With the latest patch coming shortly, players will have a choice of which mode of the game to play.
Original/Textual: The Original version of the game in which combat and feeding were based on narrative choices, with the game play following a presentation similar to what a game master would narrate. This mode is recommended for new players and for those who want to experience the narration in full, at all stages.
Original/Abbreviated: Same as the Original version of the game in which combat and feeding were based on narrative choices, but with the following change: once a situation has been encountered and described, the next time the same situation occurs, the narration is substituted by a short notification of the outcome. There is somewhat less reading and clicking but at the cost of no longer being able to see a description again.
Once in Original mode, you can ask the fortune teller to switch between Textual and Abbreviated.
Alternative: The Alternative version replaces feeding and combat with interactive elements. The hunt and feeding take faster and the combat rules are different, even though the game balance is similar.
In all modes, the game is balanced to be beatable with a character above level 5. The combat perks that appear at levels 4 and higher in the Alternative version are different from those in the Original, offering new strategies. Similarly, having a knife on you will only mater in the Original version. All quests remain unchanged.
The Alternative mode can be treated as a separate game with the same story and additional assets.