At last, there’s a great vampire video game to really enjoy.

      You might assume that with the abundance of vampires present in video games, we would have more quality vampire-themed games. However, despite titles ranging from Castlevania to The Sims 4 featuring bloodsuckers in various forms, most games fail to capture the essence of what makes vampires intriguing. They lack the essential impact.

      This impact refers to the biting commentary that vampires provide as reflections of societal fears throughout different eras. At best, only two vampire video games have managed to achieve this: Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines from 2004 and Vampyr from 2018. The release of the narrative RPG Cabernet increases this count to three.

      An evening out

      Vampires are inherently social creatures. The fear they evoke stems from their ability to resemble us and seamlessly integrate into society while secretly preying on victims. While their powers vary depending on the narrative, vampires primarily wield charm as their main weapon. This concept is central to Cabernet. Similar to 2022's Pentiment, the game focuses heavily on dialogue and relationship-building. However, these relationships often come at a cost.

      Cabernet begins with the funeral of Liza, who will soon rise as a newly turned vampire. During her eulogy, players can choose the type of life she led, which will influence stats like Science, Arts, and History. These stats become crucial as players navigate the game’s 19th-century Eastern European town, inhabited by both living and undead residents. As a vampire, Liza requires invitations to enter certain buildings and a steady supply of blood. Forming relationships often serves a strategic purpose. Like any adept vampire, I skillfully interact with the locals to gain their trust, thereby expanding my options for the evening.

      To prevent me from achieving all my goals, Cabernet incorporates an action system during the nights. Liza can participate in three events each evening that consume actions, often tied to significant moments in a resident’s questline. I was unable to complete every quest during my initial playthrough, necessitating the prioritization of some characters over others based on my objectives as Liza. I dedicated much of my time to researching vampire blood in an effort to understand undead existence while also attempting to charm a local musician grieving her husband's death—a transgression I failed to confess. Consequently, I didn’t have the chance to get to know the local bookseller.

      Even as an immortal with seemingly limitless time, I can’t pursue every opportunity. Occasionally, quests could remain incomplete due to technical glitches. I encountered several bugs during my two playthroughs that, at best, reset progress by a few minutes and, at worst, completely disrupted questlines. It's wise to save frequently.

      Developing an appetite

      My ability to win over locals was enhanced by the skills I assigned to Liza during her funeral. A high literature and writing stat made me instantly popular with the local poet, while a low science stat made my interactions with a vampiric doctor lengthy. As I progressed, I earned more points to distribute across my stats. The option to change Liza’s attire at the beginning of each night, selecting from a variety of dresses that offer distinct stat bonuses, aids in addressing any gaps in my knowledge.

      However, building relationships as a vampire carries significant risks. Early on, Cabernet uses its well-crafted, and extremely likable, characters to impart this lesson. Liza is, and will always be, captive to her bloodlust. Getting close to others puts them at risk. When Liza first succumbs to the urge to feed, I watched in horror as she sank her teeth into someone in whom I had invested considerable time.

      This dramatically altered my approach to playing Cabernet. Despite my desire to connect with characters, I often questioned whether it would be wiser to maintain a distance. This also pushed me to build connections with some of the less appealing townsfolk in hopes of securing a dependable blood source. It's an ingenious method to encourage players to step outside their comfort zones in terms of the characters they engage with in games.

      Bloodsucking isn’t Liza’s only ability. She can also transform into a bat, hypnotize others, and become invisible. When utilized wisely, these powers helped me avoid unwanted attention and even earn a permanent discount at the local general store. However, these abilities felt more like a last resort, used only when absolutely necessary. This enhances the vampire fantasy, as employing these powers risks exposing Liza and her fragile existence among the living.

      A bloody good experience

      Cabernet allows players considerable freedom in defining the kind of vampire they want to be, but actions come with consequences. Every decision Liza makes influences her humanity or nihilism. Being kind to residents and assisting them fosters humanity, while stealing and killing promotes nihilism. This moral framework also applies to minor dialogue choices. Comforting someone in grief yields humanity, while being dismissive of human life’s fragility leads to nihilism. At its core, this system mirrors Liza