With a bunch of games dropping so close to E3 (or in the middle of), it means Community Review gets to look back a little this week. So, let’s talk Vampyr.
There’s two main things in common whenever I hear people talk about Vampyr. Firstly: the regret that comes after having to finally suck on someone’s blood — eating rats can only take you so far. That speaks to how well Dontnod has woven the difficulty into the fabric of the game: you can have an easier run, but you’ll have to snack on half the town.
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/06/tips-for-playing-vampyr/” thumb=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/vampyr-3-410×231.jpg” title=”Tips For Playing Vampyr” excerpt=”You may think you’ve got vampirism down to a fine art, but there are a few complexities in Dontnod’s Vampyr which might make you think before you hiss and bare your fangs.”]
Secondly: the combat is pretty tragic. That’s not a huge surprise — it reminded me a lot of Remember Me, Dontnod’s first game and also the first time they tried to marry a cool mechanic (rewinding memories, in that game) with rubbish combat.
[referenced url=”https://www.kotaku.com.au/2018/06/i-accidentally-killed-someone-in-vampyr-and-feel-awful/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/qxhg91sycekejbvdlidc.png” title=”I Accidentally Killed Someone In Vampyr And Feel Awful” excerpt=”Vampyr’s combat might not be good, but its world is full of intrigue and difficult decisions. As fledgling vampire Dr Jonathan Reid learns more about his powers, the player also learns the ins and outs of being a vampire. Recently, a misunderstanding of game mechanics resulted in me killing someone by accident. It was horrible, but a great example of what the game does best.”]
I do like the aesthetic, although the visuals aren’t as sharp as crisp as a top tier game. But the whole shtick about being a vampire doctor is worth playing through, even if the combat and the annoyance of enemies respawning when you die/everyone getting sick whenever you need to level up could use some work.
How have you found Vampyr?
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