Hunter: The Reckoning — A Time of Monsters

Nice

p. good.

I enjoyed AToM much more than the previous Hunter: The Reckoning CYOA title. While the story here takes place over a much more rapid time frame than the previous entry, it feels more focused and tense. I originally wanted to complain about how quickly the plot moved and how little time you get to spend developing your character stats and relationships, I ultimately came around on it for two reasons. One is that AToM feels less bloated than its previous entry, where many decisions and even some of the relationships that appeared to be weighty ended up being a binary yes/no with a relevant penalty/bonus. The second is that in the TTRPG this game is based on, hunters are the weakest characters, relying on their Drive and Desperation to give them so much as a sliver of hope against seemingly unstoppable monsters. So while the game has fewer relationships and a faster pace, everything ties into the story well. I would give it a 9/10 only because I do think it could have been a LITTLE longer, or given a little more "free time" during one or two of the interludes to explore multiple NPC relationships simultaneously. Out of all the World of Darkness text adventures, I would say this entry comes in third, behind Night Road and The Book of Hungry Names, which are also far larger adventures in terms of length and scope.

I found A Time of Monsters engaging and enjoyable, if a little uneven. For a first foray into the World of Darkness—and into a modern-day setting—Paul Wang does an impressive job establishing voice, atmosphere, and character. It’s generally very well written, and it’s full of great set-ups and character moments. That said, ATOM doesn’t quite come together as cleanly as Wang’s Infinite Sea books, or some of the strongest entries in the wider WoD catalogue. For one, the protagonist is so close to a blank slate that it feels like a missed opportunity. There’s plenty of room to define your hunter’s history and personal stakes, but the game rarely gives you the space or tools to really do that. The ending also arrives abruptly; two or three additional chapters to sit with the cast, deepen motivations, and let key relationships breathe would have made the climax feel more earned. I also think the story would have benefited from committing more fully to one major thread. The split focus between the gangs and the Taishanhui makes both factions intriguing, but neither ends up explored as deeply as they deserve. None of this is a dealbreaker—more a collection of missed opportunities that stand out because the writing and setting work so well. It’s like going to a fine steakhouse where the steak is excellent, but the portion leaves you wanting, and the only sides on offer are coleslaw or underseasoned vegetables. Worth it for the steak, but the meal doesn’t quite leave you fully satisfied. I hope this doesn’t discourage Wang from returning to WoD. For a first attempt, he does a lot right; it’s just that in comparison to his own high bar, and the best of what WoD has to offer, ATOM is a solid entry rather than a standout.

[h2] Introduction / TLDR [/h2] A Time Of Monsters is a fast paced and surprisingly funny Choice of Games book that has some rather interesting mechanical differences (and game saves!) compared to other World of Darkness CoG books. More than any of the other books the vibes feel like a relaxed and genuinely funny game leader presenting a typically bleak WoD setting. The book does however feel a bit too quickly paced in some ways; a large part of the book is dedicated to fleshing out characters and navigating downtime between missions, but the main story thread itself felt like it could have used more build up before the climax to really make it feel earned. However, I think that if you enjoy the tone of the writing and the characters that will make up for the briefness of the story. This has been a really fun read! [h2] Writing, pacing [/h2] What sets this book apart from other WoD works that have been released as of writing is the tone. While themes and setting are as dark as you can expect from the World of Darkness, there is an informality and humor in the delivery that gives an impression of a story being told at a roleplaying table more than a Narrator of a Gothic Novel (tm). I think this really works; while often being genuinely fun Wang still manages to be sincere presenting the narrative world and the characters within it. But at the same time I can imagine someone simply not enjoying this particular tone of writing, so this is definitely a case of "try the demo before buying". Pacing-wise I think this book is too quick for its own good, in particular in the main story line. The ending feels like it comes before it has been built up properly, and the party was introduced it felt like I blinked and then suddenly everyone were welcoming me into their family. To me this pacing robs the story of the narrative weight that could have been achieveved with more build-up. On the other hand, characters and downtime is given a significant chunk of attention that makes them feel really fleshed out. This makes the narrative world feel vivid, and if you happen to like any of the characters in the group then you get to see a rather satisfying amount of them in the story. It might also be worth mentioning that the game story branches pretty heavily depending on choices made, so while it's not the longest story there is plenty of replayability as far as CoG books go imo. [h2] Mechanics [/h2] A Time Of Monsters does a lot of interesting things with the mechanics. The character has three main stats, and added to this you can collect a bunch of different items (like a knife or a flashlight) that end up unlocking various options that can compensate for stat checks you cannot pass. I thought this was a very effective way to convey that the hunter is very dependent on what little resources they can acquire to make up for any innate ability that a vampire might have had. Add to this encounters that have many small choices that you have to succesfully navigate as opposed to a single skill check solving a given problem and you have a game system that really makes you feel like the hunter is vulnerable in a way I don't think the other WoD books have managed to convey. It takes preparation and probably a bunch of trial and error to navigate the first proper fight scene successfully with a low physical score, and that felt great. And there are saves! You can replay a chapter if you're dissatisfied with the outcome, which is an excellent Quality of Life feature. There is also a relatively basic resource management system where you have to find ways of procuring food to not suffer consequences of starving inbetween chapters, which takes valuable time inbetween missions that could be spent getting more gear or socializing with the team. This really made me feel like the hunter was in a really precarious position as I was trying to figure out how little foraging I could get away with, at least on the first playthrough. It's basic but very effective. The only thing I could complain about mechanics-wise is that due to the quick pacing of the story it feels like the mechanics don't get to shine as much as they could have. If the story had more segments from start to finish the resource management would have felt even more precarious, and I think more opportunities to encounter skill checks in a given playthrough would have made the consequences of your choices more palapable. But especially as someone who is a bit of a fan of the World of Darkness books I still think A Time of Monsters has provided an excellent and different take on how to work with stats and resources in a WoD story. [h2] Conclusions [/h2] A Time of Monsters really sets itself apart from other works in the franchise with its uniquely jovial tone and different take on the World of Darkness game mechanics. The result is a really engaging and funny book that feels fresh, but is at the same time laid out in a way that makes a given playthrough feel a bit too short to be really satisfying. It is still definitely worth at least checking out the demo if you think you would enjoy a Choose Your Own Adventure novel about a small bunch of social outcasts fighting supernatural monsters, or if you're a WoD fan in general.

Purchased to support the author, though I'm not a fan of urban fantasy myself.