Who said gothic horror was no longer relevant? DONTNOD Entertainment went above and beyond to bring us Vampyr, a critically acclaimed action RPG filled with plenty of content for avid gamers looking for something new.
Despite having been released in 2018, 100 years after the time period in which the game takes place, it’s more than relevant today. We play as Jonathon Reid, a world-renowned miracle doctor who not only overcame the impossible and made a name for himself, but empathetic, kind, and an overall gentleman – the ideal man and doctor. Well, the world is a dark place, especially during post-WWI, even to the good-natured. If suddenly turning into a vampire by an unknown force wasn’t enough to change his life forever, Dr. Reid catches the eye of a certain syndicate.
The strongest part of Vampyr is arguably the characters. Aside from Dr. Reid, there are his fellow workers who themselves are suffering the effects of the time period. Sexism, racism, abuse, and the class divide are a few to name. The game doesn’t shy away from the harsher topics of humanity – the effects of mental illness and betrayal are a few to name. Several characters suffer from some kind of wrongdoing, whether it’d be an act of their own or by someone else. The world is grey.
The player decides whether or not they wish to help these people or exploit them. Whatever actions you take will affect the game’s ending. Though you will feel a great sense of accomplishment for treating the ill and doing side quests, the game will be a lot more difficult – rather different from regular RPGs. See, the game does not have a set difficulty level, rather it’s up to the player whether or not they wish to challenge themselves: retain your humanity or embrace your instincts?
The game has a leveling system based on how much EXP the player acquires. Like most RPGs, the easiest way to obtain this is through battle, with side quests for an extra boost. While battles are a mandatory part of Vampyr, it should go without saying that if you choose to kill civilians and other important characters for EXP, you will be setting Dr. Reid toward a different path. It (doesn’t?) helps that doing side quests and caring for the sick will actually boost the amount of EXP Dr. Reid gets through sucking their blood.
Vampyr lets the player decide to be whatever kind of vampire they want to be, essentially putting themselves directly into Dr. Reid’s shoes. As the game progresses, Dr. Reid will come across various trinkets that he can either use to craft medicine, enhance weapons, or sell for money. On top of that, the combat is extremely versatile, letting you pick and choose which skills to level up at a time and make the most use of. Like swords and close combat? You’re covered. Prefer long-range? Guns right at your disposal. Each weapon also has its own sets of perks so no one is the exact same.
Stunning is a great way to defeat enemies, especially the stronger ones.
My advice? Explore every nook and cranny and make it a goal to 100% the game. Each playthrough depending on which route you choose, you will come to learn more about the characters and more insight into the story itself. As Dr. Reid learns, so do you!
Vampyr is a thought-provoking story and has a different but welcome approach to regular action RPGs. With all the current events, it makes it all the more worthwhile to play. In the time of the Spanish Flu, the world was affected and headed toward the worst, and many suffered, but there lived those who cared and dedicated their lives and careers to help others. To experience this time period through the eyes of a struggling doctor, you will see many similarities to the here and now in 2021. Perhaps even characters who mirror those of ones we know personally.
Vampyr is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.