very curious what Wilhelm will think when he plays it :)!

[Monjh]

That you are not a fan of VtM I remember. Wanted you to see the video exactly because of that - if even a fan had a lot of issues with the game, it may be... something.


Anyway, let's see what others (Wilhelm included, of course) think of it.

[Wilhelm-Streicher]

So I'm very curious what Wilhelm will think when he plays it :)!

How can i discribe it the best? I haven´t finished the game yet so i can´t fully "review" this game.
It´s ok but nothing you have to play. I can´t say that it got me hooked that much but to be fair i only played some 5 or so hours.  It feels like a cheaper (aka lesser budget) version of Detroit Become Human. One you have keep in mind you fail a lot in the dialogue checks like Talyn82 already have mentioned. And i think that the balancing is therefore a bit off. It seems that devs want the players to play this game in a certain way so there are options which are clearly better than others. My favourite character so far is Galeb and Leysha is also ok but i am not a fan of her daughter or Emem so far. They are bit too annoying.
Would i recommend this game? Again i haven´t finished it but i don´t think that is worth full price. Wait for the Steam Release next year.
Speaking of recommendation. What about the DLCs? The Alternative Outfit is clearly cosmetic but the Artifacts Pack? Is that a Starter Pack?
But i mainly ask what´s the deal about the Victoria Ash DLC (played by Jessica Chobot  )? Is it worth the 7€? By the way i really hate Day 1 DLC. Why can´t they be part of the regular game? 
https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP6665-PPSA07302_00-VTMS0PSAL0000002

[Talyn82]

I completed the game about a week ago and I liked it.  The question is: Does it scratch that Bloodlines itch?  The answer is no.  First let me explain I am a big fan of the Telltale games like The Walking Dead: Season One, and their Batman series.  So I quickly got into the game.  It is a different vibe from Bloodlines.  Bloodlines had the early 2000's gothic feel to it.  What with its club and excellent choice of music.  Swansong does not have any memorable music it does not even have clubs.  The Prince is a Ventrue, but I like her more than LaCroix, but anyone is better than him.  Like a Ventrue she rules over Boston like a CEO runs a company.


I don't mind the graphics I grew up in the 80's and 90's when the graphics were literally pixels.  The games animations are rough though.  Sometimes npc's will talk and never blink.  My favorite character is the malkavian Leysha, but she is nothing like the player Malkavian from Bloodlines which I think is a good thing.  The game is dialogue heavy and she has to talk to cops, soldiers, and FBI agents, and talking like the Bloodlines Malk would get her shot or committed to a mental institution.  Her Dominate discipline works like Dementation.  She can really fuck with npc's heads.


My second favorite is Galeb he is a ruthless stone cold professional Ventrue, he is what LaCroix wished he was.  Emem is okay but to me she made a bad first impression.  The game has politics the Prince is trying to undermine the Primogen.


Do I recommend the game?  If your a fan of Telltale games or the Council you will enjoy.  If you hope it is Bloodlines 2 then you won't enjoy it.  I think a lot of the reviewers are still mad with Paradox over the delayed development of Bloodlines 2.  Since I gave up on that game and kept my expectations low I enjoyed Swansong.