Vampire: The Masquerade — Parliament of Knives

When I first finished the game a while ago, I wasn't really sure if I liked it or not. It sure felt like a VtM game, the writing is great and it captured the atmosphere of the World of Darkness perfectly, with all the political wars going on. But I didn't like how set in stone your role in the court was. I felt like I was pressed into a certain form and my freedom of shaping my own character felt rather limited. But: I recently played it again, trying to get a new/better view of the novel and it worked. I "ignored" predetermined role I was given and played more with a "fool around and find out" mindset. I chose a different clan with different decisions, seeing many things I missed/got locked out of my first playthrough and really grew to like it. I think playing this title with the knowledge of the first run made it a lot better, I had a great time. [spoiler] Especially when playing as a Malkavian with your (trusty) buddy there at all time. But that's DLC content, just to be clear. [/spoiler]

A captivating narrative that branches out in complex directions. The replayability of this game is astonishing, and I would recommend the DLC for it adds a whole new side to the story.

Very good writing and atmosphere, if you are looking for a real cutthroat camarilla politics game this is the game for you.

The most fun you can have in dead silence.

In my humble opinion, the best interactive book on VTM, politics and intrigue is what vividly shows the life of kindred

Love it. Would love a parser-style game like this with maybe more open world. Get the DLC

I enjoyed this quite a bit more than Out for Blood. The vibes were good, the writing was decent, and I definitely felt like I had a somewhat unique experience that would differ if I tried a different route/clan. I'll take more World of Darkness where I can get it!

Where VTM Night Road is packed with density and possibilities within its scenes, Parliament of Knives is more zoomed-out but no less gripping, allowing you to weave your own path through loads of possible scenes and events to follow what feels like your own story through a much more politicking kind of VTM story. This is denser than it appears, and though it's slow at the beginning the intrigue really got me. One of the best VTM games out there for sure.

My only complaint is that I couldn't romance Corliss. Other than that, had a great time.

Preamble I only played with the DLC installed that adds extra story content. Pros Compelling Characters: All the characters are interesting, which genuinely incentivizes replaying the game multiple times to deepen your understanding of each individual storyline. Rich Language: The vocabulary used can sometimes be difficult for a non-native English speaker to grasp, but it is very manageable with a translator on hand. Meaningful Choices & Variety: There are distinct ways to reach the various endings. Even though the story is forced to pass through certain key moments, every choice feels like it truly weighs in the balance. C-o-n-s Length: It felt a touch too short for my taste, though the playtime is roughly equivalent to Night Road. Repetitive Replays: Having to restart from the beginning and go through the exact same key plot points every time can be frustrating and makes subsequent runs less exciting. However, the "bookmark" mode (which I haven't used yet) might make uncovering hidden story fragments easier. Overall, Parliament of Knives is a compelling narrative experience that shines through its complex characters and meaningful political maneuvering. While the replay loop can feel repetitive due to the unskippable scenes, the depth of the DLC and the sheer variety of endings make it a worthwhile journey. If you enjoyed Night Road and have the patience to explore different narrative branches, this is a solid addition to the Vampire: The Masquerade collection.