I will admit, Visual Novels aren’t normally my thing. In fact, there is a very short list of Visual Novels or games similar to them that I will enjoy and play. However, after the announcement of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2, I found myself itching for something in the World of Darkness universe that I could sink my teeth into.

Then I came across Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York, a game that promised an experience akin to the tabletop roots of the franchise. I was immediately intrigued, though the text-based experience is something that I have had very mixed experiences with in other games. Coteries of New York, however, feels like a full World of Darkness (Vampire The Masquerade) experience.

Let me break down the experience for you a little bit. When you start the game, you are able to pick one of three different clans, the Ventrue, the Brujah, and the Toreador. You might think this is merely a cosmetic choice, as only one of the clans allows you to play a female character, but this actually matters in a larger way. Each clan has different powers known as Disciplines, which come from being a part of it.

This matters later on as you play because your approaches to different situations will change, based on how your hunger for blood is handled and based on the abilities available to you. In fact, your relationship with your inner beast is something you’ll have to be very careful with. As you use your vampiric powers and as time goes on in-game, you will grow hungrier.

If your hunger gets too unmanageable, you’ll be out of control. This can cause a problem with your superiors and can even get you killed, so it is something to be wary of. This is one of many things you’ll have to manage as you play. The gameplay loop involves talking to people, using your powers if necessary either for combat purposes or simply to achieve your goals, then resolving quests and progressing through the story.

Your relationships with characters in power matter, and this is where it feels like a tabletop game. Weighing your dialogue choices, figuring out what to say, when to say it, and how to “play the game” is all a part of this experience. It feels like a tabletop game because every choice you make matters. On top of that, you can’t get the entire experience of Coteries of New York in a single playthrough.

Each of the three characters approaches the story from a different perspective, so you won’t truly get a full grasp of the game’s events without playing multiple times. It is this replay value that I think really encourages a purchase because you’re not just getting a single experience, you’re getting multiple. Another great part of the game is that there is a journal that records useful terms, so if there is a term you’ve never seen before, you can look it up.

I would honestly say that Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York is a great starting point for any newcomers to the Vampire the Masquerade brand that are interested in the upcoming Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2. It is also a good option for fans of the series who just want to dip their toes into an alternate way of enjoying the world and its characters.

So, if you’re a fan of Vampire the Masquerade, pick this one up! You can play it at home or on the go with beautifully drawn visuals and great atmosphere. The only downside that I really see is that there’s no voice acting, so people who aren’t fond of text-heavy games may have an issue. It is a little bit short too, but no less interesting and entertaining with the replay value it has. If you’re a newcomer to the franchise, like I said before, you might want to give this one a shot. There’s also an upcoming standalone expansion that has been announced by the devs, so picking this up first is a great way to get started.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York was provided by Draw Distance for this review.

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Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York

$19.99 USD

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Lots of Replay Value
• Well Written Story
• Gorgeous Drawn Visuals
• Great Atmosphere
• Easy to Reference Glossary of Terms is Included

Cons

• It is a Little Short
• No Voice Acting