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Coming Thursday, a new expansion to Vampire: The Masquerade—Parliament of Knives! What Stares Back allows you to play as a vampire of the insightful clan Malkavian or the manipulative clan Lasombra! New powers, new secrets, and new romance options await within. I sat down with author Jeffrey Dean to hear more about What Stares Back. You can get this in-app purchase on all platforms this Thursday, September 22nd. 

For readers who are fairly new to the World of Darkness and might not know about all the spicy and exciting details about Malkavians and Lasombra, what does this new clan expansion hold in store for them?

Well, things are about to get darker–sometimes quite literally!
Lasombra are masters of the shadow powers of Oblivion. If you like the idea of summoning shadow arms to constrict your enemies, terrifying your foes with a glance, or spying by extending your senses out into the gloom, the Lasombra are the clan for you! Up until recently, they were members of the vicious cult of vampires known as the Sabbat, but now they’re slowly integrating into the modern sect of the Camarilla ‘Kindred.’ The main character and their sire have been living among the Camarilla for decades now, masquerading as members of the Ventrue clan, but the time is fast approaching when the proud clan Lasombra can rule openly, proving once and for all that power belongs in the hands of vampires with the savvy to survive and win at all costs.

Malkavians are always a challenging clan to write and I wanted to pay homage to the Clan of the Moon in a way that was exciting without going completely off the rails. Every vampire embraced into clan Malkavian has a unique way of looking at the world that can manifest as conduits to chaotic insights. Their strange behavior and eccentricities have other clans calling them “Lunatics,” but the truth is that most detractors are intimidated by the unpredictable power that Malkavians represent.

In Parliament of Knives, the Malkavian main character’s fractured perception presents itself in the form of a traveler who follows your every footstep, invisible to everyone but you! This ‘imaginary friend’ provides insights and commentary throughout the story, but something far more sinister is at work than what the reader might expect. The Primogen, Ophelia, wants in on your secrets, and you’ll soon find out that a Malkavian main character’s background is significantly different from members of other clans in the game.

As you were writing, was it fun to review your own work, looking at
different moments of Parliament of Knives with an eye to clan
experiences?

I’m not gonna lie, it was hard work! I combed through every word of
what’s already a massive tome of a game and added thousands of lines
of additional content. I couldn’t just make these new clans ‘palette
swaps’ like you’d expect in a lot of video games–they each had to
have their own unique flavor, dialogue, and scenes. The Malkavian
parts were particularly challenging, because I essentially had to add a new character that appears in almost every scene, all while being careful not to break the flow of the original narrative. Try doing that to a game already the length of six novels!

My favorite parts were when I got to flesh out certain characters who never got their proper time to shine in the base game. Trevor Haidt, the Tremere envoy was particularly fun to write, as was the new romance with Lucca that readers have been asking for!

Of our growing list of World of Darkness games, Parliament is
especially exciting to see an expansion on because the politics lend
themselves especially well to the lens of different clans. Do you have a favorite clan?

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Brujah, the often brutish but
misunderstood clan of hardcore rebels and philosopher kings. Robert Ward from the base game is one of my favorite characters and I channeled a lot of love into him!

After them my favorite is definitely the Lasombra. I knew I had to
find a way to fit the Night Clan into the story, and I think I found a sweet spot after a lot of care and consideration. This was a lot
easier said than done, especially when adding Lucca as a romanceable
character since she’s canonically of the same clan as the main
character, but also has a massive hatred for Lasombra that I had no
intent to retcon. What I ended up creating is a tale of secrets,
mind-control, and mayhem! I’ve been very happy with how the Lasombra
fit into the world of Parliament of Knives and can’t wait to hear how readers respond.

What else are you working on these days?

Werewolves 3: Evolution’s End will finally have my full, undivided attention once this expansion is released. Don’t worry, werewolf fans! I’m not going to leave you out in the cold! Bly, Jolon, Dena, Tiva, and all my other favorite fluff-balls will be back! (Even Williams, curse his hide!)

Hosted Games has a new game for you to play!

Choose your family, fulfill an age old prophecy and join forces with magical beings. It’s 33% off until 9/22!

Formorian War is a 35,000-word interactive novel by Liam Parker. Set in the fictional kingdom of Albion. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

• Play as male or female.
• Wield a magic sword.
• Unlock achievements.
• Discover a new world of magic and mayhem.
• Gain allies or fight alone.
• Raise an army.
• Battle monsters and restore the Kingdom.
• Enlist elves and dragons.
• Will you reunite the realm?

In a time of magic and mayhem, join forces with your enemies and deal with other hostiles to save the Kingdom.

Liam developed this game using ChoiceScript, a simple programming language for writing multiple-choice interactive novels like these. Writing games with ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for authors with no programming experience. Write your own game and Hosted Games will publish it for you, giving you a share of the revenue your game produces.

We’re proud to announce that a new special set of All World Pro Wrestling  “Bonus Stories” are now available for iOS and Android in our “Heart’s Choice” app, as well as on Steam! “Bonus Stories 2” is a special non-interactive set of short pieces in the world of the game, and it’s on sale for $2.99!

Get into those tight trunks and charge into the ring with three more smoking-hot stories of gay wrestling erotica! See the All World Pro Wrestling League at its best: gorgeous men, tight clinches, flexing muscles, and sexual tension in every move.

• Watch the sparks fly with Big Clint and the Pro Wrestling Trainees, where every training bout teaches a new lesson about how to use your body – especially the one between twink Adam and muscle bear Clint.
• Return for another round in Sex Fed 2: all-new matchups in Las Vegas’s hottest and most exclusive wrestling club. Who will be lucky enough to advance to the All World Pro Wrestling league, and who will just get lucky?
• While up-and-coming rookies practice their best moves in the Jobbers’ Showcase, the real action is happening backstage, and as the executive’s assistant, you’ll be able to get close to every single one of these strong ambitious men.

Since 2009, the team behind Choice of Games has created high-quality interactive novels in all genres. Now, our new Heart’s Choice label puts romance at the center of the story, and you at the center of the romance. Heart’s Choice games contain no graphics or sound effects, so we can focus on the story. Every game is filled with vivid, fully-developed characters and complex narratives that respond to your choices.

How will you find your happily ever after?

Coming on September 22nd, we are proud to announce Vampire: The Masquerade — Parliament of Knives — What Stares Back adds the option to play as clan Malkavian or Lasombra, and 160,000 words of new story content. Unravel the mysteries of Vampire: The Masquerade — Parliament of Knives from a fresh perspective, opening pathways and relationships once forbidden. Master the stygian Abyss with new options and abilities.

You can wishlist What Stares Back today, on Steam. Even if you intend to buy it on another platform, wishlisting really helps us out!

Discover the secrets of Primogen Ophelia and the powerful Magister diplomat Michalis Basaras. Explore a new relationship with Lucca, your mistress’s estranged childe, or feed the unbridled passion for bloodlust of the Banu Haqim Anarch, Sevinc.

Clan Malkavian: A Hallucinatory Accomplice

It has been said that a Malkavian is never truly alone—their visions and prophesy are a constant companion—but in your case, the concept of solitude has lost all meaning. An accomplice stalks your footsteps, often out of sight but never far away. It clouds your mind with fractured perception and insight, but not always in equal parts.

• As a vampire of clan Malkavian, an eternal companion accompanies you. None but you can see it or hear its words of wisdom and delusion.
• The unseen companion is yours to interpret as you see fit—name, gender, appearance, and demeanor.
• Others too are afflicted by Malkav’s gifts. Your sire Eden Corliss and her childe Lucca are each changed in unique ways, with new twists waiting to be discovered.

Clan Lasombra: A Keeper of Shadows

Clan Lasombra has ruled from the shadows for centuries, leaders among the savage packs of Sabbat vampires at constant odds with the Camarilla and their Masquerade. Until recent nights, that is. The Lasombra have chosen to meet the constant threat of the Second Inquisition by joining with the Camarilla, but old grudges are not easily forgiven.

• Control the otherworldly forces of Oblivion as a vampire of clan Lasombra.
• Hide in plain sight or emerge from the shadows. Many in the Council believe that you and your sire belong to clan Ventrue. A necessary deception. But now that the Lasombra are integrating with the Camarilla, is it time to reveal your true nature at last?

Hosted Games has a new game for you to play!

Retake your role as the ronin, and bring the wrath of hell (and the Jigoku) upon samurai and spirits alike! It’s 37% off until August 11th!

“Samurai of Hyuga Book 5” is a thrilling 480,000-word interactive fantasy novel written by Devon Connell. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

With a broken heart, mind, and body, the odds have never been steeper against our hero. Enemies abound…but so do allies, too. With stakes higher than ever before, you’ll need more than just a good swordarm to see you through.

You once claimed to be a bodyguard to a magical brat in a red silk kimono. Its past time you did your job: just don’t expect it to be easy in the fifth book of this epic series!

• Reunite against enemies and allies both old and new!
• Infiltrate an enemy fortress and investigate a foreign cult!
• Select your face from over 20 beautiful character portraits!

If you need to catch up on the Samurai of Hyuga saga, you can buy the whole series as a Steam bundle!

Devon developed this game using ChoiceScript, a simple programming language for writing multiple-choice interactive novels like these. Writing games with ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for authors with no programming experience. Write your own game and Hosted Games will publish it for you, giving you a share of the revenue your game produces.

Hosted Games has a new game for you to play!

Struggle between your undead and human side whilst trying to survive in this post apocalyptic horror game. Would you save what’s left or rule among the dead? It’s 33% off until September 8th!

Dual Nature is a 55,000-word interactive novel by Nikos Nikolakopoulos, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

The whole world is dying. Hordes of zombies plague the earth and civilization has collapsed. You don’t know how this happened. The only thing you do know is that you’ve just crawled out of your grave. Yet unlike the other zombies, you’re still sentient.

Will you try to convince mankind that you’re still one of them? Will you protect the living? Or embrace your undead nature and succumb to darkness? Is it possible to find a way to undo the apocalypse? What are you willing to sacrifice?

• Play as Johnny, a man trapped between life and death.
• Fight to keep your humanity intact.
• Struggle between good and evil.
• Make allies or enemies.
• Seek power or justice.

In this post-apocalyptic horror game there is no peace for the dead, no rest for the wicked and no hope for humanity. Could you be the one to undo the apocalypse?

Nikos developed this game using ChoiceScript, a simple programming language for writing multiple-choice interactive novels like these. Writing games with ChoiceScript is easy and fun, even for authors with no programming experience. Write your own game and Hosted Games will publish it for you, giving you a share of the revenue your game produces.

We’re proud to announce that Noblesse Oblige, the latest in our popular “Choice of Games” line of multiple-choice interactive-fiction games, is now available for Steam, Android, and on iOS in the “Choice of Games” app.

It’s 20% off until September 1st!

Spark romance amid secrets in a crumbling mansion! What will you sacrifice for love? Can you trust your own heart?

Noblesse Oblige: a Crème de la Crème Adventure is a 140,000-word interactive Gothic romance novella by Harris Powell-Smith, a standalone story in the “Crème de la Crème” universe. It’s entirely text-based, without graphics or sound effects, and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

On a windswept island, far from the mild shores of Westerlin, stands the estate that is your new home. You have been hired to work as a conversation partner for a lonely aristocrat. It is a profitable opportunity, and your impoverished upbringing and middling university education leave you few others.

But secrets lurk in every darkened corridor, and nothing is what it seems. Why does your charge go wandering in the middle of the night, haunted and mourning? What does the charming new secretary seek to uncover? Why is your elderly employer so intent on keeping outsiders from prying into the family’s business?

Attend grand balls, ride through fast-paced fox hunts, spend jovial evenings with the servants, teach diligent lessons to your charge, and observe—or take part in—this northern land’s religious rituals. Meanwhile, there are webs of deceit for you to unravel, and deep mysteries to explore. When you reach the end, will you bring justice to those who deserve it, or keep their secrets buried forever?

And, of course, there is love: midnight trysts, stolen moments, and sweet warmth amid the cold. Your job on this remote island has just begun: will you work hard for a secure future or abandon everything to follow your heart?

• Play as male, female, or non-binary; gay, straight, or bisexual; monogamous or polyamorous; asexual and/or aromantic.
• Romance the forthright, flirtatious housekeeper who works hard and plays hard; your intense, zealous conversation partner desperate for tales of the outside world; or a charming, cultured stranger offering excitement and luxury but risking danger.
• Connect with those outside the estate to make a future elsewhere.
• Secure a shining reputation in your household, or shroud yourself in suspicion.
• Build steadfast bonds of loyalty—or shatter them.

Can you trust your own heart?

We hope you enjoy playing Noblesse Oblige. We encourage you to tell your friends about it, and recommend the game on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other sites. Don’t forget: our initial download rate determines our ranking on the App Store. The more times you download in the first week, the better our games will rank.

Spark romance amid secrets in a crumbling mansion! What will you sacrifice for love? Can you trust your own heart? Noblesse Oblige: a Crème de la Crème Adventure is a 137,000-word interactive Gothic romance novella by Harris Powell-Smith. I sat down with Harris to talk about their third game for us, and how it differs from their other work. Noblesse Oblige releases this Thursday, August 25th. You can play the first three chapters today for free.

Noblesse Oblige is your third game for us, and it is set in the same world as Creme de le Creme. I know our readers are going to be happy to be back there. What was behind the idea to return there?

I really enjoy writing in the Creme de la Creme setting and always had a sense of the wider world beyond Gallatin College lurking outside. There are hints about life elsewhere, but Creme de la Creme is very focused on a particular narrow section of society and concerns. In Noblesse Oblige I wanted to explore a different geographical and social area of that world while keeping the themes of upper-society glitz and corruption.

So in Noblesse Oblige you’re working-class, you’ve been kicked out of university, and now you’re in another country making choices about adventure vs security and how much money to send home to your parents. As the language tutor to Pascha, an aristocrat, the player ranks above a labourer or cook in the household hierarchy, but they’re still an employee and are very much an outsider. It’s a very different situation and tone, but some aspects and worldbuilding will feel familiar to Creme de la Creme players – and that newcomers will enjoy it too!

And this is a shorter game, which presents its own challenges to writing–I have always thought the short story a greater challenge than a novel.

I loved the challenge of making a shorter game! Though it’s not technically horror, I took inspiration from horror and gothic novellas where things start a little off and escalate fast. The claustrophobic environment of the mansion, the pressured atmosphere, and the speed of ramping up tension all worked together with the shorter length to make a shorter but intense player experience.

It was really important for me to juggle several different elements: a satisfying playthrough length, time and space to get to know characters, while keeping the sprawling under control. Part of how I did it was making sure it’s a lot of fun on a replay! Getting close with a different character will make for a very different experience, change the plot, and yield new revelations that may illuminate your previous playthroughs as well as the one you’re on.

I was really (pleasantly!) surprised to find this is a very romance-laden game for such a short piece. That’s often something writers don’t focus on in shorter plot-driven pieces.

I enjoyed the challenge of building intense relationships over a relatively short amount of in-game time. Danelak, Pascha, and Rys all have secrets, regrets, and agendas, and it was important for me to create the feel of whirlwind relationships that might be bad ideas to dive into—but are compelling.

I had to be disciplined about the number of romances—initially I considered having four, but I’m glad I stepped back from that because it would have been spreading myself too thin. Having fewer romances gave me the opportunity to really delve into how the player feels about each character and be responsive to the player’s self-expression and personality.

Because of the shorter length, I also made each romanceable character’s desires and goals central to the plot – the characters became the plot that players engage with. It was great to dig into what the player wants, how that meshes with what the other characters are really desperate for, and give players the chance to make that happen in various ways – or betray them.

What did you learn from writing this one?

Honestly, Noblesse Oblige was a joy to write. I’m pleased with how the plots interweave and what juicy tidbits can be revealed from more playthroughs, and the shorter length meant more time for brushing up the prose on a sentence level. And I’m pleased with the intimate scenes, which are the spiciest I’ve published!

I also embraced flawed romanceable characters for Noblesse Oblige which was very freeing. Characters may act in ways that the player doesn’t approve of, and the player will need to figure out what they’ll do about it. I love when romanceable characters cause problems for player characters in games, and this time it was a lot of fun to go for it myself!

Unless our readers and forum-goers have been living under a rock, they know your next game is Royal Affairs. Tell us about that and how it’s coming along.

In Royal Affairs you’re the middle child of the Queen of Westerlin, attending school at Archambault Academy to build your leadership skills and prepare you to take on more royal responsibilities. You’ll deal with family tensions, pressure to marry the right person (where several romance interests are deeply unsuitable), and political upheaval – all while figuring out who you are and where you stand. It’s set a few years after Creme de la Creme, and you will encounter some familiar faces from that game while forging your own new path.

I’ve been working on Royal Affairs since the start of the pandemic, which was unfortunate timing. However! I’m getting towards the end of my draft now, writing some juicy and complicated plot climaxes that will have big repercussions for the state of the Creme de la Creme setting. It’ll be lovely to see it out in the world after such a long time! I have lots of other game ideas for that universe too, so who knows what will come next…?

We’re proud to announce that Heart of Battle, the latest in our “Heart’s Choice” line of multiple-choice interactive romance novels, is now available for iOS and Android in the “Heart’s Choice” app. You can also download it on Steam, or enjoy it on our website.

It’s 33% off until August 18th!

Battle for love as a gladiator in this epic romance of swords and sandals!

Heart of Battle is a 255,000-word interactive gladiator romance by Fay Ikin, where your choices control the story. It’s entirely text-based—without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

As a prisoner of Coritan City, you had two options: rot in a dungeon or battle in the gladiatorial arena. You chose to fight—and as a star gladiator, you have the power to sway public opinion as nobody else does.

The city is divided, ruled by the glittering Illustrious who use their wealth and status to maintain their power over the struggling masses. A lucky few have access to magic as well: it can be used to heal, but it can also be used as a weapon, or to reinforce the bars of prisons.

Below them, rumors of revolution simmer—and nowhere more strongly than among the gladiators. Former soldiers, political prisoners, and prisoners of war now bide their time, plotting to rise up. Some just hope to escape to their own freedom; others want to bring down the entire oppressive system. Yet others seek to work within the hierarchy, currying favor among the Illustrious in the hopes of having their freedom bought by a wealthy patron.

In this treacherous web of alliances that you must navigate, the one certainty is your own heart. Will you find love with a gentle healer, haunted by a tragic past? A wealthy patron who could promise you a life of luxury? Or even one of your fellow gladiators, whose muscles and martial skill you admire through every battle: a fervent ex-revolutionary now condemned to the same servitude as you, or a bold daring warrior who seeks fame and glory.

What skills will you bring to the battlefield: domineering strength, agile cunning or force of personality? Will you accept your fate and build a reputation as a respectable, honorable fighter, relying on the aristocrats to free you? Or will you throw in with the rebels? Victory can mean a better life for you and your beloved—but what will you do if you find yourself on the opposite side of a gladiatorial match from the one you love? Or on the opposite side of a revolution?

• Play as male, female, or non-binary; trans or cis; gay, straight, bi, demisexual, asexual, or aromantic.
• Romance a gentle healer; a glory-hound gladiator; a wealthy patron; or an ex-revolutionary.
• Choose your weapon: fight with sword, mace, bow, daggers, or bladed gauntlet.
• Negotiate your way through relationships with your superiors, walk the balance of power between gladiators and guards, and clash with a bitter rival.
• Win battles with honor, or scheme and cheat to take down your enemies.
• Incite a riot—or even a revolution!

We hope you enjoy playing Heart of Battle. We encourage you to tell your friends about it, and recommend the game on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other sites. Don’t forget: our initial download rate determines our ranking on the App Store. The more times you download in the first week, the better our games will rank.