Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York | Review (PC) among the mysteries of the Big Apple

Infants, long night to you.

I know you are perplexed, and you don't remember how you got here, or why, but don't worry: let yourself go, suspend your judgment and listen to what we have to tell you.

Because you know, we have a lot to tell you.

The world is not what you know. There are many mysteries to be revealed, mysteries related to lineage of the Cainites and his deeds, and we are confident that with a game of Vampire the Masquerade: Coteries of New York doing it will be fun and delicious as you would ever think.

Are you ready to immerse yourself in a World of Darkness?

 

A long-awaited return

Vampires: The Masquerade is one of the narrative universes most famous and interesting of the contemporary role-playing game, able to create one of the largest communities of enthusiasts outside that of more accessible classics such as Dungeons & Dragons. An incredible success, so much so as to give life to several lines of publications and, of course, to land in the world of digital gaming first with Redemption (2000) and then with Bloodlines (2004). After years of abandonment, today the brand seems to have been revived, and in a big way: we know that 2020 will be the videogame year of Bloodlines 2, which has the arduous task of confirming the quality of its predecessor and introducing new generations to the brand. However White wolf, the studio behind the role-playing game, did not stop there and decided to add to the blockbuster also Coteries of New York, a visual novel which takes us among the vampires of contemporary New York. A task went to the Polish team draw distance.

 

Three clans, one story

The setting up of Coteries of New York is quite simple and follows the stylistic features of the genre. The player is called to guide his alter ego through a series of semi-static scenes, characterized by beautiful drawings that refer to some of the illustrations in the manuals of the fifth edition of the game (released last year). Each scene will consist of an encounter with an NPC, and it will be our choices during the dialogues with them to make the story evolve and decide its turn.

As for our identity, in the course of the game we will find ourselves impersonating a newborn vampire (or just transformed), which depending on our initial choice may belong to three different clans featured in the Vampires The Masquerade lore: the wild and proud Brujah, the nobles Pot-bellied or the charming ones Toreador. Depending on our choice, our alter ego will have a different power, which we can use during the adventure to solve some situations, a small hint of an RPG approach which, however, does not strongly impact the game mechanics.

Regardless of our choice, we will find ourselves in a situation extremely dangerous for a vampire. Already after the first steps in the game we will in fact be judged as criminals, as our embrace has not been authorized by Prince of the city (which goes against the laws of the Camarilla, the league of clans of which we will find ourselves a part) and therefore condemned to death. Thanks to unexpected alliances, fortunately, our destiny will have a much less tragic continuation, and from that moment the journey inside a made world will begin. of intrigue, action, survival.

An initiatory tale

Thanks to his choice to put us in the shoes of an "infant", from the very beginning Coteries of New York is a game that seems to have a simple and interesting goal: introduce newbies to the Vampire setting. A very welcome “extra”, that is a practical one, also contributes to this dictionary of terms proper to the setting (appropriately highlighted also within the dialogue lines) that we can consult at any time.

On balance, anyone who has played White Wolf RPG could almost feel like they're playing a product designed to “savor” the setting to people who do not know it and intend to approach that world through a series of typical situations.

To give examples, of great impact is the way in which the passage of our alter-ego is described from its state of unconscious human to bestial predator, and even more fun it will be to meet one by one the bizarre exponents of the various clans, each able to embody one aspect of those who are fundamental themes of the game.

The main course of Coteries of New York, as you may have guessed, is therefore a tight writing, also modeled taking inspiration from the narrative segments of the setting manuals of the paper game. Its result is a narrative that attacks the player, dragging him into the game atmosphere with his light-hearted and subtly ironic style.

As far as the story is concerned, finally, as was to be expected, the screenwriters have spent body and soul to come up with a compelling story and full of twists, in a succession of memorable situations.

Canonical, but with style

If there is very little to object to the quality of the script, the graphics sector and the setting of the game deserve some deeper consideration.

As we mentioned before, the packaging of Coteries of New York is that of a very elegant basic visual novel. The impression you get when playing it on PC is that of a very canonical title for its genre, which while trying to insert role-playing or personalization elements of the character's path almost always ends up privileging a rather classic story driven scheme. A feature that may not involve those who, on the contrary, are looking for a game with more tension or with more space for the challenge, but which will be the paradise for all those looking for a narrative adventure able to entertain them for hours and hours through a flood of quests and subquests intertwined with each other. All supported by an inspired visual apparatus, with well-characterized locations and iconic characters.

 

 

To complete the picture, an immediate player interface that will not only entice us to carefully evaluate the answers to be given to the characters, but it will guide us perfectly within a world in which even the smallest choice changes the relationship with the NPCs and with the surrounding world.

Going forward with the plot, then, the situation becomes even more interesting thanks to a system of quest semi-autoconclusive which increases the longevity of the adventure and allows us to go further into the setting, an approach that really gives depth to the gaming experience. Therefore, if on the one hand the impression is that of having a title in front of you that could only focus on a "niche" audience, on the other hand the team's effort to offer a deep product, quite replayable and able to immerse the player in a unique atmosphere.

Finally, applause also for the musical sector which, despite being mostly made up of "functional" songs, perfectly cradles the player through a series of well-kept environmental tracks and perfectly in the mood of the story, underlining Draw Distance's care in creating a profound and enjoyable experience.

 

Final comment

Coteries of New York is a great surprise. Passed as a "side" title compared to the much more talked about Bloodlines 2, the impression it gave was that of a product designed to simply "Taste" a tasty dish but still not ready for the table and with only a fair variation in the recipe. Instead, we are faced with a main course, a game with a very specific identity and dignity.

It is not a title for everyone. Those who do not like visual novels will hardly feel comfortable with him, and those who expect a starter of an action-rpg will be disappointed. But for fans of the series or simply lovers of modern gothic, this is an unmissable interactive story, which honors an important license thanks to a technical realization with attention to every detail.

Buy it now here