Done With #11: Cabernet

After playing Disco Elysium and Tyranny, I got a new found appreciation for story-driven RPG game with heavy visual novel elements. As someone who has a rather short attention span and can't really stand reading whole novels (even games with voice acting require me to pause rather often 😭), a lot of these narrative driven games become a replacement for novel for me. 🙃

What I find really fascinating is that some of the best within this genre are actually lower budget indie games that aren't very well known or take quite a bit to become known. 1000xResist really comes to mind where it really did not pick up steam until toward the end of the year during award season, or even non-RPG like Mouthwashing that took a bit before it really became a smash hit that it was.

There's a certain publisher with the turtle logo that I really keep my eyes out for when it comes to these sort of games. Akupara really do got all kind of bangers under this umbrella with iconic works such as Universe For Sale, Rain World: Downpour, CryptMaster and, my recent favourite, Sorry We're Closed.

Sorta made a promise to myself to not miss such a banger on release like I did when Sorry We're Closed came out, so I've been paying more attention to these guys in particular as of late. Back in January, I started seeing a small buzz on Twitter with their upcoming title, Cabernet. I was like "yeah I'ma play this after I'm done with Avowed" and that game took FOREVER for me to go through (and it was worth every single minute).

Cabernet is one of those game that really got me with its trailer alone. Playing as a 1800s Eastern European vampire, while not a new setting, is something that I don't think a game let you do so since Vampyr. I also love how the characters look like paper dolls, really help make it stands out among other visual novels. The gothic vibes it got going is the cherry on top of it all.

The game makes one heck of an impression with how it starts; with the main character's funeral!!!

You play as the young Morozova Elizaveta (or Liza), an Eastern European doctor who...is dead. :') We hear Uncle Mitko narrate about Liza's short life. As he spills the beans, you get to pick how she lived her life. Not only are you establishing her past, but also her starting stats, which is certainly a rather memorable way to do your character creation I reckon.

There are four main stats that Liza can become proficient with: Music & Art, Literature, Science and History. These stats are required to unlock certain dialogue options and reward Liza experience to get even more stats. But this isn't the only way for Liza to optain these skills, you can spend in game days reading her new found vampire life away to level up yourself as well.

But those stats aren't the only thing the game's amazing UI keeps track of, and certainly not the only way to unlock optional dialogues (aside from learning new info through speaking with other NPCs). This game also has a very naunce morality system. Liza, as the game progresses, can be rewarded with humanity point or nihilism point. What I love about it is that this isn't not a "good vs evil" way of presenting her character, but how she perceives her second life. Really ties in well with the whole "should we can we hold on to our humanity or give into hopelessness" question that the game is asking off of the player.

Of course, you can become a horrible person (well... vampire) too! But just because you have a lot of "red" points doesn't mean Liza is an evil lady or anything.

For instance, you are given freedom when it comes down to drinking blood. Are you going to befriend and enchant people to feed yourself? Or would you rather hunt small animals and suck them to death to sustain yourself? How about hitting up the local salon that totally serve you "cabernet" (the game name's sake) and get locally sourced blood that way?

And just because you're a small town vampire, it doens't mean you won't make a lot of friends. In fact, as a town's doctor, you got many friends. 23 of them. And a cat. 🤔

And yes, you can romance some of them too! But I'll be real, the romance system is not deep at all but the game also makes it clear that it isn't the game's main focus to be fair.

But what's really cool about this big cast is that they actualy managed to give everyone relevancy. Most of the cast members have their own questline or are heavily involved in the the main story/side quests. On top of them, if you wish, you can almost get all of them dead if you play your cards right. Likewise, you can also keep them all alive throughout the game too which in itself is a challenge.

These side quests don't only expand the characters and showcase their personality, but explore multiple heavy topics. Be it alcoholism, equality, feminism, classism and many other social issues that can also be reflected to what's happening in the real world today. The game also asks us through all the characters what it means to be alive. Does living for an eternity really quality as living? There are vampires you will meet that are borderline suicidal for having not seen the sunlight in so long, while some absolutely appreciate the very little moments in their incredibly long life.

The portrayal of partriachy through Liza being a doctor in the 1800s or even police brutality are also things that the game does not shy away from, but not the main focus or too much that it starts feeling miserable to play either. The game does a great job balancing these heavy topics with its light hearted dialogues that are appropriately placed to give us players a break.

But yeah even if this game doesn't contain combat, it sure does make you wish there was so you could suplex some assholes.

It all circles back to the cruel world we live in. Do we need to "toughen" up to really survive it? Or will sheer kindness and humanity get us through its cruelty?

It's a great reminder that even though things get tough, we still have people around us that we can connect to and through these connections we are able to live. Doesn't matter if we're a humanist or some nihilist edge lord, Liza (and us) can still meet people that will teach her something in her rather weird life now.

And everything you do with them, to them, and for them will have everlasting impact. Choices have consequences (and sometimes a harsh one). The game does a great job at making these choices feel like a gut punch when you see their outcomes. All around, it's such a well written game that got me really thinking.

What sucks is Party for Introverts, being a small team on a very tight budget, can't really hold proper QA for the game, resulting in its buggy state. Most of the kinks are already ironed out, but there are a few game breaking bugs that can soft lock your game. The game gets patched every other day, but if you're interested I'd say wait for a few months they're ironed out. As for me, the incredible writing really helped me push through, and the very rewarding epilogue got me to overlook these bugs in all honesty. Easily my game of the year contender despite its issues, and I'm glad they're being resolved as the days go by.