When it released back in 2019, Disco Elysium became an instant hit due to its stunning art style and solid RPG storytelling. Since then, many fans have been searching for new games that deliver on similar vibes. An upcoming game set within a familiar horror universe just might be the follow-up RPG and horror fans have been waiting for. Vampire: The Masquerade: Eternal Whispers is a new CRPG set in the World of Darkness. And it has me more than ready to dive in.
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During the Summer Game Fest PC Gaming Show stream, Vampire: The Masquerade: Eternal Whispers showed off its world premiere announcement trailer. From this first look alone, the “Disco Elysium vibes” pitch does seem to be accurate. The trailer shows off a gorgeous, painted art style that brings the horror effect to life. Or… undeath? And the CRPG approach definitely feels like the right move to truly capture what fans love about Vampire: The Masquerade. In short, this is one that belongs on your watch list.
Vampire: The Masquerade is Perfect for a Top-Down CRPG
Though Bloodlines has enjoyed years of cult following, it’s no secret that more recent Vampire: The Masquerade video games have had a mixed reception. The long-awaited sequel, Bloodlines 2, didn’t quite live up to the hype for many, myself included. And while a few promising visual novels are in the works, that niche genre can be hit or miss for gamers. A top-down CRPG, however? That has the potential to lean into the roots that made horror fans fall in love with the original Vampire: The Masquerade TTRPG back in 1991. As someone who loves vampires and rolling D20s, I’m forever rooting for the next great video game set in the World of Darkness.
From the looks of it, Eternal Whispers just might be it. The trailer shows off a stunning gothic art style that brings the dark world of Montreal to life. And as a top-down CRPG, the game is poised to deliver the kind of in-depth roleplaying and character customization that many TTRPG fans crave. This is something that was somewhat lacking in Bloodlines 2, and it’s exciting to see a new project that really honors those TTRPG roots. That said, there’s a whiff of some of my favorite parts of Bloodlines 2 here, too. There’s a mystery at the heart of the story, one you work to solve while striving to maintain the Masquerade.
This initial look at Eternal Whispers shows off plenty of gameplay, including character customization that lets players more fully embody their unique Kindred. While I love a good action RPG, it warms my dice goblin heart to see on-screen dice rolls take center stage in a game based on a TTRPG system. With any luck, this will be a new definitive adaptation of the beloved Vampire: The Masquerade world, one that truly delivers the lore and mechanics fans want to see.
Dice Rolls and Player Choices Shape the Story, As It Should Be
Let’s dig a bit deeper into what has me so hyped for Vampire: The Masquerade: Eternal Whispers. Yes, I love to see character customization, and I’m all for the Disco Elysium-inspired art style. But it’s the dice rolls and player choices shaping the narrative that have me truly feeling hopeful this game will, at least, deliver the vampire RPG experience I’ve been hoping to sink my teeth into.
Eternal Whispers employs “fail-forward storytelling” where your failed dice rolls have real consequences. Much like Baldur’s Gate 3, a failed roll can force you to change your strategy, while also shaping the story your playthrough will tell. Failing a roll doesn’t stop the story, but it does reshape it. And that, my friends, is how a good TTRPG-inspired game should work.
Player choices will also have a big impact on the game’s narrative. When I played Bloodlines 2, I never quite got the sense that certain choices changed all that much about the story. In a role-playing game, I want to feel like what I do matters. Flyos and Kwalee promise “meaningful choices with lasting consequences,” where each conversation, alliance, and action you take will influence what happens next. If the game delivers, I’m hopeful it will feel like sitting down to play a game of Vampire: The Masquerade, in video game form.
Of course, we still need to see plenty more to confirm this game will deliver on my instant, post-reveal hype. The full lineup of playable Clans has yet to be unveiled, for instance. But so far, I like what I see, and I have high hopes for Vampire: The Masquerade: Eternal Whispers. The game doesn’t yet have a release window, but it is available to wishlist on Steam if you want to stay in the know. I know I do.
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