Are you looking for a cheap game with hours and hours of content and an awesome gameplay loop? Look no further and just head to the Nintendo eShop and buy this game for 5 euros. There really is no need to continue reading this review if that is what you’re looking for. Not convinced, or interested in my opinion of this game? Then by all means, read on.

Sorry, but the Vampire is in another Coffin!

Poncle has created such a gem of a game here that proves that you don’t need complex controls, or good graphics to create a compelling videogame that offers hours of entertainment. Granted, the game really doesn’t look fantastic and the fonts in the game are intentionally bad, but what’s on offer is a true gem of a game at a price that’s just a steal.

The game starts off with just a few playable characters, each with their own starting weapon and as you play the game more and more, you’ll find and unlock new weapons, accessories, characters, maps and items that will change the way you play the game. Each character has their own unique feel, not just because they each have different starting weapons, but also because they each have a unique passive ability which will make you favour certain weapons that fit that character better.

Survival of the fittest

As the name suggests, Vampire Survivors is a survival game. Enemies keep coming in waves and they never stop. The enemies always focus on the player character, unless you’re playing cooperatively, then it sometimes depends on which player the enemies will focus their attention. All you have to do as the player is survive for 15-30 minutes, depending on the level. Once the clock hits the target time Death will swoop in and kill you, but is that really the end?

Poncle has filled this game with a load of content and unlockables. Granted, after I finished unlocking all achievements I didn’t feel as much incentive to keep playing. But I was already many hours in and when it comes to bang for your buck, well this game delivers in spades! As you continue playing you’ll be able to buy new characters, buffs and even debuffs to change the game to your liking. With over 40 playable characters you won’t get bored fast, that’s for certain.

Become the Bullet Hell

A great tagline I read for this game is “The game that lets you be the bullet hell” and I think that perfectly sums up what this game is. Every weapon and accessory you collect will change the way you play the game and these items can all be levelled up. Once you max out a weapon and find the correct accessory that goes along with it, you can evolve the weapon by opening chests that boss monsters often drop. Every time you find a chest you’ll get a nice rush of dopamine and especially when you manage to upgrade your weapons to its final form, you’ll get this feeling of accomplishment as these weapons are far superior and will often allow you to keep surviving. The waves of enemies never stop during gameplay, and they’ll keep getting stronger and more numerous, which means you’ll have to keep moving to survive.

Every run has a unique feel to it, because every time you level up, you get a randomized choice of upgrades to choose from. Vampire Survivors is what rogue-likes should be like and an excellent example of gameplay over graphics. Since you can only move, it’s even possible to play the game single-handedly, which is great for all players, especially people who might be disabled or otherwise incapacitated. The game is extremely simple in what it does, but offers enough complexity in the combination of weapons, accessories and other items to shuffle up its own formula and offer a challenging game. Especially once you unlock Inverse mode and many other options that will make the game even more challenging.

While most roguelike games I know are single-player deals, Vampire Survivors offers a couch coop mode which allows up to four players to band together to slay the endless waves of monsters. I have to admit that while I really enjoy playing the game alone, it was a lot more fun with friends. Especially once you memorize the weapon evolutions you have to carefully plan which weapons and accessories each player will pick up, if you want to survive the onslaught.

Conclusion

Vampire Survivors is a game that just clicked with me from the get go. At an extremely low price tag you really can’t go wrong either. This game is easily in my top 5 for Nintendo Switch releases this year and looking at my current stats, I’ve spent over 70 hours playing this game. That means I’ve roughly paid 7 cents per hour thus far. Easily the best bang for my buck this year, maybe even on the entirety of Switch games I own.

This is a game that just keeps on giving and with more than enough challenges and achievements to unlock, you’ll spend countless hours slaying waves of monsters (and feeling great about it). Not only that, Poncle is still actively creating new (free) updates, with the Adventures patch coming somewhere in December! I give Vampire Survivors a 9/10

Happy gaming!

~Jeffrey