A Vampyre Story

By: Derek Yu

On: February 3rd, 2009

A Vampyre Story

I just found out today that A Vampyre Story, the long-awaited adventure game by ex-LucasArts artist Bill Tiller, was released in December of last year! This one looked promising from the get-go, and not just because of the pedigree of its creators… the gothic setting seemed ripe and the early screenshots of the game were gorgeous.

Unfortunately, having finished the demo, I have to say I’m a little disappointed. I found the single puzzle offered as a trial about as intuitive as a Rube Goldberg machine… that is to say, it quickly devolved into a “try clicking every item on every hotspot”-type madness. And I still had to consult a walkthrough in the end!

I also think the English voice-acting is going to irk people – the game’s protagonist, Mona, speaks with an accent that I would describe as “French Bimbo.” It’s not terrible – in fact, it grew on me during the demo – but… aw, jeez, what can I say? The bar has been set so high for funny dialogue and voice acting in point n’ click adventures. Especially with a double act like this. It just wasn’t my bag.

That said, reviews of the game seem to be overall pretty favorable, like this one on RPGFan (from which I learned of the game’s release), and even this one on Adventure Gamers, which is more sober. And there are some interesting mechanics, like hotspot hints (hold “Tab”) and being able to store “ideas” in your inventory screen for items that are too large to conceivably carry. It’s very likely that the full game ($30, retail-only) is more polished than what the demo and the rather flimsy website suggest. But it would have to be quite a bit more for me to recommend it.

You can buy A Vampyre Story at retail stores in the US and UK, or online through The Adventure Shop or Amazon.

TIGdb: Entry for A Vampyre Story

  • Zixinus

    I do recommend the game. Some of the other puzzles do make more sense, I promise.

    The story is otherwise very good and one of the few truly meaningful ones out to date.

    Setting the difficulty level has always been the Achille’s heel of adventure games.

  • http://www.tscreative.net BMcC

    Hey, what’s wrong with French bimbos?!

  • Mark

    When they talk.

  • Zixinus

    I didn’t find Mona particularly stupid. More like childish and a bit spoiled.

    I do make it clear that her accent can become quite annoying at times.

  • http://lumberingdream.com/ !CE-9

    can’t wait to see the arrival of the first Vampyre Story ripoffs.

  • Jamal

    Derek, you are becoming a great writer.

  • ngajoe

    I was also turned off by the demo…the diologue was indeed quite irksome (both the accent and the humor that just fell flat), and the puzzles left something to be desired.

    I really did want to like it, too–it’s been a while since I’ve played a good adventure game.

  • Cryovat

    It annoys me this isn’t available through digital distribution. :-/

  • r13

    I’ve just read a review in Polish PC gaming magazine, CD Action.
    The reviewer gave it 6+ and written that Mona isn’t someone to like at all and humour and in-jokes aren’t simply funny. Every sentence in the game tries to be funny.
    And Bill Tiller was only doing backgrounds and rooms for The Curse Of The Monkey Island and some additional stuff Indy Jones and Infernal Machine, Star Wars Racer, The Suffering and NARC. And yes, graphics are really good in VampStory, but the writing isn’t.

  • Zixinus

    r13

    Are you telling you opinion or CD Action’s?

  • Ilia Chentsov

    Isn’t Macarena of the Missing a Vampyre Story rip-off?

  • Nicolas Mutis

    @Cryovat

    Indeed, I agree; hope to see it available soon.

  • r13

    Zixinus:

    The CD-Action’s, of course. Sorry for grammar ;)

  • captain_duck

    I played a couple of hours of this today, and loved it. There are a ton of bad puns, but theres a lot of great humor. The conversations with the iron maiden and ozzy were great. Anyway if you ask me, it has that old lucasarts shine. If you loved the old adventures, try this.

  • http://www.funmahol.com Mobile

    Lovaly Game.But i think i have played game much like this in mobile also.yaa it was mobile game! I can’t remember which one was it?????

  • Mats

    Its not going up on steam? Sorry, not buying then.

  • Rickitz

    > Its not going up on steam? Sorry, not > buying then.

    Why not? Should Steam have a monopoly on distribution?