Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption (Mac)

Vampire: The Masquerade Redemption, the first computer role-playing game based on the tremendously popular dice-and-paper and live-action RPG from White Wolf Game Studio. Die-hard fans will grumble a bit at some of the translation concessions from book to hard drive. The vampiric disciplines in particular are less flexible and occasionally more hassle than they're worth--sure, you can turn into a wolf, but you can't return to your natural form until the time limit expires. Still, these limitations don't interfere with the gameplay, which is fast moving, challenging, and genuinely creepy. Graphics and sounds are well designed, and along with the plot they evoke the mood of gothic horror that has made Vampire so popular. The manual is beautiful and helpful, a rare combination.