Cabernet: Everything We Know

If you’re one for spending time with the bats and the blood-sucking vampires of the Transylvanian catacombs, then have we got news for you. Turns out, there’s a new type of story-driven vampire RPG on the horizon, and if what its creators have been bragging about carries some amount of truth, then the so-called Cabernet should be quite the appetiser.

“Creating Cabernet has allowed us to explore our undying love of vampiric lore and build a world with themes deeply important and personal to us, including ethics and morality, alcoholism, and attempting to find hope in seemingly hopeless times and places,” said developer Party for Introverts’ Arseniy Klishin and Laura Gray. “We couldn’t be more excited to finally reveal our game to players.”

So, there you have it — it’s a thought-provoking little number that’ll divide its time between exploring the conflicts of morality, and immersing players in a vampire-centric realm filled with underlying gothic tones and lore. If that’s the sort of gig you wouldn’t mind signing up for, then be sure to read on for all the details we’ve managed to scrape from the barrel so far.

What Is Cabernet?

Let’s get straight down to the point. What is Cabernet, and how will it look to fill a hole in that blood-deprived stomach of yours? Well, according to Party for Introverts, creators behind From Head to Toe and A Lozenge, Cabernet is a 2D narrative RPG in which you take control of a young girl named Liza—a freshly minted vampire who’s struggling to make ends meet as her morality scales dwindle into uncontrollable depths. As said new born, you will set forth to collect your thoughts and embark on an adventure to not only balance your own moral compass, but seek a way to maintain that underlying thirst that screams out for a droplet of blood — even from the ones you care about most.

In Party for Introverts’ own words: “Cabernet is a 2D narrative RPG set in 19th century Eastern Europe. Guide Liza, a young vampire struggling with her morality and the supernatural world she has been pulled into. Beware, the taste of Cabernet is not for the faint of heart – prepare to explore themes of social conflict, alcoholism, and corruption.”

Story

Cabernet will transport you to 19th century Eastern Europe. In a small town — a world in which homes are occupied by both the living and the dead — you will look through the eyes of Liza, a high-class maiden who’s thrusted into the supernatural world as a freshly bred vampire. However, true to the spirit of the vampire’s natural evolution, you will need to learn how to divide Liza’s time between the day and the night — two polar opposite periods in which morals vary depending on the paths you choose. As a human by day, you will need to balance out the scales of your nightly wrongdoings, if not by building bridges, then by suspending your downwards spiral into one of the town’s most aggressive predators.

“For 400 years the elegant Countess Orlova has ruled your new home, inhabited by humans and supernatural beings alike,” the descriptions adds. “As a fledgling protégé, doors have opened to an intoxicating life full to the brim with possibilities. Could your afterlife really be this easy?” Therein lies a question that only you will be able to answer. At the end of the day, though, what you’re really trying to ask yourself is this: will you have self control over your hunger, or will you continue to plummet even deeper and succumb to your instincts?

Gameplay

Cabernet plays out like a traditional 2D visual novel, in the fact that the bulk of the gameplay mostly revolves around interacting with characters and choosing various dialogue options. It’ll also be split between two times of day, with the day being devoted to human-like activities and general socialising, and the twilight hours steering more towards exploration and hunting, if not to satisfy your hunger just enough to keep you alive, then to whittle down the town’s population until all but one remains. It’ll be your choice, as the fledgling bat, to make the right moves and navigate the world as you see fit.

“Unlock vampiric powers as you are immersed in local lore, rumours, and secrets,” the blurb reads in part. “Shift into a bat, hypnotize your meal or become invisible. Battle your hunger and morality, deciding whether you’ll drink just enough to survive or become consumed by the thrill of the hunt.”

Development

Party for Introverts first lifted the lid on the vampire’s casket earlier this month, at which point it shed light on its upcoming project with a slew of in-game screenshots and a short trailer (more on that shortly) to boot. Going by the details, Cabernet will be heading to Steam in early 2024, and will be exclusive to PC.

On another note, in case you’ve yet to delve into any of the team’s previous works, Party for Introverts’ niche is short narrative adventures. If that’s your cup of tea, then be sure to check out Thing-In-Itself, From Head to Toe, and A Lozenge via its Steam channel here.

Trailer

The good news is, Party for Introverts has already gone as far as to release a short trailer of Cabernet over on its social channels. Interested? You can catch a sneak peek of the newfound vampires in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Cabernet will be sinking its fangs into the Steam market at some point in 2024. Does this mean it won’t be coursing through the veins of Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch? Apparently so. That said, who’s to say it won’t find its way over to consoles at some stage in the near future? There’s a chance, that’s all we’re saying.

As it currently stands, Cabernet will launch with only the one standard version, which will be available over on Steam. You can go ahead and add that to your wishlist here.

If you’re interested in staying up to date with all things pertaining to the Cabernet tale, then be sure to check in with Party for Introverts’ official social feed here. We’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as there’s a release date set in stone.

So, what’s your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Cabernet when it releases over the next several months? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.