Really enjoyable hack'n'slash with fun world and interesting main characters and their chemistry.
Price is nice, music is acceptable but a little too short. Graphics are very nice. Skills, attributes and overall character development is great.

Overall, good game for that price.

A great atmosphere combined with some excellent enviroment details, is really something that deserves some credit. Don't get confused though, the game has its flaws. The game is really cheap, and that taken into consideration, the standard is fairly high. I've made a list to sum up the things I've noticed after around 5 hours of gaming. Pros: -- Has a tendency of making you "want to play more".
-- Very detailed enviroment.
-- The ghost Katarina replaces the pet from Torchlight. She adds more life to the game, and you can adapt her abilities to your requirements.
-- Price!

--- Cons:
-- Lack of impact noice when attacking.
-- Combat seems slightly repetative.
-- The "powerups" to your skills in the skill tree is relatively "boring". For example, adding +50% damage is one of the 3 powerups that is repeated in all of the skills. Some more interesting powerups would have been prefered.

Overall, great game but with a few fixes here and there, it'd be even better.… Expand

You can't have better hack'n'slash rpg for so low price. Design, music, sounds, scenery, rpg-system match highest standarts. Also u have great companion (not as great as Elizabeth, though) with hilarious sense of humor.

One of the best Hack' n' Slash game i ever played, the graphics is really awesome, the game is beautiful, the gameplay, history, all!
I really recommend this game for fan's of Diablo, brings what they missed on D3!
10/10

Tons of people praising the game already. I've played all the arpgs worth playing and this game is highly recommended. Any fans of d2,d3,tl1/2, titans quest, and any other such games will be happy with the purchase.

Only played Act 1 so far but in my opinion best current Hack'n'Slash.

Graphic style represents every cliché about a land of werwolves and vampires, the graphic itself is detailed and nice to look at. Despite trees, bushes, hills and hordes of monsters it always seems clean enough to keep an overview.
The sound is nice, music fits but is nothing that stands out, the voices on the other hand are brilliant.

The gameplay is really enjoyable, attacks feel meaty and heavy and seeing packs of monsters explode into fine bloody mist is extremely satisfying. The mix of chaos and overview is well balanced.
Though the character progression seems quite limited at first, a rather intricate skilltree design and the addition of a leveling companion add enough deep to support several different playstyles and definetly promote replayability.

Last but not least the game is filled with hidden humor and nice banter with your companion.
I liked this much better than Torchlight 2 or Diablo 3.
I would say at that price, it's a must-buy for everyone interested in Hack'n'Slash.… Expand

I'm EXTREMELY Impressed. Bravo Neocore!!! Take a bow you deserve it.

Why do I say that?

#1 Unique character development: The powerup options are definitely a different take on skills from any Arpg's I've played. At first I thought "WTH there's only 20ish skills some 'tricks'?". As I leveled I realized that the use of skill, skills+powerups, tricks and weapon swap(i.e. different skill sets) gave a near perfect level of depth as well as actual of skills.

#2 Likeable (main) characters The dynamics between Katarina and Van Helsing is nice to say the least. I truly felt like I was listening in on two old friends or siblings that were giving each other a little grief. Which makes for a comfortable enjoyable background to fill in the VERY rare luls between packs.

#3 Very solid graphics I have a fairly nice machine and a 2550x1440 dell monitor and am fairly impressed with how well everything looks. It looks good at any of the higher resolution/settings but scaled up nicely when I put my hardware to the test.

#4 Good variety of monsters … Expand

I'm very impressed with this Diablo style action RPG. I jumped right in and played for hours. I was a little worried when I started the game and only had the choice of one character class, but once I started experimenting with the skill tree, I realized that Van Helsing can be a variety of character types such as a caster, ranged DPS, melee defensive/offense, etc. The ranged/melee swap feature adds a level of depth that can lead to some exciting builds. The environment and artistic nature of the game gives it a darker feel that I enjoy. Congratulations Neocore, I'll be keeping an eye on your future releases from now on! I can't think of a better way I could have spent my $14.… Expand

What a surprisingly awesome game! Wasn't expecting much from it's lackluster title, however seconds into the game I learned that not a single dollar was wasted (speaking of price, I can't believe we are getting such a great looking game for so cheap).
I've been switching between this and Marvel Heroes, and while they are different games, I'm just glad there is constantly something satisfying my Action-RPG fix that was left in shambles after a somewhat disappointing Diablo 3.… Expand

This game was a big shock to me to be honest, and is my surprise package of the year. Solid mechanics, great looting system, interesting skill system that makes for addicting game-play and intense fights. Camera is a bit iffy at times, unable to see enemies from afar when travelling down, apart from that though all round solid game. Must buy for hack and slash fans, and a game consider for others. The difficulty is also well optimised, not too hard but not too easy either, with four difficulties to boot plus hardcore which means game-over once you die for the hardcore gamers!… Expand

Great game very surprised to be honest didnt think it would be this good defintaly worth more than what they are asking for, this is as good as Diablo3 appart from the combat that is....... they definatly have a great game here.... lets hope they make a full game in the near future.

Everything I thought it would be! A great emersive ARPG. Exciting skills, perks ect! I love katarina, she is a great help on your adventure. There are some many cool things to do like enchant your items, forge new items, socket your items, buy new auras! So much about this game is great! With some re-play ability this game would be heavenly, maybe we'll see it in the future. Small bugs but nothing bad enough to even take a point. 10/10… Expand

Very enjoyable and unquestionably worth the price. It has a lot more depth than I expected.
Hope it gets more exposure; it definitely deserves it.

I really didn't see this coming. A game comparable in quality to Titan quest? Diablo series? Path of Exile? What a surprise! If you like any of the previous loot'em'ups I just mentioned, then this is a no brainer. Just buy it. I am in love, which happens so rarely these days. Great action, awesome loot, lots of customization (skills, stats, perks, tricks, auras, your sidekick that you can level up, equip, etc). I especially love the rage system. And the music! So good and original! Mad props to the devs, looking forward to their next efforts!… Expand

This game is absolutely fantastic and a must buy for fans of the ARPG genre. It takes a familiar formula, and mixes it up nicely with in-depth character customization, likable cast, and an interesting world/setting. I personally couldn't get into D3, TL2 or PoE, but this game instantly had me hooked, and is probably the first ARPG thats really kept me playing since D2. Great work all around!

One word: Amazing. I literally made an account just to add my thumbs up for this game. I was pleasantly surprised by satirical (sometimes dark) humour, gorgeous graphics, various detailed environments, playful banter between you and your, errr... companion. Seriously, slick game-play mechanics, a splendid UI and little to no bugs is like a deep breathe of fresh air. I just finished the first "act" and I can't wait to play more. Do yourself a favour, pick this gem up. For 13 bucks, you will definitely get way more than you bargained for.… Expand

Well Done Neocore! Their Arthur Games had great ideas and great art, but failed in terms of strategic (and tactical) gameplay. This game successfully mimics the ARPG style of Diabolo and Torchlight in grand style. The UI and skill trees are great. Graphics are beautiful. IT WORKS! Pricing the game at $15 was also inspired, not because it is cheap, but because it reflects a realistic entry point for impuse buying. So many 'full-price' games disappoint. $15 encourages a gamble with an unknown IP. No doubt millions will try it and LIKE what they see. Hope Neocore makes big money with this as a reward for their hard efforts and great work on this title. Thanks for the game.… Expand

I have been playing for 5 hours straight and am loving the leveling system very addictive! Also has surprisingly deep game play. The graphics are quite good, but I am having some odd performance issues with 2x GTX 670 at 2560x1600 in SLI and not in SLI. I have no idea why. Also the voice acting is pretty bad. Even so, these issues are easily forgivable with the price tag. I highly suggest buying this game if you enjoy ARPGs. I would give the game an 8 if it were more expensive, but it easily takes home a 9 with the value.… Expand

@Klausreiner: This a review of the game just released, not the movie, might want to do something with that rating as it affects the overall rating.

I'm not sure that the movie was really what the devs. were thinking would draw many players, it was pretty bad, IMO as well and even the reviews here are pathetic. You would think that they may have had other interests in mind than lamenting over the film when they chose to use the name or maybe not... The reviews here are at: http://www.metacritic.com/movie/van-helsing for those interested.

Also, with regards to the skill and character traits available to customize. I have found that with the 8 or so hours I have in the game, you can't (at least at my point) just level up all the skills and get the +50% in all aspects, there are too many. This is what makes it so interesting to me. You have to focus on a balanced set and work with them in order to truly level up and expect any useful skills. While I do like to explore, I am now 8 hours into the game and I haven't seem but a couple of the maps shown on some other video reviews. I expect those that found the game to be short might prefer the running and gunning to the quest point and getting it done as fast as possible. Not me, I try to find all the hidden treasure there is to be had as well as the collectibles and achievements, so what may take them an hour could take me up to 3.

The acting is great, IMO. It's hilarious at points. Just in the first town and subsequent quest(s) there are some great characters to meet. The two headed cow and just around the corner, the drunk babbling (were they clues or nonsense, not sure yet), the alchemist who was cursed and can't speak anything but gibberish (part of a quest) are just a few right from the get go that I though were very clever and funny.… Expand

One of a 2-3 games I can give full 10/10 to. The Incredible of Van Helsing has: nice setting (different from being just another fantasy set in nowhere), nice SFX, great voiceover, astonishing visuals and graphics, a lot of sarcasm, very few dungeons (going for open locations instead), curious differences from more traditional ARPGs (such as no monster respawn and consequently, lack of farming)

It has its share of minor bugs, but dev team appear to be actively collection feeddback and reports, so I suppose the game will be perfected soon enough… Expand

Hack n slash in its purest form. Lots of character development for you and your companion. Lots of options on playstyle magic/melee/ranged etc etc. It's pretty linear and basic but its a lot of fun.

Highly recommended especially at the budget price.

Definitely a Diablo clone, but a good one at that. The detail to the game mechanics is what really astounded me. How they handled all the skills and skill types (skills/modifiers/tricks/auras) was really impressive. And the amount of control you have with your companion is the best I've ever seen. It is definitely worth the $15 price tag on steam. If your a fan of the Diablo-esque play style then I definitely recommend getting this.… Expand

Just got the game yesterday and played it 14 hours str8. Overall the game is solid. Game play is refreshing and doesn't become a repeat hack and slash. Some of the monsters tend to get hard and I even died a few times thinking it would be easy. Graphics, story, and main characters all fit well. For the price I would say that this game is worth the buy and play. Love it...hope more comes with this game.… Expand

Awesome game. It's like a mix of Diablo 3, Dungeon Siege and Fallout 3 (perk system). You will however mash your mouse to death but it is a hack 'n' slash after all.

Would still be great value at double the price, definitely worth buying.

I cannot recommend this game enough to any fans of the hack and slash genre. It is absolutely solid in every aspect of it's delivery, the dialog is fairly witty and rarely annoying, the combat has a substantial amount of depth for customization and the overall atmosphere is wonderful. I should also mention that this is an older styled ARPG in that there are a significant amount of secrets hidden within it, if you pay attention to your environment, and talk to npcs you would otherwise ignore.

Few things though: There is no new game+, and there are a few issues with multiplayer(two patches have landed within the last 2 days, and both seemed to have fixed it for the most part. Rest assured, they're taking care of any bugs, though I ran into little to none.
The new game+ was mentioned by devs as something they're looking into as they add DLC(free) in the future.… Expand

It's ok. It's a good game. I really don't know why though! It's a movie licensed 14€ (Probably 14$ too) game. Did i have to mention it a second time? Movie Licensed. Good. In the same context. However, it's short and probably episodic. Didnt hit the end yet. Just from what i've heared. However, gameplay and skill system is fun. It's not "the answer to Diablo 3" but it has a few innovationsns like the ghost sidekick which is really well done and feels like a step forward in this genre. Said sidekick you can either command to attack from afar, be the tank/melee or just be a buffbot (which some passiv bonuses when she is in this mode) also you can command her to focus certain enemies, collect stuff and of course she has items lots, skills and attributes. Which actually makes her useful and relevant to your personal play stile. The skill system sadly is no Titan Quest, but we will probably never have something great as Titan Quest again, so let's still with this: You have plenty of options to develop your own personal play stile. However, after a few playtroughs you will find yourself bored since it's over at lv 30. But as i said, probably episodic. But until then, it's a whole lot of fun for that price.… Expand

Arpg+ hack and slash, skill tree for both you and your companion attributes ,enchanting crafting, socketing, reputation and combat system that's both fluid and enjoyable i just loved this game and can't wait for a sequel

Sorti de nulle part, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing fait son apparition sur steam. Cet excellent hack & slash "old school" façon Diablo 2 prend tout le monde par surprise. Et tout ça pour moins de 14€.

Dans ce jeu nous incarnons le fils du célèbre chasseur de monstres, Van Helsing.

Le visuel est globalement plaisant et l'ambiance "Van Helsing" est bien présente au travers davers du bestiaire classique au départ puis plus steam punk par la suite. Les effets sonores sont correctes et les musiques collent parfaitement l'action et au stéréotype "Europe de l'Est med-fan". Les voix sont en Anglais mais le jeu propose des sous-titres FR. De plus, le jeu se paye de luxe d'avoir d'excellentes répliques, drôles ou sarcastiques, entre le héros et le fantôme de dame Katarina qui nous sert de partenaire tout au long du jeu. Sans oublier les nombreuses références d'autres jeux ou films. L'action est bien présente et on enchaîne les packs de monstres avec plaisir. La difficulté quant elle grimpe passées les 1ères heures de jeu.

Au niveau des mécaniques de jeu, on retrouve pas mal d'éléments classiques des H&S et d'autres instaurés par D2. A chaque level, on distribue des points dans nos stats et compétences. En plus de cela, il est possible d'obtenir des "perks" via les points de réputation obtenus en tuant des monstres "non normaux". Le jeu propose une table de compétences pour le corps corps, les armes feu ainsi que les buffs et auras. Le personnage dispose tout moment de la possibilité de switcher entre son arme de corps corps et son arme feu. Un système dit de "combo" est aussi présent. Il s'agit en fait plus d'un système permettant de booster l'effet de sa prochaine attaque en fonction de 3 critères différents pour chaque compétence. Ce système est alimenté par la rage obtenue en tuant ses ennemis. Le jeu dispose aussi d'un système comparable celui des gemmes sertir dans son équipement. Sauf qu'ici il s'agit d'essence. Ces dernières sont améliorables et aussi mélangeables afin d’obtenir de nouveaux effets. Il est aussi possible de créer son équipement la façon du célèbre cube Horadrim de D2 mais cette fois ci en passant par un PNJ. A noter que notre compagnon, la très morte dame Katarina, dispose elle aussi de stats et de compétences monter ainsi que d'une feuille d'équipement.

Les 2 seuls points faibles que l'on pourrait éventuellement trouver ce titre résident dans sa re-jouabilité et dans son relatif manque de variété au niveau des régions traversées. Ainsi, une fois le mode solo "offline" terminé, il n'y a pas de "new game plus" ou de possibilité de recommencer l'aventure. La seule solution est alors de passer par le mode "online". A noter que le mode "online" est actuellement assez instable mais que des patchs sont en route pour corriger le problème. Et pour ce qui est de la région visitée, elle se résume au final en 2 lieux principaux avec leurs quartiers alentours.

Le jeu devrait vous tenir une bonne 15-20aine d'heures avant que vous n'en arriviez bout. Ce qui est somme toute plutôt honnête pour le prix et sachant que le mode "online" permettra ceux qui souhaiteront continuer leur recherche de l'item ultime d'y passer encore d'avantage de temps. De plus, il semblerait que le jeu prenne la forme d'un jeu épisodique façon "The Walking Dead". Bref, affaire suivre certainement en fonction des ventes du titre qui, je l'espère, rencontrera le succès car cette mise en bouche ouvre de belle manière l'appétit.

En conclusion, moins de 14€, ce serait vraiment dommage que de ne pas encourager le surprenant travail réalisé par les développeurs sur ce jeu. Le résultat est étonnamment bon et ravira n'en point douter les fans de hack & slash "old school" ainsi que les fans de l'univers Van Helsing.… Expand

This is one of the best action RPG indie game of this year. I've just finished the whole game it is freaking awesome, as I've just said one of the best action RPG game of this year but I would expected more than this game, It's obvious that the developers had received influence from Diablo II, the setting of this game it's so similar to Diablo II's setting, I liked that too much because I expected that Diablo III would have the same setting than Diablo II but it wouldn't. But anyway, it's a really good game and it has less than a week so it is going to improve.… Expand

Good game but far from great Unfortunately the game lacks polish. The game has poor replayability and becomes predictable. As about the graphics they are ok but it is plagued by lacking shadows and some low quality textures. Music is forgettable and speech is bad

Amazing ARPG!! Totally did not expect this one. So many things work great in this game, though there are a couple small flaws. If you enjoyed Torchlight 1/2 or Titan Quest, this is a well-worth purchase!

The characters, Van Helsing and Lady Katarina (a ghost!), work great together. It helps that the voice acting is incredibly well-done, something which seems rather rare for indie/lower-budget games. NPC's are all voiced, which is pretty nice, but there are a few exceptions (but it adds to the humor!). Your companion can be a bit of a smartass, which works well in the dark fantasy/mechanical (ish?) setting. There's tons of wit in pretty much every part of the game and are also a number of references, as well.

Gameplay is solid, though the pathing and movement can be a -little- off. You will find that your deaths come from being surrounded quite often. It isn't quite as smooth as Diablo III, but the enemies are, in general, better designed. There are a lot of "dodgeable" things, which is ideal in an ARPG instead of everything just auto-hitting you. You have both a sword and a gun to equip, along with all of the other usual pieces of gear. You can also equip your lovely companion with some other gear and she has many options for combat and loot. She can be set to ranged, melee, or passive (if you keep her passive, you get 10% all defense). Also, you can set her to pick up any rarity of items and any item that sells for less than whatever amount of gold. Of course, she has an inventory as well and can be sent back to do your shopping/selling/whatever. Lastly, mobs don't seem to respawn in single-player... which is a little odd. It may get fixed, who knows.

The other lacking trait of the game would probably be the number of skills. There are two main trees, melee and ranged, and two smaller trees. The smaller trees contain passives skills and misc. active skills of which you can only have two of each active at one time. It would be nice if there were more trees or just more skills for the two trees. The skills don't have a huge amount of creativity to them, but for the most part, are balanced. There are a couple "weak" skills, but nothing too bad.

But, don't let those small flaws stop you!!!!!!! There are tons of "hidden" items and bonus content. Quite a few easter eggs. It's incredibly well-done in this regard, and trumps any other ARPG. If you love finding hidden stuff, this is a perfect game for you! (Pay attention to every detail!) I felt like I was playing a Monkey Island ARPG, almost.

The music is good and fitting with the theme, but it sounds a little bit repetitive. Still not bad though. After a while, you may choose to turn on your own tunes, though.

Definitely another great game for 2013. A hidden gem, looking at how few main critic reviews there are so far! It's an incredible adventure well worth the $15. Certainly a better investment than Diablo III !
Total bargain!

Summary:
Gameplay: 8.8
Graphics: 9.0
Music: 7.5
Humor: 9.5
Easter Eggs: 10.0
Skills/Depth: 8.0
Overall Value (quality per cost?): 9.5… Expand

What an awesome hidden gem IMHO this is a perfect game, cheap, actually fun for as much as, or even less, than what I've paid just for DLC on other games. For me, this is what I hoped for from Diablo3, which was overpriced and flooded with bugs and ultimately disappointing to me. The graphics & sound are fine, the gameplay is addictive. I can't wait for updates and future content from Neocore Games!… Expand

I bought the game yesterday and played whole day i must say it is not perfect, yes there are some bugs but for the price of 10 euros it is more than worth to play. Graphic is very good, atmosphere is like you are in film about Count Dracula. So much to explore is more than welcome. Customisation of the character is very good, you have to choose what to equip making yourself better for fighting with enemies. Ghost companion is very helpful. I usually don't play this type of games, but this one is keeping me in front of pc monitor for whole day. Everyone who is willing to spend some small amount of US dollars or EUROS won't make mistake by buying this game.… Expand

Don't be put off by the bad reviews, i swear you will enjoy this game. I bought it hesitating but i am glad i did. Pretty damn hard but it is really fun!

I was waiting for this game, and it surpassed all my expectations! The music, the atmosphere, the gameplay, the feel of game, it just have all of it.
Indie developers putting so much effort into their games compared to big companies nowadays, this is why i love indie games and this one is gonna be my personal favourite! 10/10!

Very pleasantly surprised by this game. I bought it based on some decent-looking screenshots on Steam, but was surprised to find engaging story and quests, charming characters, good voice acting, a strong musical score. and really excellent graphics after I messed around with the brightness and saturation some. On launch, there were several bugs, and multiplayer is broken (5/25/13), but the company appears hard at work ironing out these issues. Otherwise, most of the game feels nicely polished.

The story and setting are some of the game's strongest aspects. The world feels like it could be right out of the Witcher novels with an Eastern European allure, and while you don't have any options as far as selecting a character (you are Van Helsing and his side kick Katarina), the game instead develops a story and personality for these particular characters and you feel like you know them through their manner and idiosyncrasies.

The biggest complaints that I have? I want more--more story for these two characters and a larger cast, especially to add some variety to the multiplayer. Four hunters in wide-brimmed hats with four ghost side-kicks is a little absurd.… Expand

A great game not just for the price although it is very cheap. You should absolutely enjoy it for what it is. A simple fresh action RPG with great mechanics, tactical gameplay and a surprisingly gripping atmosphere, A definite must have.

This game is amazing, i read that people are saying it doesn't have shadows. They should be on by default but you can switch them on in advanced graphics settings. It looks quite good.

For the money this is easily a 10 out of 10. Haven't had this much fun in a game since I finished Tombraider and this is much easier to get into.

I was never all that pleased with Diablo 3 and this is far better and more varied to play. Sure some of the voice a cting is a bit crook but some of it is good too.

It is just fun working out the best way to take down enemies and everything is just so super smooth at 60 fps or above.

I really hope they do add on packs to this game as i would buy them.… Expand

A great Action RPG.

This game borrowed fairly heavily from the torchlight series in terms of game mechanics, and thats ok. In fact, I think they did it better then the original, and the story all the way through was fairly interesting.

The game is about 20 hours long to crawl all the side quest. The polish seems great. There were only a couple bad voice actors--most of it was good, and the dialog was witty and funny in the midst of a bunch of hack and slash awesome adventuring. I hear the multiplayer is a bit buggy, but I didn't do any of that. Single player was rock solid, with one exception where the final boss was able to attack me during his epic cut scene. This was no biggie, as I had plenty of cash to just respawn in place.

Perhaps my only complaint with this game is that I had absolutely TONS of gold the whole way through. There were prices for things, and it really didn't matter what they were because I could never spend all my money because sitting there and buying everything from the random item shop is boring.… Expand

This is a really good game. Pure APRG gold. I can't believe it's only $15. It's amazing how well polished an ARPG can be when there is only one "class" to balance.

WOW! It delivers what Diablo 3 screwed up (Auction house/worthless in-game gold). It delivers what Torchlight II never had, a wonderful story (and voice acting). Also the mechanics are so refined I completely forgot that it only has 2 classes (skill trees). The actually useful and funny companion in single player is also a big plus. All in all very good job! I really hope NeocoreGames gets rich with it so they can make a sequel with tons of content.… Expand

Better, cheaper, and longer than Diablo 3. Combat is fluid and fulfilling. The combo system that allows to to customize your abilities is fantastic. Don't miss this game, it is well worth the price.

It seems this game was actually played by its developers, since it is full of convenience features so missing from others. Namely, your companion collects loot automatically, all and any loot. Finally. It was an enjoyable game with lots of funny conversations and many easter-eggs. However, I don't feel any urge to replay it; I have a couple of achievements left, such as kill thousands of creatures, try not to kill the cute enemies, etc. I think it's well worth the money, and maybe underpriced. Maybe the DLCs will bring fresh energy into the game.… Expand

I am really enjoying this game. You can tell a lot of effort was put into this to make it a game people would want to play...and best of all, no auction house! Action RPGs take a lot of time to program and perfect and they are quickly taking the time to iron out some small bugs and perfect the online multiplayer (which has been broken by lag for people who join games). They are releasing patches on a daily basis...which is impressive to me. The game is fun and the developers care. That means a lot.… Expand

This game is surprisingly good. Its not the best out there in its genre but everything in this one is quite solid. The combat is great&fun and visuals are really nice. It does get somewhat repetitive after in a while but I still find myself playing it after 8 hours in. If you are fan of the genre this game is worth trying out for its excellent pricing also. For 15€ or less this game is a g good deal. This game is not trying to be more than it is and its worth every cent it asks for.… Expand

Great game so far. I'm about 6 hours into it, and that's all the time I really need to make a clear decision that this game is an absolute steal at $14. It is a game conceived of Diablo and Torchlight ingredients, but simultaneously having its own original themes. The gameplay is designed to keep you busy with multiple hotkey commands (potions, spells, etc.), as hordes of enemies aren't far from every step you take. I have a high standard for RPG's/ARPG's, and while this is no Zelda: Ocarina of Time or Skyrim, this is as good as it gets for a hack 'n' slash.… Expand

Awesome game, and worth every cent of the twelve euros I paid for it. The game has a great skill system, and the quests and humor are refreshing; especially so early on in the game. Difficulty is done right, with the hardest difficulty being adequately hard and balenced well.

Things to note:
mobs dont respawn, so unless you do things the creators obviously didn't intend, the possible xp is limited. Furthermore, there is no endgame; after 15-20 hours the game is finished and your only option for replayability is restarting with a new build or going hardcore.

Don't expect a full game for 12 euros however. There are only around 40 hours of play available, but those hours do count!… Expand

I have to say it was better then i ever dreamed of. It has an almost perfect balance between action and funny stuff (and the funny stuff/easter eggs are really well made and almost all of them made me giggle) and on top of that it has a bit of strange-horrorish feeling even tho it's not in big amounts. Overall i had a great time in this game and i am happy i was able to play it. Will give it a 9 considering it came out so well and it (from my pov) beat Diablo from many points of view even from a technical one when it comes down to skills, perks, stats and the actually USEFUL assistant with it's own skills, perks, stats inventory and options.

Some minuses that for me would have made it a 10:
- Mobs don't respawn once u kill them like in diablo after u log out/in again. That would have made the whole experience last longer. Now if u finish the game there's nothing to do in general.
- The droprate (if any) for epics is almost nonexistent.
- Combining yellow items 99.(9)% of times has no chance of giving u an epic.
- More use of minigames like the tower defense. That from my pov is an extremely strong feature that could be exploited.
- A bit better graphics/movies is always a but as is it didn't ruin the gameplay what so ever.
- SHORTER GAME NAME..come on...the name of the game is sarcastically long.
- More character customization & better looking items would be nice. Most of them are well done and in the tone of the game, but even so. Maybe the camera angle was at fault?
- DLC. Definitelly needs DLCs and stuff
- Even more hidden objectives/quests and so on those are awesome and something that is lacking in D3.

Thanks to the developers for giving us such an awesome experience with this game. Haven't had such fun in this type of game since D1/2… Expand

Great game. Not perfect but extremely fun. The gameplay is identical to diablo 3, but better. Drops are better, more enemies to fight, quicker pace. And the biggest plus of all is that this game costs 15$ usd compared to diablo 3 at 60$.

Wow, the best $11.99 I've ever spent..

I was a little skeptic against the Van Helsing franchise because I thought this would be a game trying to use the title to attract some audience.. Oh boy, wasn't I wrong?

This game doesn't revolutionize the genre but it shows that with a little bit attention to detail, you can still introduce an original game into an already crowded ARPG market..

The level design is better than both D3 and TL2 and with the help of great music, game creates a great atmosphere. Maps suck you in an you want to investigate every corner of the game. Skill tree is a little basic but it covers the main areas that are indispensable for the genre. Voice acting has some amateur taste to it but the dry humor throughout the game shows that developers don't take themselves very seriously. They obviously tried to create a great looking fun game and nailed it.

The whole experience reminded me the first time a played Witcher and how pleasantly surprised I was with a game from an unknown studio. I will keep supporting this game by buying whatever DLC they release and I'm hoping these guys will follow the footsteps of CD Projekt RED and make enough money to come up with an epic sequel.… Expand

I have been playing this non stop. What an awesome game and I cannot believe it is so cheap. Only £10.00. This is a fantastic hack and slash quite similar to the Torchlight games. There is some great humour in this game mostly provided by Katarina who I absolutely love. She is a very useful AI companion with a well thought out set of commands and behaviours that can be changed on the ffly. The combat system is great, nothing innovative or new but it works very well and is easy to pick up. There are some very funny easter eggs hidden in this game that I won't spoil. The online mode is a bit buggy at the moment but adds replay value and the devs are working hard to fix these bugs. I have not experienced any game breaking glitches or bugs. Patch recently has already improved things. All in all I really love this game and highly recommend it.… Expand

Amazing game! On the one line with torchlight series! Looks brilliant with a sense of humor, tale references. Really recommend this game who completed diablo/titan quest/torchlight series. 10/10

Nice gameplay, excellent soundtracks, it costs 10€ and it is great RPG experience! Nothing original, but who needs that? Only con is not enough specialization (no professions) You always play just Van Helsing. That also cause you have no temptation to play the game repeatedly.

Have spent 14 hours on this game so far. It has some 'bug' issues but I really like all the items in the game, the graphics and the story so far. The voice acting is also decent in my opinion. The game was worth the $14.

A pretty good Diablo 3 clone. Good story and fun/challenging combat. that I'm enjoying. Again, much taken from D3, but a good game for $15 is still a good game. I recommend.

It's a big surprise... A clone of Diablo is obvious but it is really a good game costing nothing but few bucks... but please, tell to Klausreiner giving a 0 this is NOT a movie... he is a bit confused... :-D

Good RPG in the vein of Dungeon Siege.
Click and slash your way through hordes of monsters while picking up items and such.
The atmosphere is well done as a Victorian/steam punk world with science gone wrong. This is despite some odd modern culture references which do feel out of place (although the Hitch Hikers Guide reference did make me laugh).
The main problem is that it becomes a bit repetitive later on as some areas are enormous. Don't get me wrong, it is not boring but after a while I started craving for something different. I guess Diablo fans won't mind it too much.
What you cannot argue with is the price. It is cheap and you get a lot of game for very little money. A LOT!
Not the best game out there but well worth the asking price.… Expand

It's addictive, but almost nothing about the game is well-balanced, impressive, or that fun. With a ranged character, all of the mobs are always stronger than you, meaning the gameplay reduces to running round in circles letting off area effect rounds from a blunderbuss. The loot is mind-boggling, it's impossible to tell whether a drop is better than your current equipment without looking through the stats, and even then it's too complex to decide if the critical hit bonus or the elemental damage bonus or the attack speed is more useful. For a game with so many inter-related stats it works surprisingly well, and the mobs somehow manage to continue being exactly as much tougher than you all the way through the game, without getting noticeably easier or impossible to beat. I'm tempted to think there is a much simpler system behind it all and the game just gives the impression you're tinkering with dozens of little plus and minus buttons on the character sheet that do stuff.

The enjoyable futility of the gameplay and gear progression is a lot like Deathspank. But unlike that game, none of the monsters involve any particular tactic. Diablo is a much better piece of work than Van Helsing, and I think the positive comments here are probably due to the game giving an excellent first impression for a budget title it is extremely well-polished and professional looking. It just has a crummy gameplay mechanic. A lot of reviewers seem to like the witty dialogue too, but I think the constant subtle references to other games like Skyrim, Dishonored, Orcs Must Die and probably some others I can't put my finger on are more fun.… Expand

Just an unbelievably solid game for the price. Only two complaints. 1. As a lot of others have said, some of the VO is a little hokey. Fits with the theme, but could be better. 2. There's no save game plus feature. So if I finish normal mode and want to move on to hard mode, I have to reroll a new character. I'd love to see an option where my same character can press on with his hard earned loot.

Couldn't put it down all weekend. Won't find a better arpg for $60, let along the $13 price tag.… Expand

Judging on the first playthrough, I found that the combat, balance, story, and overall fun is actually comparable to the iconic game like Diablo 3, and even better than Torchlight and Diablo 2. But the replay value is actually low because there is only one class (even though the skill tree is diverse enough that you can play at least 3 playthroughs with it), and the dungeon is the same (they are not randomly generated.) So if you think 15$ is worth the 50 hours of entertainment (15 hours each playthrough), then buy it. But this is not a game you will spend 100+ hours on like Torchlight or Diablo's. This is more along the line of dragon age with less rpg factor.

By the way, the producers seem to still work on the replay value by adding post-game stuffs. If that is improved, this game deserves a score of 10.… Expand

Great game. Lots of fun for me. Best humor in hack n slash history. Plot isn't bad at all. And characters are marvelous. Playing this Van Helsing rpg was really great. If You like Diablo or Torchlight You should definitely play this one too. It could be even better because of steam-punk climate.

I look sceptically at new entries into this genre, but was rather delighted at how stylish and witty Van Helsing is, with enough of a fresh take on the ARPG to make it well worth the price. I especially enjoy the interaction between your character and his companion, and it's touches like that making this feel like a living world, rather than a long string of monsters to click on. For an ARPG, that makes all the difference.… Expand

A great game for a good price, I very liked playing with it. In my opinion it's better than Torchlight 1 & 2 (who are great too), It's also a good alternative to Diablo III.

T.I.A. of Van Helsing is a very nice, sold at a small price...
... game to buy for all lovers of the hack'n'slash!!

A great atmosphere, numerous weapons and ability, a lot of monster and enemies.... really good.

I had and have absolute fun in this game. This game proves that if you are original and can create atmosphere you are GOLD!

I had more fun in this game than Diablo III on all modes.

Keep it up dev!

Pros: Cheap Price
Lots of content for money paid
Detailed environments
Fun gameplay
Fitting soundtrack

Cons: Technical hiccups here and there

For the price you can't get much more bang for the buck, job well done Neocore

I cannot believe that absolutely nobody seems to get the drift that this one is better than D3.
While one of the biggest and most famous PC entertainment companies takes 12 years to produce a successor to one of his most popular games, this rather small company releases a top quality game that is much better in nearly any category.
I love the enhancements (D3 plus Torchl* plus more), the skill tree, the graphics and especially the humour, mainly performed by your companion, the ghost.
Of course this is a D3 clone, but with lots of things that makes it better.
The only things that could be better:
a) More content this part is ca. 1 chapter of D3; but for the price it is ok.
b) Unfortunately the skill tree mainly is focused on melee vs. ranged weapons there are no different characters.
Even with this drawbacks the game is lots of fun give it a try if you love D3!… Expand

The more I play Van Helsing the more I like Torchligth 2. Reasons here: http://www.viewforum.net/gaming-dept-171/incredible-adventures-van-helsing-great-expectations-game-review-3359/

Van Helsing is a hack 'n slash game that I actually enjoyed playing till the end. Games like Diablo 3 have a deeper story, and more character customization, but after a couple of hours they tend to become repetitive and boring. Van helsing counters that by introducing new gameplay elements (it contains a tower defense mini game) keeping things alive and interesting, and the witty humor keeps you throughout the game entertained. Why not a 10, while it seems to do everything right? The storyline, although definitely not bad, could be better. Gameplay wise it introduces nothing new to the hack 'n slash genre. That said, this game is well enough to be recommended to people who are not fan of the hack 'n slash genre.… Expand