Zelda, Robocop, and Other Games to Enjoy This Holiday Season

Available on platforms like PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Windows, macOS, and Linux (Steam Deck experience might vary), I’m currently on a mission to gather more Kindred for my coterie.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York had been gathering virtual dust in my Steam library for quite some time. But with a new tabletop campaign of Vampire, the RPG that this game partially adapts, now seemed like the perfect occasion to delve into this visual novel.

And wow, am I thrilled that I did. So far, Coteries of New York has been a phenomenal source of inspiration for my campaign. It’s doing a fantastic job of keeping the game’s world vibrant and alive in my imagination. Vampire is a complex tabletop game. Here, characters aren’t your typical heroes; they’re creatures grappling with a nightmarish reality. The setting is rich with intricate lore and unique terminology that can be daunting to master. While you could certainly absorb this by poring over rulebooks accompanied by haunting tunes (I highly recommend Soma FM’s Dark Zone for those late-night Kindred musings), experiencing a creative work like this game adds a deeper layer of understanding.

What’s striking about Coteries of New York, especially compared to some of the higher-profile Vampire releases, is its nature as a visual novel, offering a refreshing shift from the more action-driven video games I usually dive into. This format helps me immerse into the dark, gothic atmosphere of the World of Darkness universe, more so than a typical RPG might—though I do wish, like Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Heart of the Forest, it incorporated more RPG elements. That particular title, part of the same universe as Vampire, cleverly merges the narrative depth of a visual novel with role-playing elements.

Nevertheless, even without those extra mechanics, Coteries of New York succeeds brilliantly in conveying the deep sense of dread and gloom that defines any great World of Darkness tale. I’ve been navigating the story as Lamar, a Toreador, enjoying the company of a new Malkavian ally, Hope. There are still many vampires from the setting’s diverse clans to encounter. If the engaging and accurate writing in Hope’s storyline is any indication, there are certainly more intriguing narratives to explore on the shadowy streets of New York City. — Claire Jackson