Look, I’m a easy man. Level me in direction of something Vampire: The Masquerade, and I’m prepared to provide it a whirl. Developer Quick Journey Video games brings the grasp vampire expertise to VR with Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice. For probably the most half, it hits on its main aim: to make you are feeling like an actual vampire within the immersive medium of VR.

However whereas journeying by way of Venice as a bloodsucker in Justice is total a fairly strong expertise, the faults and obtrusive problems with VR are nonetheless current. There’s been numerous “low cost” makes an attempt to carry high quality licenses to VR for a fast buck. That isn’t the case with Justice. You may inform there was numerous ardour put into honoring the Vampire: The Masquerade IP. Nevertheless, the technological shortcomings of VR do crush the roughly 10-hour journey, making me surprise what this try would seem like when the know-how is in a greater place.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice (Meta Quest, PS VR2[reviewed], SteamVR)
Developer: Quick Journey Video games
Writer: Quick Journey Video games
Launched: February 6, 2024
MSRP: $29.99

Hiya, Venice

We’re thrust into the position of a vampire from the Banu Haqim clan, a moniker that roughly interprets to “Sons of the Sensible”. Our sire has been murdered—as in, dead-dead, not only a vampire—and it’s our job to seek out his killer. The hunt takes us to the darkish and gloomy underbelly of Venice, Italy. In VR, Venice is a bit hit and miss when it comes to its design. Character fashions of NPCs and enemies look higher than the setting they’re in, however total nonetheless really feel dated. Nevertheless, I’ve solely performed a number of VR titles up to now. From what I’ve performed, I’d say total Venice appears higher than most VR titles however nonetheless leaves a bit to be desired. Among the environmental textures look blurred or fundamental in case you take the time to actually examine and look nearer.

As for the precise world of Justice, although, it suits. The darkish and gloomy Venice below the glowing full moon definitely feels such as you’re on the earth of Vampire: The Masquerade, which I can definitely respect. You’ll traverse the underbelly of Venice, together with its darkish and damp sewer system, which definitely suits the Vampire: The Masquerade tone in a VR setting.

Sadly, the entire darkish shade scheme, whereas becoming, typically makes missions blur collectively and really feel considerably repetitive, particularly when the gameplay on every mission is normally the identical too. Stealth in direction of your subsequent goal, carry out a stealth takedown with out being noticed, and eat—properly, feed on, I suppose— some rats alongside the best way to replenish your energy. I believe the largest situation I had with Justice is that whereas the story stored issues fairly recent, the gameplay loop itself stayed largely the identical.

Darkness Falls

For probably the most half, Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice nails feeling like an actual vampire, which is kind of spectacular. Nevertheless, it’s vital to notice that Justice is a stealth recreation before everything. In the beginning of the sport, you’re required to stealth by way of your missions. Actually, most early Vampire Powers you unlock merely support your capabilities to sneak by way of the missions. Your first energy means that you can grow to be invisible so you’ll be able to sneak previous enemies, refueling your energy alongside the best way by sucking the blood of unaware people and even rats scurrying across the Venice sewers.

As you progress, you’ll unlock extra Vampire Powers, in addition to several types of ammo to your crossbow. Nevertheless, even with new powers and a flashy crossbow, stealth first remains to be the mantra all through Justice. In a means, it does type of hamper each actually feeling just like the super-powerful vampire we most likely ought to be. Even close to the top of Justice, you’ll be able to solely use a number of powers earlier than having to replenish your energy by feeding, which regularly felt like extra of a chore than a enjoyable gameplay ingredient.

In fact, you can even improve these powers. No less than to an extent. The improve potential may be very restricted, solely permitting you to improve every energy a few instances. There aren’t an enormous quantity of powers right here such as you would possibly anticipate from Vampire: The Masquerade, however that’s as a result of it’s largely solely powers that help with the core gameplay ingredient of stealth.

Actual terror is just not the sight of dying

Sadly, there are a number of flaws that grow to be fairly cumbersome in a ten-hour expertise. The AI of enemies leaves so much to be determined. Typically instances they freeze or stutter in place or are fully oblivious to what’s occurring round them. With such a give attention to stealth, I really feel like this is a vital side that Justice ought to get proper, not simply half-right.

A variety of key mechanics that make the most of the VR performance typically didn’t work too properly, both. Grabbing ahold of enemies to feed on them with out being seen was fairly difficult to really pull off. And I believe the issue wasn’t essentially meant, however fairly simply the VR not correctly realizing what I used to be attempting to do. A variety of instances it didn’t fairly choose up accurately, then I’d find yourself getting seen, and it was not a great time from there.

It’s the worry of dying

I additionally tried enjoying the sport whereas sitting, an choice most VR video games have these days, which Justice does as properly. However, although it’s technically accessible, it didn’t work proper in any respect. You may modify the elevation that the sport detects you at in order that it is best to correctly have the ability to keep seated and really feel like you’re standing at regular top, permitting you to crouch and search for. Nevertheless, regardless of how I adjusted the elevation, I used to be both positioned too excessive or too low.

For those who’re searching for a stealth VR recreation, Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice will definitely scratch that itch. The story is intriguing and thought out sufficient to make it worthwhile in case you care about Vampire: The Masquerade. And it’s very evident that Quick Journey Video games aimed to suit into the general materials setting. However the underwhelming RPG components, primarily the Vampire Powers, in addition to buggy controls and AI, make the expertise fall a bit in need of what I believe this bloodsucking journey might have been.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}