So, This Vampire Walks Into A Bar (STVWB) may sound like the setup for a joke, so you wouldn’t think it would be a promising Visual Novel instead. I stumbled across this little title a few days ago and found myself rather intrigued by it. The description of this game hints at a rich world with humor and mystery, while the gameplay feels nostalgic. As my editor pointed out, their part puzzle and part creative challenge gameplay feels similar to a Newgrounds title. (Now there is a throwback for you).
STVWB has you follow Jackie’s journey as they struggle to recover from a workplace accident that left them disfigured. It leads them to a job as a bartender at Frankie’s Lair. Jackie may be unqualified to be a bartender, but Frankie is also desperate as all of his staff is out sick. Whether they are a good fit or not, Jackie will start the role immediately. They are very intimidated to learn that Frankie’s Lair specializes in customizing the drinks for a niche, potentially not-very-human clientele.
An Excellent Amuse-Bouche
So, This Vampire Walks Into A Bar was supposed to be released on the 27th but has gotten delayed. Since there have been no updates from the devs yet, I got impatient and played the demo instead. Rather than being a slice of a larger game, STVWB’s demo is actually a ‘proof of concept,’ made for a Game Jam. As a result, it is a (mostly) contained narrative that runs for about 35 minutes or so, which feels like a ‘prequel’ novella. Despite having an end, there are many intentional gaps in the story. These gaps make some fun suggestions on what the full version of this game will be and how the mixology gameplay will evolve.
STVWB is very text-heavy, where you click through conversations and the narrator’s thoughts to unfold the story. As you talk to the people around you, you get orders and use context clues within a mixology screen to make the right drink for the customer. Your choices here- what you put in a drink and how you mix it- impact your relationship with the customer. In turn, it unlocks different branches of conversation.
More Reviews: Drug Dealer Simulator 2 Review: Find the Balance, Create an Empire
The Upper Shelf Stuff
This is the best part of the game, the writing. Despite its incredibly short run time, it is a world filled with nuance and texture. It is a world that switches from over-the-top fiction to philosophical discussions on human nature. A big part of what makes everything so fun to read is that the characters you meet are distinct and fun to interact with. When the antagonist shows up, he is a lot of fun to dislike.
As Jackie learns of the world from them, so do we, and soon you notice these hints about larger mysteries. It is a reward for getting a drink order right. At that moment, Jackie isn’t a rookie mixologist but a bartender therapist. Your customer will hang out and vent to you, giving you information about the world. Like the local blood bank making a deal with supernaturals, luring them in droves to move to the town.
Another testament to how good the writing is is that it neatly folds in the clues and feedback within the dialogue while still sounding natural. Since this is a visual novel, there are only so many sources of feedback. Many games struggle to make it sound natural and end up with vague statements. It becomes harder to know when you are impacting the narrative. Within STVWB, you always know where you went right or wrong, making it easier to find different endings. Despite being a small game, STVWB has a good and bad ending with their own conversation trees. The dialogues also address the choices you make on the mixology screen.
More Reviews: The Palace On The Hill Review: A Cozy Game That Celebrates Indian Culture
The team has confirmed that they are rewriting the narrative and making a new decision flowchart for the final version. I am not ashamed to admit that I’m curious how it will play out. For instance, Unlucky Planet Games will also add choices within the dialogues rather than just keeping it in the mixology screen.
This game is also extremely pretty. It has distinct character designs and details that are easy to read and engage with.
The Hangover
So, This Vampire Walks Into A Bar is a ‘proof of concept’ demo, so it is very limited and simple. You only have to make three drinks, one of which is the tutorial and thus doesn’t count. Outside of the main story, we only get one customer. A full version will need a lot more variation and challenge. To keep it interesting, other gameplay elements may even be needed.
More Previews: Goat Simulator 3: Multiverse of Nonsense Preview – Inside The DLC’s Confirmed Crossovers And Bonkers New World
The narrative pacing needs to be worked on, too. At the end of the demo, I felt a little dazed. STVWB throws a lot of information at you in the latter half so that they can finish the story. Don’t get me wrong; it is still very well written, enough that even without the time to really connect with the character, you get invested.
The Perfect Game Jam Entry
All said and done, this was a perfect entry for a game jam. The devs controlled their scope, a necessary step to create something simple yet impactful during a challenge. They also kept it short enough that the simplicity did not work against the game. STVWB has a complete, interesting narrative. It showcased the core gameplay through 3 challenges, allowing you to understand what this game could be. It also includes strong consequences for the decisions you make. So… it is a complete experience, which is the goal of a game jam. More than that, it hooks you in.
Over the last eight months or so, since the jam, Unlucky Planet Games has been working on a full experience. They posted on their socials that they are reworking the choice flow chart, which is exciting. They even presented at a Dreamhack convention in Dallas. So, while I was disappointed that they missed their release date, I am hooked enough to wait for more information. I just hope that this amazing demo isn’t an empty promise.
You can play the demo of So, This Vampire Walks Into a Bar on itch.io. You can find more information on their Website and Steam page.
