Review: Vampire: The Masquerade–Redemption Official Strategy Guide

Vampire: The Masquerade–Redemption
Official Strategy Guide

BradyGAMES
©2000 Macmillan USA, Inc.
By Sion Rodriguez y Gibson

Review by Cindy Kyser Morgan

As an adventure gamer, I have always been a bit skeptical about purchasing strategy guides. It never made much sense to pay for a walkthrough when I could get the hints I needed from fellow gamers. And, for an adventure game, the kind of assistance one generally requires (e.g., what do I give the princess to make her open the drawbridge) does not lend itself to a book that is substantial enough to justify the $20-something price tag.

I recently completed Activision’s Vampire: The Masquerade–Redemption in single-player mode. As a complex action/RPG title, this game was not one that I could finish with just a couple of hints. Despite a well-written manual, I still was in serious need of information and spent a lot of time sifting through web-based fan sites and online game guides. Trying to formulate a survival approach in the World of Darkness was not an easy task.

With true cosmic irony, the BradyGAMES Vampire: The Masquerade–Redemption Official Strategy Guide arrived just after I finished the game. This was actually a good thing because I wasn’t tempted to speed scan in search of “the answer.” Instead, I sat down and read it cover to cover and was amazed at how much I had missed in terms of the Vampire mythology and character history. I also experienced an extended “moment of clarity” as unresolved issues from the game suddenly fell into place and gaps in the plot were filled in.

The Official Strategy Guide includes a full walkthrough of the single-player storyline, with general tips for survival and suggested battle tactics. Specific details are also provided on characters, monsters, weapons, armor, skills, attributes, and magic disciplines. Those who embark on Vampire in the multi-player mode will benefit from the chapter that is devoted to helping you get started as a Storyteller or as an online player. And, most important, the Official Strategy Guide has been written to supplement the 100 pages of instruction and background provided in the game manual. There is little or no redundancy, and the two, together, provide a very comprehensive reference for getting oriented to Vampire.

Author Sion Rodriguez y Gibson has done an outstanding job of capturing most everything you need to know about this title in a way that is pleasing to read. His style, combined with the artistic presentation by BradyGAMES, make this a book one that you really can sit down and read. No matter how many tips and techniques can be found along the information superhighway, there is still something very satisfying about holding a book in your hands and being able to turn the pages.

Final Grade: A