In Choice of the Vampire, the first Choice of Games title written by Jason Hill, you are (surprise!) a newly minted vampire struggling to make your mark in undead society. Or maybe you're an idealist who believes true love of the eternal kind is just around the corner. Or could you be a devout soul who sees your new unlife as a sort of curse you must seek redemption from? Or perhaps you're a warrior barely kept in check by your maker and growing ever more impatient with the political niceties of your kind? These decisions, and many others, are yours to make in this dark text-based RPG set against the backdrop of one of the most dangerous and tumultuous times in American history... and beyond.
When options are presented, simply pick the one you want. Don't spend too much time agonizing over what will get the best outcome; you'll enjoy yourself more if you role play a little and choose what you think your character would do based on his or her personality. Options that appear grayed out are ones you don't meet the requirement for; a character who isn't proficient in the arts, for example, isn't going to be able to offer to showcase a ballad for their peers. All of this is influenced by your stats, which you can view at any time by clicking "show stats" at the top of the screen; not only will things like your strength or cunning have an effect on the things you do, but so too will your compassion, adaptation, and other things like your superstition or rationalism. Personally, it seems a little odd that a vampire, a creature of myth, legend, and frilly shirt collars could find voodoo or other magic more unlikely than their own unnatural existence, but, well, that's between you and any black cats that cross your path.
Analysis: The setting here is a little bit Anne Rice stewed with something that feels a lot like classic World of Darkness Vampire: The Masquerade concepts. Only with a lot more playing cards, and an unfortunate lack of Malkavians. The narrative takes place over a long time, and I was surprised at the amount of differences I found in replaying the game with different choices; not only do things like your chosen background influence you, but the decisions you make and responses you give to fellow vampires significantly shape what happens to you down the road... sometimes in ways you don't expect. It could be as subtle as finding yourself unable to resolve a situation because of a language barrier, or as big as winding up in an entirely different plot path. Even with multiple playthroughs of different character types, I was constantly encountering new scenarios. The amount of work is extremely impressive, and enough to keep you busy for quite some time.
This helps make up for the fact that there just isn't as much interactivity as you might hope for. Your character makes decisions as the plot requires them, but entire pages of text can go by with minimal involvement from you. There will definitely be times when you'll feel like a passenger alongside the narrative rather than a participant. And speaking of the narrative, it does tend to be a bit heavy-handed with describing the historical events happening. This wouldn't be a big deal if vampire society or even just the various vampires you'll meet themselves were given the same treatment, but it doesn't quite feel like they were given all the world building they deserve by comparison.
That said, however, the emphasis here appears to be placed more on storytelling, and at that Choice of the Vampire does quite well. The writing is generally top notch, and the cast of characters is robust and distinct. As befits a fledgling creature in a society so heavily steeped in social standing and infighting, you'll spend a good portion of the game early on feeling like a bit player on the sidelines while the more powerful work over your head. Even if you try to distance yourself from other vampires, it's easy to get drawn into their squabbles. The world of mortals may also be beneath your concern, or so you tell yourself, but it'll be hard to ignore the world when it's trying to tear itself apart right outside your door.
Whether you rise from obscurity to become a terror in vampire Society, or find yourself unable to resist the comforts and emotions of mortals, Choice of the Vampire is an exceptionally ambitious and well made adventure that shouldn't be missed by any fan of text games.
Those of you with an iPhone/iPod Touch or an Android phone will be pleased to learn that Choice of the Vampire is available on both the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Android Games!
Hmm... That was an incredibly quick release, considering Choice of Romance was only released earlier this month. I'm looking forward to playing this one.
Wow, another Choice Of game so soon? Why must you do this to me the moment I go back to school?
FYI, I think they have three people officially working on the games and they also take user submissions. Romance wasn't written by the same person as Vampire, thus the close releases.
Without a doubt the worst of the Choice series. Convoluted, tiresome and not particularly fun.
The other 3 Choice of Games are terrific. The "user submitted" games on there site are not.
It was an interesting experience but ultimately very frustrating. A lot of the decisions you make are important down the road but the logic involved in these is absolutely baffling.
Very light spoilers:
For example, you can play as a devoutly religious Frenchwoman whose greatest goal is redemption and defends the Church against your turner. You flee other vampires and try to be as virtuous as you can. Then a new priest comes to the neighborhood and you get a list of choices with the option of visiting him in grey (ie you can't choose it because it's not consistent with your character.) Same thing happens a few seconds later where you can't choose to say you'd attend an evening Mass.
And then there's just the shoehorning of the plot. In the subplot with the priest there's no chance to agree with him, you can't be interested in the Voodoo priestess without the game claiming you're courting her. And so on.
I liked this a lot. Tied with Choice of the Dragon for my favorite. It was a blast. Going to replay it!
There were alot of oddities: (involves spoilers)
If you are in St Charles when the new priest comes it immediately goes to a meeting even though it seems there should be an inbetween scene.
One scene (cant remember specifics) goes to a blank page with only next I assume this is a mistake as I didn't need to let a next bar load for my enjoyment.
You are shoehorned into Vicksburg! I was in St Charles and even though the second priest and I were fighting, I had just had a scene where he was in trouble in New Orleans and I was nurturing the new dislike of him and then WHAM villagers with pitchforks.
Another short text ends in "... TODO" apparently it never got done, lol.
In another playthru I choose all the musical and artistic options yet I couldn't successfully play a piano piece? Odd!
And agreed with the others: Too long of history segments the character building portions were so much cooler.
I really enjoy this game actually. I like that it's got a wider variety of moral and romantic choices than some of the previous Choice Of games.
I really wish I knew if there was a way to save
Clotho
though...
I have stumbled upon a "cheat" of sorts
When you give your character the first name Continue, the game will not end after Vicksburg.
Instead, it continues with another chapter set in Chicago during the times of the prohibiton.
I do not know wheter this is intentional or not and wheter this is in any relation with Chapter 2, but since it's in the game, I thought I'd share this:)
That was pretty good- I look forward to the next part.
My only regret about this game is I couldn't save Silas after my vampire fell in love with him. That kinda sucked- I played the game SO many times trying to find a way for him to live.
It was a bit difficult to catch on at first due to the wordiness, but once you've understood the mechanism a little bit better...Boy is it addicting!
By any chance anyone know what the criteria of being able to kill your maker in retaliation to killing Clotho after you have turned her? I stumbled on it once, but didn't take the chance. Rather regrettable since I spent the next ten tries trying to get my revenge...and still haven't found the "right" method...
Oh, the the "cheat" does reveal quite a few interesting things indeed. The change in gameplay style came as a bit of a surprise...
Gone through the game way too many times. Is there any way to:
become governor, figure out vampire secrets, have a 'happy' love life ending?
Is there a significance for the tech trait?
@Bloop:
No, not even a quaestor or senator. Seems you are too young for this.
No, other than those of three Rules, the Governor/Quaestor/Senator chain and it's similarity to ancient Rome (if you speak latin, are inteligent and are explained the chain).
Not with Clotho or Silas. Or anyone in "old era". I have not yet played through most of Chicago, but it seems "love-less" as well.
The Tech trait is of not much use in the "main" stroyline. However if you manage to get to St.Charles, the trait is used in some farming and other stuff. It is also used in some dealings in Chicago.
To get to St.Charles you have to either get exiled out of New Orleans, kill your maker and wander north or start as West's child and wander north.
I liked the idea of the "gray choices" system, but I would have liked the reasoning behind it to be less opaque. The sheer amount of subplots and nuances are dangerous to an OCD completionist like me. I'd like to see a closed circle murder mystery type game next, personally.
I like this game, although its kind of cruel sometimes!
My vampire fell in love with Clotho, who then dies. Afterwards she learns to accept Clotho's death and falls in love with Silas, who she tries to turn into a vampire. Withers says it's not a good time, Silas goes off to fight, then he dies!
Does anyone knows one way to beat the final quaestor ?
I found it amusing you are told to be more original if you try to name your character Angel(us), Spike, or Buffy, and also the last name Summers and Cullen. But Dracula is a-ok.
@Barbard C and PugMama: Agreed about the illogicality of the choices and their effects (and the inability to pick certain things).
Basically, I picked some stuff, other stuff happened that didn't really make sense, the game only lets you be either lovers or enemies/indifferent to certain character (not friends), I died randomly, and I really don't care enough to play this again.
Yeah, it stunk that
both Clotho and Silas die,
apparently no matter what.
Also, I can't seem to figure out how to create a character where the "I read occult and theology books." is not grayed out (ie, 'chooseable'.)
Argh! Kept trying to go for a good vampire, but whenever I got asked
who I liked to feed from, I apparently did not have a strong enough willpower to choose to say that I only fed from animals, and be telling the truth.
Has anyone found a way to be able to do that?
You need to "know about vegetarianism" I believe JIGuest. If you add scenes to the address as mentioned at the official game blog, you can see the code and get a little better idea of what you need to get what you want.
Also I recommend that to everyone def take a peak at the scenes this game has so many AWESOME branching stories, they haven't tied them all to a close but they have added SAVE function for your character for when the next part comes!
I am especially interested in the Shepherds and Wolves storyline, anyone had luck with that?
Can you fall in love with Jesse?
AGH. I got so far, and then I got killed by O'Donnell in Chicago (using the cheat). Does anyone know how to beat O'Donnell?
I find something new every time I play this game. It's really fun but it needs a bit more happy romance!
To choose animals select turned me into a vampire then leave the man alive, it should be an option then.
What race to be if your name is continue?
Hey...
Somehow the system randomly allocates one extra point to your character after you have elected your characteristics. So even if you choose the EXACTLY the same characteristics, there will be slight differences to you character... Test it for yourselves...
To play the piano piece you have to have a creative abilities of 2.
This is weird but if you fall for Clothe, and go to Jesse, tell him you lover her, he will relate his story... And he will be less hostile to you...
And if you later try to "suck up" to Estefania
she can teach you Spanish...
Anyway, here are my stats:
Vampire Name: Henrieta Breaux
Maker: Guillaume de Sainte-Chapelle
Choice of Prey: Socialites
Income (US$2010): 16
Wealth (US$2010): 241500
Literate? Yes.
Language(s): English, Spanish, French.
Agility 2
Charm 2
Intelligence 2
Strength 1
Willpower 1
Creation 3
Fighting 0
Lore 3
Perception 1
Shapeshifting 0
Stealth 0
Status 1
Streetwise 0
Technology 0
Adaptation 60 Anachronism
Callousness 51 Compassion
Hubris 59 Discretion
Communalism 83 Independence
Superstition 51 Rationalism
You had an artistic soul, who tried to leave something of yourself behind. When presented with the opportunity, you dazzled Governor Overstreet with your musical gifts. You composed a heart-rending ballad about Silas, and how you waited for him to return to you.
The name of your dominus was Guillaume de Sainte-Chapelle. He is alive, and is not ashamed to number you among his offspring.
Jesse Whitaker was your broodmate. Your devotion to Jesse knew no bounds. News of your 'retirement' is greeted with great sorrow by your elder broodmate.
Estefania Rios e Hidalgo was an acquaintance. The two of you were on friendly terms. She no doubt speaks highly of you when your name is brought up in conversation.
You fed from some historical figures. You fed on Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. You fed on Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America.
You close out the Civil War still in possession of your limbs and your faculties. You look forward to the next few decades with great anticipation.
MICHELLE
LOL!!! I tried entering "Bill Compton" and then "Eric Northman" as my vampire name, and I got text saying:
"What, you want to chase Sookie around like a wounded puppy? Grow a pair... of fangs."
And when I tried "Sookie" as my given name, it said:
"Really? You couldn't come up with something more original than that?"
And "Jason Stackhouse" gives me
"You must be as dumb as you look."
This is the best "Choice of ..." game yet. Keep it up, COG!
Anyone know when the next installment will be released? :(
Got to Chicago using the name Continue...seems this section is still glitchy.
"Outnumbered as you are, that coward Nicky reevaluates the situation, and turns his gun on you."
I killed Nicky before setting up a meeting with O'Donell, so unless vampires can come back as ghosts, show up out of nowhere at a clandestine meeting, and manage to kill the living, then it was a huge glitch.
this was the first "choice of" game i played. Best game i ever played in a while. =)
As a matter of fact, I made a female vampire who had the willpower to
be a vegetarian
which was really weird because the next scene is the
the one with Clotho and the man and I drunk his blood anyway, even though my character was a vegetarian.
I don't know why that is, probably just for the sake of gameplay.
Oh, and is there a way to
feed from Jackson? I tried twice and all I got was the stake =/
Oh and
does Silas commit suicide once you turn him? I "forced the turn upon him" and I think he kills himself... am I right?
I used Chuck Norris as the name... ;)
Vampire Name: Chelsea Claiborne
Dominus: Pieter Van der Ahe
Choice of Prey: Socialites
Final Income: 10
Final Wealth: 146500
Literate? Yes.
Language(s): English, French.
Agility 3
Charm 3
Intelligence 2
Strength 1
Willpower 1
Creation 0
Fighting 0
Lore 2
Perception 1
Shapeshifting 0
Stealth 2
Status 1
Streetwise 0
Technology 0
Adaptation 42/58 Anachronism
Callousness 49/51 Compassion
Hubris 18/82 Discretion
Communalism 67/33 Independence
Superstition 71/29 Rationalism
The name of your dominus was Pieter Van der Ahe. He is alive, and probably doesn't bring you up in conversation very much.
Jesse Whitaker was your broodmate. Your devotion to Jesse knew no bounds. News of your 'retirement' is greeted with great sorrow by your elder broodmate.
Estefania Rios e Hidalgo was an acquaintance. The two of you were on friendly terms. She no doubt speaks highly of you when your name is brought up in conversation.
You close out the Civil War still in possession of your limbs and your faculties. You look forward to the next few decades with great anticipation.
_______
I fell in love with Silas, but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to turn him and he died in battle after I was told to wait :'(
I ended up going to Memphis, Tennessee and my story ended here. When will they make he next one!
Vampire Name: Salome Richard
Maker: Pieter Van der Ahe
Choice of Prey: Socialites
Income (US$2010): 21
Wealth (US$2010): 292800
Literate? Yes.
Language(s): English, French, Spanish.
Agility 1
Charm 3
Intelligence 3
Strength 1
Willpower 2
Creation 0
Fighting 0
Lore 2
Perception 2
Shapeshifting 0
Stealth 0
Status 2
Streetwise 0
Technology 1
Adaptation 47 Anachronism
Callousness 21 Compassion
Hubris 42 Discretion
Communalism 64 Independence
Superstition 74 Rationalism
I'm confused. The game recognizes me as male at some times and female at other times. Gah.
how do you become a vegetarian
Does anyone know how to learn Latin? I have the greyed out option too.
Vampire Name: Marcel Richard
Maker: Wallace Winters
Choice of Prey: Artists
Income (US$2012): 25
Wealth (US$2012): 38500
Literate? Yes.
Language(s): English, French, Spanish.
Agility: 2
Charm: 3
Intelligence: 1
Strength: 1
Willpower: 2
Creation: 3
Fighting: 0
Lore: 2
Perception: 1
Shapeshifting: 0
Stealth: 0
Status: 2
Streetwise: 1
Technology: 0
Adaptation: 95% Anachronism: 5%
Callousness: 35% Compassion: 65%
Hubris: 42% Discretion: 58%
Communalism: 76% Independence: 24%
Superstition: 59% Rationalism: 41%
Update