Review: VAMPIRE SURVIVORS is so incredibly good you should go play it now if(typeof ez_ad_units != ‘undefined’){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],’geektyrant_com-box-3′,’ezslot_10′,112,’0′,’0′])};__ez_fad_position(‘div-gpt-ad-geektyrant_com-box-3-0’);

Several months ago, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Let yourself playand one of the hosts, Nick Wigerhe talked about a new game he was playing called Vampire survivors. The game didn’t seem very exciting at first, but then it came back week after week talking about it. They finally made an episode about the game and it earned tons of praise. About a month or two ago, the game joined Xbox Game Pass and then about a month ago I downloaded it to my Xbox Series S and finally gave it a try. My life has never been the same since then.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the review, let’s go over some basics for Vampire survivors. The game was developed and published by poncle and is available to play on PC and Xbox (affiliate link) with a recently launched DLC! There is also a free (and non-predatory) mobile version of Vampire survivors for Android and iOS devices even if it’s a bit behind (no DLC yet and more bugs). The game is an action roguelike with pixel art graphics. You attack automatically and therefore the only inputs needed are a move, a select and a return. It’s very simple. However, that simple gameplay makes for a very addictive game.

What is the premise of this simple game? Well, story-wise, I have absolutely no idea. However, mechanically, you choose a character and face wave after wave of enemy creatures. You will gain experience and with each new level you will be able to acquire a new skill or weapon or level up one you already have. Go until you die and each level also has a time limit when a big monster pretty much automatically kills you (I think I heard you can kill it though). You also collect gold which can be used to purchase permanent upgrades for your characters as you progress, such as increased experience, increased damage, decreased cooldowns, etc. An interesting mechanic is that weapons can evolve if they are fully upgraded and you have the corresponding item (for example, the Whip weapon requires the Hollow Heart item).

The art feels very retro, which is both good and bad in my opinion, but it’s very charming and consistent. This makes it work even if it’s not your favorite. Music is fine too. I don’t like it, and I wouldn’t mind turning it off to listen to something else, but it’s not terrible and there are times when it’s a lot of fun. The sound design, however, is truly spectacular. The weapons have very nice sounds to go with their cool animations and when you open a chest, the song that plays there is quite a banger!

Like I said before, the gameplay is so simple. You literally have to walk around and the game does everything from there. Sometimes you have to make a selection like in menus or when you level up, but that’s it. This easily leads to sinking hours and hours of gameplay Vampire survivors. The trick is figuring out which weapons and items are best to use with your character build during a particular run.

One last thing I want to talk about is the mobile version of the game. It’s free and on Android and iOS devices. It has the same gameplay and everything, with very minor differences. First, there are some extra bugs although I haven’t found anything broken or problematic in the game. Also, the DLC has not yet been released on mobile devices. I’m happy with how the poncle team has approached the free-to-play market. Instead of aggressively hounding you to spend money, the team really held back. After you die in a ride, you’re usually asked to hang out or watch an ad in exchange for a resuscitation. After a run, you’re also asked to watch an ad in exchange for extra gold. That’s almost all the monetization I’ve seen Vampire survivors. Honestly, I would have paid a few bucks to not even have those as an option, but I was thrilled that they took the approach that they have. I understand that poncle doesn’t have a big team to support the mobile version and that’s why there are more issues and no DLC yet, but I hope they are able to continue as it is.

Vampire survivors is a wickedly fun and simple game. It is definitely addictive, so be careful. The price is too good to drop to under $6 for the base game and DLC if you decide to go the PC or console route. This is a big winner in my opinion. If you have Xbox Game Pass, you can also try it before buying.