Vampire The Masquerade Reckoning of New York Review: Falls Short

If you’re a fan of the Vampire: The Masquerade series, you’re likely familiar with the anticipation that surrounds each new instalment. Known for its dark, moody atmosphere and deeply immersive storytelling, the franchise has attracted a dedicated fan base. When Reckoning of New York hit the scene, it promised to live up to its predecessors, Coteries of New York and Shadows of New York. But, does it?

The Illusion of Choice: Does It Really Matter?

When you begin Reckoning of New York, you’re presented with the illusion of a choice between two characters Kali, a young Ravnos vampire, and a shadowy figure later revealed to be Padraic. If you were hoping to start as the latter, think again. You must first complete the entire game as Kali before unlocking Padraic, which serves as an apt metaphor for the game as a whole: promising the freedom to choose, but ultimately locking you into a predetermined path.

Much like the narrative itself, any choices you’re presented with quickly reveal themselves to be inconsequential. Whether you decide to act tough or show a softer side, the plot trudges forward with little to no deviation. It’s as if the game gives you a steering wheel but keeps the car firmly on rails. The game isn’t about making choices it’s about watching the story unfold, with you as a passive observer.

A Script That Misses the Mark

The writing is where the game’s flaws become glaring. From the outset, it feels awkward, bogged down by unnecessary rhetorical questions and overwrought inner monologues. The writing oscillates between trying too hard to be witty and being painfully heavy-handed.

Take Kali, for example. She’s supposed to be a young, hip vampire, yet her dialogue is peppered with out-of-place references like “Take the L” and “Yapping.” While these phrases might be trendy, they feel forced and out of character. And then, there’s the infamous Frozen reference: “The cold never bothered me anyway.” It’s a line so cringeworthy that it completely disrupts the game’s already fragile atmosphere.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the writing is the inconsistency. Kali’s voice is scattered and lacks coherence, flipping between modern slang and outdated, clumsy dialogue. One minute she’s making quips about Ally McBeal, a 1990s cultural reference, and the next, she’s dropping pop-culture jokes that make her sound like an awkward teenager trying too hard to fit in.

Missed Opportunities in Storytelling

Reckoning of New York suffers from what can only be described as missed opportunities. The narrative spends too much time walking you through the character’s internal thoughts, rather than letting you make meaningful choices. For instance, Kali frequently contemplates actions the player should decide, but the game takes the reins, forcing you down the pre-set path. It’s like watching someone else play a game, leaving you with little investment in the outcome.

The dialogue is clunky, often serving more as exposition than meaningful conversation. It’s as if the writers were trying to mimic fan fiction rather than creating a cohesive, immersive world. Kali’s interactions with other characters feel hollow, her snarky remarks overshadowed by an overall lack of substance. Even when she engages with other vampires, like the Thin Blood you meet early in the game, the conversations fall flat, giving the player no room to actually shape the narrative.

The Aesthetic: Can Art Save the Game?

If there’s one area where Reckoning of New York still holds some charm, it’s the visual and atmospheric design. The backdrop art is hauntingly beautiful, capturing the eerie, cold streets of New York during the winter. The ambiance is where the game comes closest to recreating the dark, brooding feel of the World of Darkness.

But even this has its hiccups. The character portraits, especially of key figures like Aisling and the Prince, seem off. Their designs lack the elegance and authority expected of such figures in the Masquerade universe. Kali’s own design, complete with random accessories like a Walkman, feels like an afterthought rather than a meaningful detail. It’s as if the visual design tried to do too much but didn’t stick the landing.

While the music in Coteries and Shadows was memorable, setting the tone for the game’s oppressive atmosphere, Reckoning’s soundtrack is nothing to write home about. It’s passable, but forgettable, lacking the moodiness that defined earlier instalments.

The Gameplay: Where Choices Are An Illusion

One of the biggest let downs of Reckoning is how it handles choices or rather, how it doesn’t. Throughout the game, you’re given the illusion of making decisions that matter, but they rarely do. Even in moments where you’re offered a choice, like how you interact with other characters or approach certain situations, the results are the same.

For example, when you confront a Thin Blood on Night 2, you have the option to be a hardcases or to act more compassionate. But no matter what you choose, Kali’s inner monologue betrays your decisions, commenting on how she feels bad about her actions even if you played it tough. It’s frustrating because it removes any sense of agency. Why bother giving us choices if they don’t lead to meaningful consequences?

This problem extends to almost every interaction in the game. Rather than giving players the power to shape the narrative, the game forces you down a rigid path. It’s a stark contrast to the World of Darkness tabletop RPG, where every decision can have a profound impact on the unfolding story.

The Character of Kali: A Missed Opportunity for Depth

Let’s talk about Kali for a moment. On the surface, she seems like an interesting protagonist a young vampire from the Ravnos clan, who is searching for her missing sire. But Kali’s character quickly becomes insufferable. Her quips, filled with non-sequiturs and outdated references, fail to endear her to the player. She feels more like a caricature of a modern, internet-savvy vampire rather than a fully fleshed-out character with depth.

Kali’s sarcastic, flippant attitude also undercuts the seriousness of the situations she finds herself in. She’s facing life-and-death decisions, dealing with the sinister politics of the Camarilla, but her reaction is to drop a pop culture reference? It’s hard to take the narrative seriously when the protagonist refuses to do the same.

Padraic: A Glimmer of Hope?

Once you finish the game as Kali, you unlock the ability to play as Padraic, a clan less Anarch who offers a different perspective on the events of the game. Padraic is, at least outwardly, less prone to the flippant behaviour that makes Kali so irritating. However, by the time you unlock him, you’ve already endured hours of a lacklustre story. Does Padraic redeem the game? Not entirely. While his character offers a fresh perspective, the underlying problems with the narrative and lack of meaningful choices remain.

Final Thoughts: A Step Back for the Series

Ultimately, Reckoning of New York is a step backward for the Vampire: The Masquerade series. While Coteries of New York and Shadows of New York weren’t perfect, they offered a blend of strong storytelling, engaging choices, and rich world-building that made them compelling entries in the series. Reckoning fails to capture the same magic.

Between the amateurish writing, lack of meaningful choices, and inconsistent tone, it’s hard to recommend Reckoning of New York to even the most die-hard fans of the Masquerade series. It’s not the worst visual novel out there, but it’s certainly not the best either. If you’re looking for a rich, immersive experience, you might want to revisit Shadows of New York or even the tabletop RPG itself.