Bloodlust, Battle and Building - A New Game from Stunlock Studios
The real test of a vampire game lies not just in letting you indulge in the cool abilities of a vampire but in how it depicts classic vampire weaknesses, forcing you to truly embrace the vampire lifestyle. "V Rising" excels at this, featuring vulnerabilities from sunlight to garlic, all while showcasing a striking and memorable art style alongside thrilling and challenging ARPG combat. Many of the issues I noted in my Early Access review have been addressed, preserving the game's intense identity, especially when playing in a customized single-player world.
As a newly-resurrected vampire in a world where humans have driven your kind into the shadows, this blend of "Diablo" and the survival crafting genre doesn't emphasize up-front storytelling. The descriptions of its varied bosses hint at the world's structure, but there's no main plot to follow until much later. You build a blood altar, receive a list of special enemies to defeat for unlocking new abilities and better technologies, and then embark on the hunt. This lack of immediate narrative doesn't bother me much; I enjoyed piecing together bits of lore, discovering new areas, and encountering different factions along the way.
In Early Access, the resource gathering and waiting for ore to smelt were tedious. However, the extensive game setup customization in version 1.0 allowed me to adjust resource yields and crafting speeds to eliminate the drudgery. While some high-tech recipes still take longer than desired, there's generally always something rewarding to do while waiting, so it’s not a significant issue.
"Dracula awaits."
Designing and detailing your massive vampire castles is highly entertaining. On a private server, they can be built up to six stories high with a variety of functional and cosmetic items to unlock, from eerie, floating candelabras to a treasure chest that recycles unwanted items into their component materials. Feeding your castle blood essence to keep it active is easy in offline mode since essence consumption stops when you're not playing, allowing you to stockpile hundreds of real-world days' worth. On public servers, however, your castle could crumble or be captured if you don't log in at least once or twice a week to replenish it, which can start to feel like a chore.
I was a bit disappointed that my castle couldn’t have a basement, especially when imprisoning mortals to use as blood cattle – what? Don't judge. I longed to place them underground in an elaborate dungeon but had to settle for an above-ground jail.
The addition of Rift Incursions since Early Access cuts down on building and crafting downtime. These timed events pit you against unique enemies to earn Stygian Shards, which contribute to a new mid-to-late-game progression system. They allow you to craft more powerful versions of base weapons using ruined weapon templates, with modifiers that vary in strength.
This system adds a sense of personalized loot and progression without being overly random. You won't be overwhelmed with dozens of versions of the same weapon, which keeps it from feeling too much like "Diablo." However, there’s a reason to keep participating in rifts if you want the best gear for your build.
The fast-paced yet deliberate ARPG combat is the star of "V Rising," and it’s among the best in the genre today. The wide array of flashy, fun, and deadly active abilities allows for some fantastic builds. I particularly enjoyed the Blood tree, which focuses on self-healing during battles. While a stamina bar or more combat dashes would be appreciated, the cooldown-based system encourages careful deployment of defensive and movement abilities, preventing larger fights from feeling too button-mashy.
The more than 50 challenging bosses are the highlight of "V Rising." From zealous human hunters to creepy necromancers, each boss feels unique in fighting style and personality, with well-designed encounters. The later bosses can be cleverly and mercilessly difficult, generally a good thing. My main criticism is that some bosses have too many defensive and area denial abilities, limiting melee attack opportunities. Switching to pistols is an option, but I prefer melee combat. Despite this, the variety in each boss's tactics keeps the challenge fresh.
The overall art direction is commendable. It’s slightly stylized and cartoony but doesn’t detract from the horror aspects. Whether exploring a misty, haunted forest, slashing through a skeleton-infested graveyard, or sneaking into a pastoral human village disguised in rags, everything is readable and visually appealing. The environment artists skillfully use color to create diverse moods and atmospheres, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack of mournful strings and dramatic piano melodies.
The survival mechanics effectively sell the vampire fantasy. The full day/night cycle means standing in the sun drains your health after a short grace period. Moving during the day is possible if you carefully navigate shadows cast by environmental objects, including passing clouds. Shadows shift throughout the day, making noon the most dangerous time to be outside.
Maintaining your blood supply is essential, as it’s your main healing method outside combat. The blood type of the last enemy you fed on temporarily gives you a character class with bonuses like increased critical chance for rogues or damage resistance for brutes. Blood Quality of your victim, which is semi-randomized, encourages seeking out particularly tasty prey. This system allows for on-the-fly customization of your fighting style and encourages discerning hunting.
Multiplayer options are rich, from building a large castle in a private world with friends to PvP free-for-alls with capturable castles and siege golems. I prefer the former, but even on public servers, issues like all the good plots being taken have been alleviated since Early Access. The official servers have been stable, and I never felt like I lost a duel due to connectivity issues.
"V Rising" has been finely polished during its Early Access phase, emerging as a game with excellent boss design and challenging ARPG combat. The ongoing threats of sunlight and dwindling blood supply enhance the vampire fantasy, as does the ability to craft expansive, eerie estates. The extensive customization available in private server setups eliminates the need for real-world timed chores, making it ideal for both solo and clan play. Arise, children of the night, and delve into one of the best ARPGs – and vampire games – of this era.