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This game is so good it created its own genre | Full Review - Vampire Survivors

855 View2023-03-20

Vampire Survivors might not seem like a really good nor addictive game judging from the pixel art graphics, but trust me, it is one of the most addicting games that have come out in recent years.

🟩Pros

+Highly addicting

+Deep gameplay and challenging difficulty

+Mindless fun, can play with just one hand

+Completely free to play with no pay to win mechanics

🟥Cons

-The basic retro graphics are not for everyone

Vampire Survivors is a 2D survival rogue-lite game that is completely playable with just one hand. Players just need to control the character’s movements, and that’s the whole control scheme of the game. The player character automatically attacks and defends itself against waves of waves of monsters and have to survive as long as they can, usually up to 20 to 30 minutes.

It was initially available for PC as an early access title, but has since expanded into other platforms with ports to Xbox, Android, and iOS platforms. They all are exactly the same games without any major differences, except for the controls and the portrait mode orientation. With the ability to just start a few minutes session anywhere, minimal controls needed, and its light hardware demands, playing it on mobile just seems like the perfect platform for this game.

For old-timers coming from other platforms, unfortunately there is no cross platform progression currently in place so it's a start from scratch. However the developers have this down in the pipeline as a future feature.

There is no story or background to it and it instead takes the players straight right into the action. Vampire Survivors may seem like an extremely simple game with its retro 2D graphics that look like it came from the NES era but it’s not, it’s deep, engaging, and challenging enough that it can be highly addicting, especially with the low effort required to keep playing. I can effectively classify it as a brain dead game, in a positive manner.

Despite the automated character attacks and 2D top down view, there are still many layers to this game, especially with the many characters, weapons, and item builds that you can try and experiment with. Each of which completely changes how the game plays and ensures not one run is exactly the same.

There are many characters you can choose to start runs with, each of them with different starting weapons and unique modifiers like a higher damage output, experience gain, or an added projectile, amongst other examples. There are four starting characters, with many more hidden that you can unlock. Different weapons and items are present in the game that are randomly obtainable during runs in a rogue-lite manner.

Up to a maximum of six weapons and six items can be equipped on each run, and can be further leveled up by acquiring another multiple of the same weapon or item. All of these six equipped weapons are automatically attacking, some more frequently than others, resulting in an amusing fireworks display of a variety of skills and attacks.

Gameplay Analysis

At the start of a run, players are placed in a level filled with random waves of enemies in increasing difficulty and numbers. Characters start with just their basic weapon and empty item slots. Killing monsters will drop gems that when picked up, will give experience points in order for the character to level up.

Leveling up presents players with three randomized item choices, which boils down to two types: either getting an entirely new item (provided that there is an empty slot) or to upgrade an existing one.

Random chests dropped by powerful monsters will also give you random drops of an item or a weapon. Players will always look forward for the next level up to be able to choose a new weapon, item or upgrade, and it never gets old.

The simple nature of giving players three choices of upgrades every time they level up (characters do level very often in a single run) results in a high permutation of widely different possible builds and combos. Again, providing a lot of versatility, replayability, and progression to the game.

This gameplay loop is highly addicting. Seeing your builds survive longer and longer as you gain more understanding of the game’s mechanics and itemization is immensely satisfying. The weapons and items are relatively well balanced, and players will most likely find a viable build for any of their preferred weapons, items, and characters. \

Vampire Survivors’ rogue-lite persistent progression comes in the form of character unlocks and PowerUps, both purchased by gold acquired from playing the game. PowerUps mostly increase a specific stat globally for all runs, like an increased cooldown, speed, or health. It can also introduce some gameplay changes like an extra revive, projectile, or even give themselves a handicap by making the enemies a tad bit harder. Players can re-spec at will so they do not have to worry about choosing the wrong upgrades when starting out.

There are also various levels called “stages” that are unlockable, each with their different modifiers and layout. All these stages have four additional unlockable game modes that take these modifiers to the extreme.

The start of runs can be a bit boring, especially when you are repeatedly dying or re-doing a run. Most of the fun is gravitated towards the mid to late stages of runs, where builds are starting to get fleshed out and eventually its flaws – if any – are exposed.

While the runs of Vampire Survivors get progressively harder by the minute, it still rewards players regardless if they fail because of persistent unlocks and the very prospect of trying out another build, highly motivating them to play more and more runs and getting them addicted to the already gratifying gameplay loop.

Vampire Survivors is a completely free game, with the only revenue model being in the form of highly commendable non-intrusive ads. Ads that, upon choice, will give you an extra revive or gold upon death — a win-win situation for players and the developers. There is also a very cheap winter themed DLC titled “Legacy of the Moonspell” that introduces new locations, characters, monsters, and items.

Conclusion:

Vampire Survivors is a game so great and iconic it created its own genre - the survival one hander rogue-lite genre. A perfect example of graphics doesn’t matter. Even if you’re one who usually cares for graphics in a game, even if you don’t like what you’re seeing from the screenshots and videos, I’d still recommend giving it a try and experiencing it yourself.

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