It’s safe to say that Vampire Survivors has had a significant impact on the gaming landscape. Its success has spawned countless games “inspired” by its simple yet compelling gameplay. While some of these have been decent, others have fallen short.
Today’s subject, Vampire Hunters from Gamecraft Studios, is a unique blend of Vampire Survivors and first-person shooter (FPS) mechanics. And that is a combination I never anticipated encountering.
As the title suggests, you’ll be hunting down hordes of undead creatures while building up an arsenal of increasingly powerful weapons. However, unlike Vampire Survivors’ pixelated sprites, the enemies in Vampire Hunters are up close and personal, thanks to the FPS perspective. Is this a winning formula or a fusion that goes too far? Let’s grab our crucifixes and find out!
Narrative isn’t a focus in Vampire Hunters. You simply choose a character and a starting stage (initially, only one is available; others unlock as you progress). Once you’ve made your selections, it’s straight into the action. Those vampires aren’t going to slay themselves, after all!
The game’s presentation is decent, though not visually stunning. The enemy designs are somewhat retro, reminiscent of early 3D games from the 1990s, with angular, polygonal models. However, the focus is on your ever-expanding arsenal. As you level up and acquire new weapons, the screen becomes a chaotic spectacle of projectiles and special effects. The FPS perspective adds a new dimension to the gameplay, as enemies can easily sneak up behind you, requiring constant vigilance.
The sound design is well-executed too, complete with distinct audio cues for different weapons and enemies. The music is also enjoyable, creating an appropriate atmosphere for the vampire-hunting action. It could well be said that while the overall presentation is functional rather than groundbreaking, it effectively serves the gameplay. Most importantly though, the action remains smooth even during intense encounters, which is crucial for this type of game.
The core gameplay loop draws inspiration from Vampire Survivors but with an FPS twist. By default, your weapons fire automatically, requiring you to focus on aiming and positioning. Of course, you can switch to manual firing if you prefer, but I opted for the automatic setting to stay true to the Vampire Survivors formula. However you play, you spawn into an arena with several coffin-like structures that spawn enemies. Your objective is simple: eliminate them.
Each run in Vampire Hunters is unique, thanks to the randomised weapon upgrades. Defeated enemies drop gems and orbs that grant experience points, and then, upon leveling up, you can choose new weapons, upgrade existing ones, or acquire passive skills. This creates a dynamic and unpredictable experience, encouraging experimentation and replayability.
Vampire Hunters successfully adapts the core elements of Vampire Survivors to a first-person perspective, creating an engaging and unique experience. While the visuals might not be cutting-edge, the gameplay is addictive and this is therefore a game that is capable of offering a satisfying power fantasy as you build up your arsenal and decimate hordes of vampires.
Although not as compelling as its inspiration, Vampire Hunters is a solid and enjoyable entry in this ever-growing genre.
Vampire Hunters Rises on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC: Unleash a Bullet Hell of Undead Mayhem – https://www.thexboxhub.com/vampire-hunters-rises-on-xbox-playstation-switch-and-pc-unleash-a-bullet-hell-of-undead-mayhem/
Buy Vampire Hunters on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/vampire-hunters/9NTJZ5T85Q25
