Feature: 5 Things We Know About Murderous PS4 RPG Vampyr

We first heard about Vampyr back at the beginning of last year, and truth be told, we've heard bugger all since. However, thanks to a glut of new information that's spread across the web like an outbreak of vampirism, we've finally got our hands on some semi-decent details. We're thankful, too, because French developer DONTNOD's latest project seems stuffed with potential - from its gameplay to its gloomy setting, we reckon that this could be a 2017 title well worth keeping a bloodshot eye on. So, without further ado, we present you with five things that we now know about Vampyr.

Parisian outfit DONTNOD's on dev duties

For a studio formed in 2008, developer DONTNOD already has a pretty packed history. The Paris-based outfit made its debut with Remember Me, which was originally intended to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive published by Sony. When the firms went their separate ways, Capcom eventually released the interesting intellectual property, but poor sales almost crippled the start up. It rebounded with teen drama Life Is Strange which went on to become a critical darling and big seller, but it now claims that Vampyr will be its biggest undertaking yet.

London's thirsting for blood

While it does look very Victorian in screenshots, Vampyr is actually set some 17 years after the death of the sour-faced monarch, and the game depicts a destroyed London crumbling both financially and architecturally after the events of World War I. You play as an unimaginatively named war veteran turned vampire called Jonathan Reid, who just so happens to specialise in haematology. As a deadly epidemic ravages the cobbled streets of England's capital, Reid must wrestle with his own morality and murderous thirst for blood. It's a period drama with pointy teeth, then.

It's an action RPG

With the promise of skill trees and some form of levelling up, it's safe to say that Vampyr will incorporate numerous role-playing game systems. These elements will sit atop a third person combat system, as main character Jonathan Reid takes on lesser vampires in skirmishes throughout London's darkened streets and alleyways. Apparently, Reid will also have to deal with vampire hunters during his adventures, so you'll have to make use of various perks and combat techniques to ensure that you won't be the one left bleeding.

Feeling hella talkative

Dialogue will take centre stage in Vampyr. Are we cereal? Well, yes – it should come as no great surprise given how important the act of conversation was in Life Is Strange. Here you'll be able to chatter away with the terrified inhabitants of the world's foggiest city, learning more about the state of London and the diseases that threaten to dismantle it. You'll also pick up key information about feeding locations, so being an antisocial archfiend won't exactly fill your belly.

The fate of London is in your hands

Moral choice is supposedly going to sit at the heart of Vampyr. As mentioned, Reid himself will be forced to deal with his own internal struggle as he has to decide whether or not to give in to his vampiric needs, and his actions will determine London's future. Go about drinking the blood of innocents, and England's capital will begin to crumble beneath despair and suspicion - but Reid's powers will grow stronger the more that he feeds. Of course, you can avoid butchering cockneys if you so wish, and you can apparently get through the whole game without killing anyone.

Has Vampyr got your attention? Are you eager to stalk DONTNOD's diseased London? Emerge from the shadows in the comments section below.

Words: Robert Ramsey, Sammy Barker