OVERALL IMPRESSION:
Vampire Survivors is one hell of a game. What comes across on first glance as a simple classic gothic bullet hell survival game, in fact encompasses many core game design elements that make it a surprisingly addictive, rewarding and fun. You can’t just watch gameplay. You have to play it to actually understand why it works and how it does it so well. Take the best action arcade games of the late 80s or early 90s, mix in rogue-lite components, multiple characters and an intriguing weapon combo upgrade system and you have Vampire Survivors.
GAMEPLAY:
This is an action survival game in the bullet hell rogue-lite genre where you fight to survive mobs of enemies. As you start the game you select a survivor. Each survivor comes with a unique weapon. During a run, you traverse a dungeon and control the unit’s movement. The character themselves auto attack. You kill monsters and gain experience while upgrading your weapons in the process. It all seems simple and straightforward. At the heart its a game about problem solving and build crafting.
However, beyond its simplistic initial presentation, at the very core is a game that utilizes 3 fundamental core game design elements. What makes this title so fun and addictive is its use of: progression, build customization and challenge. Together these elements cater to our innate human desires to always strive to be better, be creative and overcome adversity.
Firstly, progression is used in several ways. In a run, you are constantly leveling up your character and your weapons/power ups. Then outside a run, you have your meta-progression system that allows you to purchase various power ups that carry over to each and every run. Progression is a strong tool that many games apply to keep their players engaged. Next, you have build customization. This allows the player to creatively express themselves and select weapons/power ups that cater to their choices. Creativity is an innate human desire and games that allow for player choice to matter fulfill this craving for expression. Games that supply a set of build components that can be mixed and matched are often very satisfying when done right. For example, the game offers a selection of characters each with a unique starting weapon. Then it allows you to select other weapons and power ups making for a high number of unique combinations. In turn, this makes each character and run feel different. Lastly, the game utilizes meaningful challenge. Without holding your hand and explaining everything you are left with the gift of discovery. You get to experiment with an array of build combinations to solve the puzzle of how to survive another minute while battling hundreds of enemies. The game also rewards this experimentation with powerful transformations of weapons if you combine specific weapons and power ups. This results in weapons that are game changing. All together, these core game design elements create an insanely fun and fulfilling experience.
ART DESIGN & MUSIC:
The art design and music really compliment the gameplay making it feel classic and iconic. Vampire survivors has a gothic horror fantasy aesthetic. The graphics are very reminiscent of classic games of the past such as Castlevania. Instead of just drawing inspiration, it does have its own take on the genre with a range of characters and weapons. The simple visual design goes very well with the games minimalist approach. There’s something powerful in presenting a game that is simple and elegant in design on the surface but upon inspection is actually quite deep in the gameplay. The music also resonates elements of nostalgic arcade games. It’s the perfect soundscape of synth pop rock for battling hordes of monsters and feel like a hero while doing so.
CHALLENGES:
Similar to most games, the long term appeal and repetitive nature inherent in a rogue-lite comes to question. Although there are numerous weapon combinations and power ups will the game still be refreshing and fun once you’ve completed most of the stages and unlocks? This isn’t exactly a major flaw in the game itself. Every game has a journey with a beginning and an end. No matter the duration of the journey, the question is, was it worth it? Vampire Survivors offers a very compelling journey that is action packed and can be enjoyed in short bursts of time. After you complete a run, there’s that desire to give it one more go just to see what you can come up with next. This is the marker for a game that can captivate you. For how it’s been designed it offers a compelling experience that will surprise many.
GAME DETAILS
PLATFORMS: iOS, Android, PC, Consoles
RELEASE: 2022
DEVELOPER/PUBLISHER: Poncle Ltd.
GENRE/TAGS: Rogue-lite, bullet hell, survival, action
TARGET AUDIENCE: Players that enjoy rogue-lite, classic action games, build crafting
IMAGE CREDITS: Vampire Survivors
THANKS:
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