The World of Darkness franchise is getting an additional game to its list with the Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong. Publisher Nacon had just released the latest trailer, giving tidbits of what to expect from the game as it nears release.
Swansong is slated to launch on multiple platforms, including next-generation consoles Xbox Series X and PS5, in 2021.
Embrace the role of 3 vampires, weave between their intertwined stories, unravel fact from fiction and make choices that will define the future of the city of Boston.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is coming to EGS, PS5, Xbox Series X, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch in 2021. pic.twitter.com/rKc8YwtlOw
— Nacon (@Nacon) July 7, 2020
A Visual Novel
Originally displayed in PDXCON 2019, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is a narrative-driven title that adapts directly from the up-to-date tabletop source. Gameplay-wise, it shares a similar design to Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York.
Displayed in a beautifully animated imagery, the brief trailer lets viewers in on a premise of what’s going on in Swansong. The theme is the unification of two factions based on two domains, namely Boston and Hartford, and the subsequent conflict that will ensue.
The issue likely arising from the tradition that sees only a single prince—a unisex title—ruling over a single domain. Possibly further added by the history of contention among princes in the past.
The short trailer has not been pretty clear what the impetus is that created the premise. However, the latter half of it is quite depicting the conflict that results from the idea of unification.
Gameplay Information
Looking into the game’s website, it seems that players will take on the role of three vampires. Each of which is more than a century old, suggesting all three’s intimacy in the ways of the dark world.
However, as each vampire is unique, players could, therefore, also get to experience the game in a different light. More than just a disparity in viewpoints, it also speaks of each vampire’s unique abilities that players can choose to leverage.
Players can choose to either frighten their enemies, seduce, or sneak their way out for answers. Whichever option, the player does this to solve a mystery that combines both truth and lies.
The player has options for action to choose from, underpinning the need to survive and progress through the story continually.
Cause and Effect
With a heavy focus on the narrative, part of the game’s core design would be the aspect of causality. This cautions players of the need to weigh the consequences of each option. Because whatever the player chooses to do will inevitably shape the events that unfold along the way.
The Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is not to be confused with Vampire: Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, which is also another developing title.
Image used courtesy of PlayStation/YouTube Screenshot