Editor’s note: There are descriptions of specific in-game moments and setting details, but no substantial plot spoilers in this post.
There’s a sexy, bloody, and often wonky history of vampire RPGs. Most infamously, “Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines” set the bar high back in 2004 in spite of being a complete mess technically. “Bloodlines 2” failed to unleash video game vampire-mania 20 years later, but this year has been very good to us.
Not only did we get a delightful eurojank witcherlike with “The Blood of Dawnwalker,”but the fangdom also gets to partake in the narrative-heavy “Nighthawks” from the likes of Richard Cobbett (“Beyond a Steel Sky”) and Wadjet Eye (“Old Skies“).
The latter is what we’re here to discuss today.
Unbelievably, “Nighthawks” was actually a Kickstarter project during the first Trump administration. The gold rush was definitely over by then, but it was still slightly easier for a relatively small video game project to succeed in funding before we had a worldwide pandemic, speculation on monkey JPEGs, an AI economic apocalypse, the rumblings of a world war, and a cost-of-living crisis for the history books.
It was a different time.
Back then, they anticipated that the game would come out in 2020, but that didn’t happen. All these years later, we finally have the real deal ready to play, and I’m happy to say that it was worth the wait.
In the world of “Nighthawks,” everybody knows that vampires exist. You’re still hamstrung by daylight and bloodlust like you’d expect, but there’s no need to skulk around in the shadows unless that’s what gets you off. In fact, this town is chockablock with vampires, and nobody cares about it. Well, except for the fascists in masks who are loudly and violently pushing back against the undead.
You play as a vampire, but you’re often put in a position where even some humans know more about your people than you do. And while there is internal consistency you can poke at, you shouldn’t expect the kind of intricate social constraints and rules from other settings. It’s not a lore game.
However, there’s a moment relatively early on in which you’re stopped on the street by a character who dumped some very weird vampire lore. She quickly lead the player to a shyster who laid it on even thicker. Just as my eyes started to glaze over with all of the red string nonsense, the rugpull happened, and it became crystal clear he’s running a scam. None of that shit is true, and the game makes it obvious that it’s not interested in a lot of the self-serious aspects of other vampire media.
That’s when I knew I was hooked.
Another incredible moment involves a chance meeting of a TTRPG group at a diner. They’re absolutely enthralled by a real life “Cap V,” and the player is given an option to sit down and play with them. I expected a few quips and then to be off quickly with other important tasks, but the scene is surprisingly long and authentic to the tabletop experience. It gave me an off ramp if I had enough, but I wanted to see it through. The writing is a treat — not something to put up with.
Now, humor and knowing nods are important parts of “Nighthawks,” but the game doesn’t shy away from the precarity of homeless people, the dismissive attitudes and violence inflicted upon sex workers, or some good ol’ class warfare. The cops suck. Sometimes the only people who are willing to provide vital services are untrustworthy. There are unpleasant and seedy aspects to the world, but it doesn’t revel in how gritty it is. The tonal balancing act is admirable.
Unsurprisingly, what propelled me most is the character writing. There are numerous companions who alter your stats, initiate side quests, and even allow for some smooching here and there. And while the core team are easy to love and/or hate on their own, some of the best moments are when the characters are interacting with each other.
Madame Lux is my go-to companion, and I’ve gotten to know her pretty darn well. Attending her magic shows, skinny dipping with the influential crowd, and even getting and earful of her backstory made me all the more invested in seeing the game through, but she’s just one of the many excellent characters. I can’t even get into how much I like Becca the bartender.
While I certainly haven’t seen everything in the game, I’ve played more than enough to recommend “Nighthawks.” As we barrel toward the end of the year, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if you end up seeing this game make a whole lot of top tens — including mine.
“Nighthawks” is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux for $19.99. It ran wonderfully on the Steam Deck.
Image credit: “Nighthawks”
