Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors is one of the most addictive games I’ve played since Tetris! Apologies to my partner, who has hardly seen me for a few months now. Just one more game, I promise…

My only hesitation in recommending it to Xbox players is the unwelcome presence of launch bugs that impede stage and achievement unlocks for some and other strange odds and ends. Patching has helped so far, and I hope it gets to be as relatively issue-free as the PC versions soon. Despite these early console setbacks, Vampire Survivors has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time. Consider this me grabbing the sides of your head and shouting, "Play Vampire Survivors, you fool!"

Vampire Survivors combines simplicity with depth. Its roguelite component gives it excitement and a constant sense of novelty. One of the best games of the year.

Vampire Survivors is a surprising and well-packaged title, supported by a formula capable of kidnapping the user to drag him into a continuous succession of high-intensity pyrotechnic battles. By putting a simple but effective gameplay loop at the center of the proposal, Poncle has built an experience full of reward mechanics, expertly administered to push the user into a tunnel made of addiction and fun. Son of a talent for game design that we hope will continue to amaze us in the years to come, Vampire Survivors is therefore a title that is absolutely worth trying, especially considering the negligible cost of Luca Galante's work.

An addictive well-oiled machine, Vampire Survivor is an engaging box filled with secrets and surprises so easily played with infinite replayability. A worthy Early Access graduate.

An infinitely replayable and ridiculously addictive indie phenomenon with wagons of content that only costs like 5 bucks sounds like almost too good to be true, and to be fair the game does have a few shortcomings. For starters, the initial impression may not be the best, with the first stage being dull-looking and the sprite artwork not being anything special. It’s when the game is at its slowest and least exciting too, but it’s not long before the true “bullet heaven” begins. Some of the endgame challenges and unlocks are a bit convoluted too, and figuring out what to do without a guide can be complicated, but we’re talking about stuff so late in the game that I barely consider this a minus. And as a plus, since I tested the PC version, I mostly played on keyboard but the controller works exceptionally well too as an input method.

Despite its exceptionally simple gameplay, Vampire Survivors can compete with the biggest releases of 2022. Everybody has to experience this unique blend of bullet hell, roguelike and Castlevania.

If you haven’t gotten Vampire Survivors yet, it is easily one of the best PC-only games you can buy in 2022. Having played more than 50 hours of it over the last few months, it really feels like a steal at even its newly increased price point of $4.99. It has remained in the most-played games on Steam Deck for months now, and Valve should just pay to have it pre-installed on every Steam Deck at this point. It is that good. If you do end up getting it, don’t blame me if you spend hours on it daily like I did when I got addicted to it. The soundtrack is absolutely worth grabbing as well. I’ve not grown remotely tired of it after all these dozens of hours with the game.

We need small games as much as we need big games and I personally don't remember playing such a solid small game for a long time.

Vampire Survivors is simple in so many ways. The graphics are basic, with many of the earlier versions’ assets taken straight from other games and asset packs, but they have a look that reminds players of a beloved series and simply work. Gameplay is literally just moving a character around with some planning along the way. Yet somehow, it’s one of the most addicting games of 2022, the one I most consistently come back to, and one of my favorites of the year. If you have a spare thirty minutes now and then, absolutely check it out.

Don’t judge a book by its cover: Vampire Survivors has a simple gameplay loop, but strong enough to keep you coming back, and wanting more. Thirty minutes is the perfect length to make you think “maybe I can squeeze in another run”, and before you’ve realized it the game has burned through the hours as if they were matchsticks.

Vampire Survivors is a small and addictive game. Try it.

Vampire Survivors is an incredible rogue-lite title that uses old-school imagery. Its simple concept will lull you into a false sense of security, and you won't be able to put it down. Word of warning, once you start, you won't be able to stop.

Vampire Survivors has been an early access sensation, and its full release would be well-worth your time even if it wasn't the price of a large latte.

This curious mix of a roguelike and a reversed bullet hell shooter will either discourage you quickly or – if you give it a chance – amaze you with gameplay intensity and quite complex mechanics revealed gradually. You’ll either love Vampire Survivors or hate it – I don’t see a middle ground here.

The most charming indie hype of recent years is finished. The perfect diversion between the blockbusters.

With its dead-simple graphics and basic map and enemy design, Vampire Survivors seems like it has no business sticking with me as much as it does. And yet, I felt compelled to put over a hundred hours into experimenting with its many weapon and ability upgrade combinations, starting round after round trying to reach the end and unlock all of its characters, evolve all of its weapons, and unlock all of its secrets. The bewitching spell of its appeal can be broken by the duller stretches between when you find a great build or unlock a challenging new mode, but it probably won’t be long until you find a new way to challenge yourself to survive just a few seconds longer.

Vampire Survivors is this popular for a reason: its mechanics are almost perfect and even in its simplicity feels fantastic to play.

Vampire Survivors is one of the best games of the year, let down only by a weak soundtrack and some confusing art. Push through those and this is the perfect lunchtime game, offering short and sweet runs that will devour your entire life if you let it.