The Vampire Diaries is an Adventure Game released for the PC by HerInteractive in 1996.
In her small American town, Elena Gilbert is a high school student. One night, she goes to an exhibit in the recently opened Romanoff Art Gallery, while her younger sister is attacked by a mysterious assailant and has to be hospitalized. The circumstances of the attack are mysterious at first, but the girl's blood loss may indicate the presence of a vampire among the populace...
Tropes in the game include:
- The '90s: The game was produced in 1996, so the characters are all seen wearing the fashion and hairstyles of that time period.
- BigBad: Mikhail Romanoff, the art gallery owner, is a vampire and attacked Elena's younger sister.
- Big Damn Heroes: After Mikhail accosts Elena in the crypt and gives her a motive rant, Stefan rushes in to rescue her, but Mikhail shoves him into a stone wall and he passes out. Despite the botched rescue, this gives Elena an opening to perform the last actions to beat the game.
- Did Not Get the Girl: In one of the endings, Elena declines Stefan's offer to become immortal. The youth respects her decision.
- Ending Theme: In one of the endings, a song named "Precious Life" plays over the credits.
- The Faceless: Elena's face is never seen on screen, only her back and red hair.
- I Hate You, Vampire Dad: Mikhail killed his own mother when she killed his potential romantic mate.
- I Love You, Vampire Son: During his motive rant, Mikhail explains his own mother turned him into a vampire to join her in eternity.
- Interactive Movie: Like some games of the same genre produced at the time, it was developed with live-action actors acting over a green screen.
- Kiss of the Vampire: In one of the endings, Elena declares she wants to be with Stefan forever, and he bites her in the neck.
- Made of Explodium: Elena does a ritual in the crypt to defeat Mikhail, burns an enchanted knife and the crypt explodes, signifying her victory.
- Mr. Exposition: The day after Elena's sister, Margaret, is hospitalized, Stefan, who is tending to the girl at the local hospital, blurts it out that he is a vampire, tells Elena there's someone searching for the "Ultimate Power" in town, and Elena and her sister are being targeted for their blood.
- Multiple Endings: Elena Gilbert does survive Mikhail in the ending. The only difference lies in the last interaction with Stefan.
- Opening Theme: The opening screen plays a slow ballad-like song named "Close to You".
- Red Herring: Stefan, during his exposition, believes that his brother Damon is behind the attack on Elena's sister.
- Romantic Vampire Boy: Stefan is a vampire. He rescues Elena at the end of the game and acts corteously towards her. Depending on her final choices, Stefan may turn her into his eternal mate, or, if he is declined, respect her decision to remain human. In an earlier exchange, after he reveals he is a vampire and Elena needs money to buy an antique rune, Stefan says he would lend anything to the girl.Stefan: Anything I have I would gladly lend you, Elena. Even my heart.
- Together in Death: As part of a puzzle, Elena has to reunite the ghost of Adelaide Chambers with her lover, a Union soldier.
- Vampire Bites Suck: In a sequence of the game, if Elena confronts Damon at school at night, a badly-answered prompt leads to Damon overpowering Elena and biting her neck. This causes a Game Over.
- Willing Channeler: Elena's friend, Bonnie agrees to a ritual using runes. She channels a spirit named "Grandmother" that gives Elena instructions on how to banish the Big Bad.