Hunter: The Reckoning — A Time of Monsters

I enjoyed AToM much more than the previous Hunter: The Reckoning CYOA title. While the story here takes place over a much more rapid time frame than the previous entry, it feels more focused and tense. I originally wanted to complain about how quickly the plot moved and how little time you get to spend developing your character stats and relationships, I ultimately came around on it for two reasons. One is that AToM feels less bloated than its previous entry, where many decisions and even some of the relationships that appeared to be weighty ended up being a binary yes/no with a relevant penalty/bonus. The second is that in the TTRPG this game is based on, hunters are the weakest characters, relying on their Drive and Desperation to give them so much as a sliver of hope against seemingly unstoppable monsters. So while the game has fewer relationships and a faster pace, everything ties into the story well. I would give it a 9/10 only because I do think it could have been a LITTLE longer, or given a little more "free time" during one or two of the interludes to explore multiple NPC relationships simultaneously. Out of all the World of Darkness text adventures, I would say this entry comes in third, behind Night Road and The Book of Hungry Names, which are also far larger adventures in terms of length and scope.

So in this one you doesnt have Stats like Resolve, Strength, Int, Dex, etc. But that doesnt make it less interesting. I liked the Story and the feeling - this game deserves its place besides the other two Hunter VNs. A good one!

I found A Time of Monsters engaging and enjoyable, if a little uneven. For a first foray into the World of Darkness—and into a modern-day setting—Paul Wang does an impressive job establishing voice, atmosphere, and character. It’s generally very well written, and it’s full of great set-ups and character moments. That said, ATOM doesn’t quite come together as cleanly as Wang’s Infinite Sea books, or some of the strongest entries in the wider WoD catalogue. For one, the protagonist is so close to a blank slate that it feels like a missed opportunity. There’s plenty of room to define your hunter’s history and personal stakes, but the game rarely gives you the space or tools to really do that. The ending also arrives abruptly; two or three additional chapters to sit with the cast, deepen motivations, and let key relationships breathe would have made the climax feel more earned. I also think the story would have benefited from committing more fully to one major thread. The split focus between the gangs and the Taishanhui makes both factions intriguing, but neither ends up explored as deeply as they deserve. None of this is a dealbreaker—more a collection of missed opportunities that stand out because the writing and setting work so well. It’s like going to a fine steakhouse where the steak is excellent, but the portion leaves you wanting, and the only sides on offer are coleslaw or underseasoned vegetables. Worth it for the steak, but the meal doesn’t quite leave you fully satisfied. I hope this doesn’t discourage Wang from returning to WoD. For a first attempt, he does a lot right; it’s just that in comparison to his own high bar, and the best of what WoD has to offer, ATOM is a solid entry rather than a standout.

ive played all of the WOD choice games and this is def one of the better ones, love it. lot of agency and stats matter, to a certain extent. i failed some things in my first playthru, but succeeded in others, and it didnt give me a bad ending, just different avenues. i recommend picking a stat and sticking to that one stat, as theres not a lot of chances to increase them. the characters all feel quite fleshed out, my fav is either zheng or wil. fleur de lys is kinda boring, almost seems like a character that was shoe horned in for pandering, not really much of a story there other than their sexual identity lol, the others seem to have motivations, weaknesses, and identities that come from their backstory other than "im such and such orientation and i just fight vampires for some reason!" i could have also missed out on dialogue, as ive only got one playthru in rn. the factions u can politick with are also very fleshed out and cool, other than the inquisition which you would not get any background info other than talking to one of the characters a lot. the creed and drive system is also very cool if you ask me. all in all, the choices feel like they matter, youre not shoehorned into anything you dont wanna do, you can be a goody two shoes, an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, or a grey area type of character and it doesnt mean you have to get a "bad" ending. youre not the chosen one, you have to actually interact with ppl for them to understand you and get to know you and like you/dislike you, noones youre best friend starting off. i feel like im rambling on a bit here, but its a very layered game if that makes sense, lots to do, lots to see, and it all matters in some way or another. also, the WOD theme doesnt take a backseat, its very prominent, which i loved.

If you are a member of the Peoples party of Canada you may not enjoy this. I majored in sociology and social stratification in college and reading this gave me the feeling i was back in school. There are vampires in the story but the back ground is poverty and institutional indifference to it. If you make a serious effort to succeed in the story you will do so. If this was placed in The U.S. my conservative friend would have a fit because they believe their is no grinding poverty here.

Paul Wang's done well here, and he's traded the sprawling epic writing of the infinity series to focus on some truly brilliant individual characterisation and writing for each of the main characters of the story. In-depth systems aren't really the game this time around, but enormous angst over the characters and decisions you'll face are inside. A really well done Choice of Games game.

I definitely think this one is worth checking out. Lord knows we WoD fans are always starved for good external media. Thankfully ChoiceofGames delivers, as always. As someone whose played a lot of CoG's other WoD games, I feel like this one fills a good niche while also still adhering to the source material in a successful manner. Compared to Beast of Glenkildove or Book of Hungry Names (two other Choice games in the WoD library) this one felt significantly less of a "slow burn", with your entire adventure spanning the duration of a single in-game month. They do something really interesting with this one by setting you in the role of a homeless person, as the obvious intention is for you to join the Hunter Cell and get to know your allies, as the whole overarching message of Hunter has always been that Humanity survives when it bands together But if you want? You can say "♥♥♥♥ that" very early in and your choice to go it alone makes the game significantly harder. You feel almost like you're playing This War of Mine in how desperately the game makes you fight just to survive, and no two choices ever really feel like they have a "right one" between them. Personally, I felt like the "go it alone" route was TOO hard and that's where you see all the claims from people about "railroading" because it's clear you're being punished for refusing companionship of others. But that's the point of it, right? This is a tabletop game and you're just one of these players, no ♥♥♥♥ your Storyteller is gonna punish you for trying to solo it. After playing both a "♥♥♥♥ yours, got mine" run and a "the power of friendship is canon" run, I gotta say; It's not just simply those two "Routes" as hard binaries, there is a LOT of wild ass directions the narrative can take. Obviously, I won't spoil those here for you, just know that the game isn't entirely as "railroaded" as some would have you believe. Give it a try if you like WoD as a setting and enjoyed any of their other titles. It "feels" shorter than the others by virtue of how short of an in-narrative time frame your character has, but it's still a pretty sizable read and well worth the price they're charging!!

Its kino, non stop kino

Good story, yet again, great writing from Paul Wang.

Hunter: The Reckoning – A Time of Monsters is a text-based adventure game which allows players to create and develop their own Imbued characters (i.e. one character per playthrough) as they strive to fortify themselves against encroaching threats, from bloodthirsty vampires to secretive mages, in the crumbling streets of Metro Vancouver, Canada. Unlike Choice of Games' previous Hunter text-based game that was The Beast of Glenkildove, this game focuses more on the player's interactions between characters, from fellow Imbued to conspiring supernaturals. More specifically, the characters whom you choose to trust or suspect will not only shape how the narrative of your playthrough unfolds, but also determine which Creed you work by and how secure your Safe House may be, up to the climactic ambush from and/or against the vampiric antagonists. As an example, I played as a bold and burly yet discreet Martial Imbued, driven by Envy, whom befriended Wilson Royce, a paranoid ex-soldier whom was disillusioned by his past experiences on the Hunt. As a result, my initial character succeeded in climbing the ranks of the local narcotics gang and, more importantly, bringing Final Death to one of the vampiric antagonists by brawling with her until sunrise. Alas, because my initial character had no money and no food left, he ended up collapsing on the streets from his near-fatal wounds, rewarding me with a Bad Ending. In addition to developing your character's Attributes and social links, you will also need to stock up on Food and Money so that you can easily recover lost Health and Willpower. Earning Money can also help you buy useful tools, from handheld weapons to utility items such as flashlights, burner phones, and a mini-fridge. Every action counts in this game, and the flow of the narrative moves smoothly, both for better and worse. So, if you enjoy playing text-based adventure games, or are a fan of the World of Darkness franchise, A Time of Monsters may be the Hunter: The Reckoning game for you. But, as a fair content warning, this game contains scenes of moderately explicit language, bloody violence, gang violence, alcoholism, theft, drug abuse, and sexual harassment. So please do not play this game if you are easily offended and/or traumatised by these adult themes.