8Bit/Digi

Fight to Reclaim Your Legacy

Vampires are awesome, but it’s a shame that there are few games that let you step into their shoes. Sometimes, you just want to take on the role of a night creature, feast on the population, and cause some mayhem among your prey before sucking them dry. So, it’s no surprise that a game like V Rising would easily get my attention.

V Rising is a survival role-playing game that puts you in the role of a vampire seeking to rebuild their realm. From a gameplay perspective, it combines the defining hallmarks of Diablo and ARK: Survival. Story-wise, it evokes memories of the Legacy of Kain series, resulting in a fun and engaging game for vampire fans.

Rise of the Vampire

The world was once dominated by vampires until their defeat by humans nearly a hundred years ago. Those who survived the slaughter are now scattered around the world, hiding and waiting for the chance to strike. Players take on the role of a vampire who has awakened in a weakened state. They must regain their strength and build their base from the ground up before embarking on a quest to restore vampire dominance across the land.

From a narrative perspective, the story tells you everything you need to know. After getting the backstory, it’s up to the player to forge their own destiny. They can go about it however they like and battle whatever foe they encounter. 

That being said, one will also appreciate the nods to other vampire works. One will be quick to notice some of the nods to the Legacy of Kain series as you can make your vampire look like the titular character. Of course, there are also numerous nods to the Castlevania series – and I’m not even referring to the DLC pack. If you enjoyed vampires in video games then you will appreciate the nods and attention to detail.

Surviving this Brutal World 

V Rising is an isometric role-playing game with survival elements. Players explore a massive world filled with unique dungeons, camps, and locations. The world is populated by various human and monster factions, along with diverse wildlife. Fighting these enemies allows you to collect loot and resources needed for growth. Combat is in real-time and requires using your weapon while perfectly timing magic attacks. 

Another foe one has to watch out for is the Sun. Remember that you are a vampire – not a daywalker like Blade. During daylight, you must navigate in the shadows or find refuge in caves to avoid significant damage to your HP. Failure to take shelter or exercise caution results in substantial health depletion. Regaining lost health becomes a challenging task in the harsh daytime environment, making proper preparation essential for survival.

Battling foes and avoiding sunlight are not the only challenges. Players must also survive this brutal world by collecting resources and establishing a castle. Most resources can be found anywhere while others will require some exploring. The castle serves as a base where players can forge materials, craft new gear, and upgrade existing equipment. As their character grows – their skills improve, new crafting options become available, enhancing their chances of survival and dominance.

Legacy of a Vampire

A Diablo-like game with vampires was enough to get my attention, but from the start, I sensed a different experience. At its core, V Rising feels like an unofficial reimagining of Blood Omen: The Legacy of Kain. The vampires not only resemble the titular hero, but parts of the world are reminiscent of Nosgoth. Given the collaboration with the Castlevania DLC, it’s clear the developers know their vampire games. While V Rising features its fair share of Castlevania references, the Legacy of Kain ambiance is much stronger, and I love it for that.

Death by Sunlight 

Like the vampires of this world, V Rising has a few weaknesses that hold it back. Key among them are the cumbersome camera adjustment with a console controller, lack of explanations for complex elements, and a clunky main menu UI at the start.

When beginning the game, the clunky main menu UI made it tedious to start a single-player game. Finding or setting up a multiplayer game is easy, but going solo was a different experience. This was a taste of what was to come regarding the more complex gameplay elements. The tutorial does a great job of explaining the basics but falls short on the more intricate aspects. Additionally, adjusting the camera angle with a console controller should have been straightforward but was made unnecessarily cumbersome.

However; none of these are total deal-breakers for V Rising. One just needs to be aware of what to expect from this game, the good and bad. 

Feast of the Night 

For gamers who have been craving a good vampire game, V Rising is the answer they seek. It has a familiar setup in regards to the gameplay while also a world that draws inspiration from so many classics. Even though it has some shortcomings, they can be forgiven by many. V Rising is a game truly made for fans of vampires. 

Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

V Rising (PC)

8

Excellent

8.0/10

Pros

• Diablo-like game with vampires.
• Nod to the classics like Legacy of Kain and Castlevania.
• Hostile world with natural and supernatural foes.
• Rich fantasy world with plenty to explore.

Cons

• Adjusting the camera angle with a console controller.
• Lack of explanation for complex gameplay elements.
• Clunky main menu UI.