An above average innovative game, however a bit disappointing for those expecting vampire accuracy.
So then, being a huge vampire fan, I was really anxious to see what can be new based on Dracula's reputation. However, if you're more about "accuracy" in the terms of "Vampire the Masquarade", you might find this heavily disappointing. True, crosses, garlic, holy water and garlic are major symbols in the original story, but have lost their kick with the average gamer/reader/movie-goer due to their lack of presence in the media. A traditionalist might find this encouraging, but this is what made me lose most appetite from the intro cinematic. Perhaps it would be best if, leaving the idle chatter aside I'd make a list of pros and cons:
Good stuff: The acting is fairly good, though could have been better, the Egyptian-set dialogue being especially well built. You get to be closer to the characters in the book by actually interacting with them and of course even playing one. Even in minimum detail, the game still provides a visually satisfying experience. Being involved first hand in puzzles gives you a more vivid experience. Speaking of puzzles, these are quite entertaining and original (at least some of them). Last but not least, it's a vampire game, hehe.
Bad stuff: First off, there's the story. This here can be a dangerously sharp double-edged blade, as the innovation to the original can make or break the game. Some will apreciate it, others will totally be repulsed by the major alterations. I mean, seriously, Egypt? Sure, the atmosphere and story by themselves are good, even for a vampire game, but let's not mix Indiana Jones and Dracula. Next thing you know, the dark lord will be headed for Tibet to learn kung-fu from Batman's teacher's. Deffinitely not the best of moves. Apart from that, the story introduces the count far too early and only briefly. You would think that a game bearing his name would at least have more cinematics with him, now and then. It's "Dracula: Origin", not "Van Helsing: The Real Story". Also, the puzzles, interesting as original as they are, tend to be quite frustrating at times, not to mention the disproportionate ammount of time you spend opening doors. There are simply too many complex locks in this game. Even knowing the combination to, say, the Turk's front door, it still takes too long to open it. The man must be a nutcase doing this to himself every time he walks out the door.
Overall, if you like vampire games and you enjoyed games like Still Life, this is a good choice for a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect to get the thrills you got out of games like "VtM: Redepmtion" or "VtM: Bloodlines". Different ball-park, I know, but still... Egypt?!