![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2022\/11\/22\/6a5fb097\/vs6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Reviewed on:<\/b>
\n PC, Xbox Series X\/S
\n
\n Platform:<\/b>
\n Xbox Series X\/S, Xbox One, PC
\n
\n Publisher:<\/b>
\n Poncle
\n
\n Developer:<\/b>
\n Poncle
\n
\n Rating:<\/b>
\n Teen\n <\/p>\n
Ever since it hit Early Access on Steam last December, the cult of Vampire Survivors has grown and spread its gospel far and wide. Over the past year, the seemingly simple game has expanded with a steady stream of free updates adding astonishing amounts of depth and content. The fantastic gameplay and compelling progression system combined with a ridiculously low price point made Vampire Survivors extremely recommendable. That tradition continues in the full game release making over 50 hours of pure gaming bliss accessible to a larger audience.<\/p>\n
Vampire Survivors starts out simple enough. You only use the left analog stick to move around, and your attacks automatically happen at regular intervals. Monsters approach non-stop from all directions as you dodge through the gaps and make sure they\u2019re in your attack radius. The Castlevania influence is clear as you start with a whip and take on creepy creatures from classic gaming horror in addition to imaginative original creations. If you can last 30 minutes, Death will swoop in for an instant kill, but you can consider that “beating” the level.<\/p>\n
Every attempt starts you at a base level with only your character\u2019s starting weapon. While they may seem insufficient at first, almost all offensive options can be built to feel amazing. Blast a firehose of knives in front of you to clear a path. Melt a colony of bats as you wade through them with garlic\u2019s circular field. Take shelter in a cloud of fighting cats. Every weapon type I could imagine and several things I would never have dreamed of were all at my fingertips.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You\u2019re constantly making decisions, weighing the pros and cons of every randomized item presented during the leveling process. At maximum, you can have six weapons all firing at once in addition to six accessories that modify weapons and gameplay, like increasing the size of projectiles, reducing cooldown time, or increasing the rate of experience gained. On top of that, certain weapon and accessory combos provide ultra-powerful evolutions that can turn the tide at your darkest hour. It\u2019s difficult to convey the supreme satisfaction you feel when your incomprehensible barrage of attacks makes it impossible for enemies to hurt you, no matter how hard you try to kick the hornets\u2019 nest. I rarely take screenshots or videos of games I\u2019m playing, but Vampire Survivors puts on such a glorious show based on your smart choices that I couldn\u2019t help but share it.<\/p>\n Developer Poncle has expertly balanced the rollout of unlocks so you\u2019re never overwhelmed by the mix of weapons and powers, but you never tire of them either. There\u2019s always a new character, weapon, accessory, or mechanic to look forward to all the way to the very end. The initially daunting list of objectives provides a sense of direction and gets you to experiment outside of your comfort zone. In one run, I\u2019d blow it or get a bad shake on level-up options and die without checking off any objectives, but the next, I\u2019d have a perfect run and accomplish a dozen tasks. The unlocks\/achievements rain down in a gratifying flurry of dopamine hits. Even when you fail, you learn something and gain more gold to unlock permanent upgrades at the in-game shop. <\/p>\n
<\/figure>\n
<\/figure>\n
<\/figure>\n
<\/figure>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/section>\n