White Wolf release new Vampire: The Masquerade game
Japery
White Wolf, who are now owned by Paradox, have released a new Vampire: The Masquerade game. Book. Gamebook. A new Vampire gamebook. Ahh, jokes. They've launched a pair of new gamebooks set in the World of Darkness, one Vampire: The Masquerade full of conspiracy and a Mage: The Ascension tale that's, y'know, also full of conspiracy. White Wolf say the launch of these World of Darkness Preludes [official site] "marks the start of [their] emergence as a transmedia entertainment company", which also sees a new Werewolf: The Apocalypse game on the horizon.
So, the gamebooks! They're two tales, sold together, introducing players to Vampire and Mage through the eyes and fingers of characters who find themselves dragged into the shadowy world.
Vampire: The Masquerade: We Eat Blood And All Our Friends Are Dead is genuinely the name of the Vampire one, which is written and illustrated by Zak Smith and Sarah Horrocks. Here's the blurb:
"Told entirely from a mobile messaging perspective, We Eat Blood is a sharp, mature and often terrifying story about your first nights as unwilling predator and prey. Hunted by unknown enemies and driven by an alien hunger, will you sever your ties with the mortal world or try to cling to your former life? Will you join ancient conspiracies, or turn the tables on forces older than the written word? Terrible power lies within your grasp, but there is always a price to pay."
And a wee trailer:
Mage might be new to folks who know World of Darkness through Vampire, so I'll briefly explain. It's about wizards whose magic is powered by their own understanding of the world, who can shape reality but are somewhat limited by the unconscious consensus of the unwizardly population - and reality can kick back hard. So they try to defend (and control) reality by shaping society. It's been a few years since I dug into a chum's sourcebooks, but I think that's about it?
Anyway! The Mage story is written by Karin Tidbeck. Your blurb:
"In Mage The Ascension: Refuge you play a volunteer at a European camp for Syrian refugees, and suddenly you discover that magic is real, you can use it, and you're in the middle of a secret magical war for the fate of the world. The game lets you experience today's social and political upheavals while learning that you can shape reality itself through sheer force of belief. Your actions and choices will have profound consequences on the world and people around you. Safety or sacrifice? Let them in or build the wall? The choice is yours."
And your trailer:
World of Darkness Preludes: Vampire and Mage is out for Windows, Mac, and Linux through Steam for £6.99/9,99€/$9.99.