Frozen Synapse has been one of my favorite developers on this site, and their first release for this new title already feels like it could be another hit. I went in with zero expectations beyond “vampires + spies,” and honestly? I’m hooked. At first glance, it sounds like a simple pitch, but the prologue gives it surprising weight. The whole spy-meets-vampires concept isn’t just a gimmick, it sets up a tense, high-stakes story right from the start.
The opening has a grounded, almost messy real-life vibe. You’re not stepping into the shoes of some flawless superspy, but a flawed, relatable woman who’s been scraping by and making questionable choices, until she’s thrown into something far bigger than herself. She’s rough around the edges, a little desperate, and that makes every choice feel meaningful. Her backstory comes into focus quickly: a former operative for “Humanity First,” now a single mom trying to get by. The Agency blackmails her into returning to the vampire-run city-state of Chicago to track down a mythical figure called the True Ancestor, threatening to put her kids in an orphanage if she refuses. She’s not chasing glory, she’s fighting for something painfully real.
The writing is sharp and unpretentious, like someone telling you their story over a drink, no sugar-coating, no “perfect heroine” gloss. It pulls you in without relying on cheap sympathy, balancing grit with tension. I also appreciate that it doesn’t rush into erotic content. The stakes and world come first, so when those moments arrive, they feel earned. Even this early, you can sense the potential for moral dilemmas, manipulation, and that cat-and-mouse espionage thrill, all laced with the supernatural waiting to creep in. Early choices already affect her morality and intrigue stats, hinting at strong replayability. Dialogue feels natural, the world-building is vivid, and the tone has a cinematic edge.
Visually, the style matches the mood, and the audio supports rather than distracts. The pacing is tight, the world-building is solid, and even with all the exposition in the intro, it never feels like it’s wasting your time.
Here’s the thing though, it’s short. Really short. That “v0.1 alpha” kind of short where you can’t shake the worry that it’ll get left half-finished. Which would be a shame, because what’s here is genuinely good. If the dev sticks with it, this could grow into something special. I just hope this isn’t one of those promising starts that fades away, because I’d hate to see a world this interesting left hanging.
If you like noir-tinged espionage, morally gray protagonists, and supernatural intrigue, this is worth a look.
The opening has a grounded, almost messy real-life vibe. You’re not stepping into the shoes of some flawless superspy, but a flawed, relatable woman who’s been scraping by and making questionable choices, until she’s thrown into something far bigger than herself. She’s rough around the edges, a little desperate, and that makes every choice feel meaningful. Her backstory comes into focus quickly: a former operative for “Humanity First,” now a single mom trying to get by. The Agency blackmails her into returning to the vampire-run city-state of Chicago to track down a mythical figure called the True Ancestor, threatening to put her kids in an orphanage if she refuses. She’s not chasing glory, she’s fighting for something painfully real.
The writing is sharp and unpretentious, like someone telling you their story over a drink, no sugar-coating, no “perfect heroine” gloss. It pulls you in without relying on cheap sympathy, balancing grit with tension. I also appreciate that it doesn’t rush into erotic content. The stakes and world come first, so when those moments arrive, they feel earned. Even this early, you can sense the potential for moral dilemmas, manipulation, and that cat-and-mouse espionage thrill, all laced with the supernatural waiting to creep in. Early choices already affect her morality and intrigue stats, hinting at strong replayability. Dialogue feels natural, the world-building is vivid, and the tone has a cinematic edge.
Visually, the style matches the mood, and the audio supports rather than distracts. The pacing is tight, the world-building is solid, and even with all the exposition in the intro, it never feels like it’s wasting your time.
Here’s the thing though, it’s short. Really short. That “v0.1 alpha” kind of short where you can’t shake the worry that it’ll get left half-finished. Which would be a shame, because what’s here is genuinely good. If the dev sticks with it, this could grow into something special. I just hope this isn’t one of those promising starts that fades away, because I’d hate to see a world this interesting left hanging.
If you like noir-tinged espionage, morally gray protagonists, and supernatural intrigue, this is worth a look.