Vampire Survivors is banned in at least 12 countries. Not really, of course, but it should be – this plucky pixel art auto-battler is digital crack in its most distilled form, and those who’ve played it on the hundreds of platforms it’s already available for will know what we mean. This PS5 and PS4 version harbours no real surprises: it runs cleanly on Sony’s console and is available alongside all of its DLC at launch – including that Contra pack with its sweet sawtooth soundtrack.
The game boils down to this: you select a hero augmented with a unique spectrum of statistics and must weave between waves of mythical foes, spanning reanimated skeletons through to the ferocious fauna from the Day of the Triffids. Your character will attack automatically, so you only need to operate the analogue stick. Enemies will drop gems which, when collected, will contribute towards your level. Each level will award you with a new weapon or upgrade.
And that’s the game: a meticulously executed blend of avoidance and action, diluted into 10 to 30 minute runs (if you’re good). The longer you survive, the stronger you’ll get – but the greater the dangers will become. It’s all about building your character optimally, utilising space effectively, and watching the numbers go up. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll curse – but the minutes will turn into hours and you’ll still be muttering to yourself, “Just one more go!”
Unlockable maps add variety, permanent upgrades can be purchased with the in-game cash you collect, and there’s even a seemingly endless list of in-game achievements which unlock new weapons, characters, and content. These perfectly double as Trophies to add an extra layer of incentive over the other versions available.
Vampire Survivors, then – it’s f**cking brilliant and it costs less than a coffee. Get it fed into your eyeballs fast!
Comments 74
Sammy it’s a 10 and you know it.
It’s a 10. 100% the easiest 10 possible. It’s a game that feels good at all times. It’s the distillation of sheer fun.
It does have a health warning at the beginning of the screen. Unless that's the joke
Dipped my toes in vampire Survivors on gamepass at launch and knew it was special but resisted the urge for the inevitable PS5 port. This game is sooooo special. 10/10 for sure. Put in about 12 hours already and have 102 trophies accumulated (for only 38% completed). Between finally playing this, Balatro, and Hades 2 my roguelike itch has been scratched many times this year.
Got this and the DLC today and managed to do a couple of runs before having to put it down for a week. I can tell already I’ll be engrossed, going through everything, then completing all the trophy challenges. Looking forward to it.
Vampire Survivors is a pure 10. For the price, the value is insane. Pure arcade bliss.
Loses a point for being too good essentially?
Doesn't have a health warning? Mmmm, I don't know...might have to remove two more points for that.
Con that's a stealth pro lol. Gaming is a strange past time, we actively seek out addiction where most other people try to minimize it. Addictive flow state is our digital nirvana, where hours somehow evaporate through the sweat of our thumbs.
This game is such a gem!
There are so many secrets to find and things to unlock it’s crazy how much is packed into a seemingly small package.
It’s hard to put down.
The only thing that shocked me about the game is how it didn’t get a cease & desist order from Konami because the nods to Castlevania are almost too on the nose.
It's one of those games I have to fight the urge to play to completion. It's so fun and incredibly addictive
Definitely addictive. It's just gone 1:30 in the morning, I have work tomorrow (today now!) and I should be in bed, but I've only just turned the game off.
I played this on my mobile and it's really fun. I rather spend 40 heck even 60 bones for this game over Concord.
Lost a point for not having a vampire? 🧛🏻♂️
It’s pure crack, I love it.
As someone with RSI, bless the people who make games like this. Day one buy, along with the DLC. I've warned my wife she might see little of me these following weeks.
One of the best games of the last decade, easy. I love everything about this game’s story too. Solo dev, originally built in friggin’ JavaScript (since ported to unity, I believe), his background before this was casino games and it totally shows. 10/10 for me but I’ll accept a 9, great review.
You sure drink some pricey coffee.
Played for the first time yesterday. This game plays a weird trick on my mind because essentially you are not even pushing any buttons, just moving around. And it's really damn fun.
So I'm starting to question myself and how I consume entertainment. It is barely interactive. And I love it. The graphics are terrible. And I love it. I can't get too introspective about it though or try to dissect why it is fun, it just is.
@Malaise there’s a demo on your smart phone
@PuppetMaster why compare to that? They are not even the same genre . If a comparison to anything is the case , we might as well compare most Nintendo titles to anything on PlayStation.
Easy 10/10 for me, case closed!
Already at 146 Trophies, I might do it all over again with the PS4 version ^^
Contrary take here, maybe because I'm old : stop thinking you're edgy because you think a basic game looking worse than games from the 80s is an epic masterpiece.
This is on par with java games on websites from the early 2000s. Fun, yes, but not more than that and should be free.
I don't remember the exact timing, but Phil Spencer were praising this game on Xbox as a brilliant new release around the time Playstation released Ragnarok or something. Before that Redfall had fallen, so yeah.
Is this actually the best game on Xbox still? It is ironic with all that computational power. All those flops. Speaking of...
Now, at the coming award show PlayStation can praise Vampire Survivor whilst trying to forget they lost everything to Jim Ryan's sideb*tch and forever alone GaaS-games selling only to the devs' mothers.
@Olmaz I'm 43, so the edgy take isn't because you are an old. I am an old as well. Oh wait...you said "contrary," not "edgy." Silly me!
If more devs/publishers would pay attention to break out successes like this, Balatro, etc etc, maybe we wouldn't end up with bloated, focus-tested junk like Concord. A game doesn't need to be some $200,000,000, path traced "epic" to be amazing.
@Sequel the language is everywhere now. I tend to look down on any streaming service with a "binge watch" category, for example.
It’s a game I wouldn’t normally like, yet I’ve sunk hours into the Xbox version, then again on the Apple and Android versions, then immediately bought it again and all the DLC the other day on PlayStation.
Spent most of yesterday doing it all over again on the PlayStation Portal while I had the football and F1 on. Perfect game and perfect device for it.
I remember saying it was easily a 10/10 when it came to Xbox Game Pass. The game play is amazingly addictive. It’s still an easy 10/10 today.
Where the hell do you buy your coffees from, and why would you pay that much?! Doesn't even cost that in London.
Great game. It's a 10. There's nothing to knock a point off for. What made it a 9?
@kailun Why not? Both games are aiming for longevity where the publisher/devs expect players returning to play the game and buy some in-game item with real money. It's not like i'm comparing books vs movies. And if you want to compare Nintendo games with PS then go ahead. Who's gonna stop you?
Picked it up with all the dlc… really looking forward to finally trying it out.
I played this on my tablet last year, and quickly became addicted to it. It is one of those games that when I show it to people or explain it them, they turn their noses up at it.
I’m really into rogue lites but for some reason bounced off this, that was late early access though so I really should give it another go - maybe it was just the wrong time
@riceNpea I don’t believe it’s possible to get a coffee for less than £4 in London, unless you’re going to Greggs or something.
@get2sammyb then you believe wrong 😁 I live in London, and unless you're in the City, the financial district, nowhere sells coffee for 4 quid. £2.20 at my local cafe i stop at each morning, which is kind of lazy of me considering i have two DeLonghi coffee machines.
Bloody love coffee. A beer however, they're stupidily priced.
Ridiculously addictive this game is, definition of a "one more go" game.
Also a great example of not needing stunning graphics for a game to be great.
Gameplay is king.
Can’t wait to see what it looks like on the ps5 pro. But seriously, I’m loving this game
Played for free, for numerous hours on my tablet. Instantly purchased once it hit PS Store!
@LikelySatan Look, i agree with the modern games being bloated and not fun, believe me. But a basic java game is not the answer to this.
We are sadly cursed in these days : our niche hobby has become mainstream, which makes games like Elden Ring or Baldur's Gate 3 possible, while indies like Balatro or Dead Cells are thriving, but at the same time we're flooded with bad games like what Activision and Ubisoft push out, and with all the gatcha games and other "free" MTX games...
Instead of putting a game like Vampire Survivors on a piedestal we should laud even more games like the afore-mentioned Dead Cells, which give to the player what a modern game should give, without all the "bloating" the industry delivers all the time.
Imo, VS is just a sweet java game, should be free to play on your phone and that's it. People trying to make it a "masterpiece" are just trying to be edgy in the sense they want to show they are able to praise and understand what others don't.
I can't stop playing it... It's so incredibly addictive!
I already have it on Steamdeck so won't be double dipping but it is super fun and I have to tear myself away whenever I play.
@Olmaz I think people like it because it's a lot of fun. I'm not sure that's a fringe take. Seems like a lot of people agree, so I don't think many people are out there trying to show how rad their tastes are.
I bought Star Wars Outlaws and this, and honestly I've not even started Outlaws cos of Vampire Survivors... ooops!
@Olmaz Absolutely nobody is trying to be EdGy cos they are enjoying Vampire Survivors, it is such a weird take tbh its fine to not like the game, but what we should all be taking from this is, this simple little low pixel game has more fun, enjoyment and sheer depth than most AAA games released and it costs less than a Starbucks.
@Pranwell Your comment has been down-voted and reported.
Should be a 10/10 lets be honest.
Its great, but its in no way a 10 out of 10.
I could never tell what this game was, so thanks fie the straightforward review. May have to check it out!
@Olmaz why should it be free? Someone took the time to make it and they have a right to be paid for that. I haven’t played it myself but it’s clearly a well made, fun game.
This was one of those games that seeing pictures and descriptions mades me wonder what the fuss was. Then I watched Playstation Access play it on a stream and it made more sense but was surprised you didn't even control the shooting.
At that price I took the punt and it's simple, addictive fun.
It’s a bit Diablo, a bit Gauntlet and a lot of fun. Getting the game and all the DLC for less than £15 is pretty darn good as far as I’m concerned. All those things to unlock!
Its a bit hmmmmm mobile fun game.
And you lot give outlaws a 6.
Sorry but this game is just not even close to a 9.
Its fun addictive for 5min bursts and its basically a mobile game and it is a mobile game.
Can't agree with the score.
I got it for a pound on mobile.
Wouldn't pay for it on console.
@Olmaz
We all have different tastes in some regards and that is totally valid. However, saying this game should be free is disrespectful to the developers. You don't like it as much as the next guy, good but free.... come on man.
Also, saying it is on par with Java games from 2000, really? Show me a game with that many unlockable and content for this amount of money, that also generates even half the amount of fun.
@Olmaz
It's actually you that's trying to be edgy by suggesting others are trying to be edgy.
@Bez87 you forgot to mention it’s a mobile game
@Logonogo it's also a mobile game. He missed that too.
Don't ask questions, just play it. It's ridiculous, it's fun. It lacks vampires, it's perfect
Got it for free on my phone. Great game for short bursts during a commute.
@Bez87 Mobile games are great, though.
@Olmaz You might have a point if the game didn’t have near universal praise because it’s a simple and fun experience. I doubt most people saying they love it is because they want to show they can praise and understand the game like you claim. It’s just good simple fun.
Also, in general, it’s bad practice to assume you understand why people like something and then make a widespread proclamation based on your presumption. Sets you up to look bad when people point out the obvious inaccuracy of the presumption.
@get2sammyb I think I may say I'm questioning for all of us around. Why it is only 9/10 and not 10/10 ? What EXACTLY is that one star loss??? And put jokes aside, you are serious journalist, so please answer us what is that issue ( yes not all trophies ding, but it is not fault of game, it's fault of PS5). Thank you.
@Olmaz "Imo, VS is just a sweet java game, should be free to play on your phone and that's it."
I can't imagine myself worked hard for a couple of years to developed a fun game with my own money. But i didn't get paid for my hardworks because some entitled kids thinks my game should be free.
I also can't imagine myself work hard for 8 hours /day but at the end of the month i didn't get a paycheck because the company thinks i don't deserves a single cent.
But i guess Olmaz is a philanthropist where he always works for free. Hey good for you Olmaz 👏
Great review; it's all so true!
This is a 10/10 game. Got it on release for PS5 after watching a PS Access stream and have about 25% of the trophies already. This is such a fun game and yes, addictive.
@Malaise
There’s a two hour Trial if you have Premium. But trust me, the graphics are not a thing once you’re playing the game.
There are half a dozen “survivor” games now on PS. Which one is actually best? I’ve got one of the genre on mobile and they are a time-sink I enjoy.
@Olmaz Our “niche hobby” has gone mainstream? Just a bit!
The global gaming market expects to reach $256.97 billion by 2025.
More than 3.22 billion people worldwide play games.
The console gaming market was valued at $48.95 billion in 2022.
I think there’s probably room for everyone to have something they like, but with figures like that there’s bound to be dictators who think their word is law - eh, @Olmaz?
(Figures from TechJury)
@get2sammyb please don't hahaha
Got to be honest, looking at it from a distance and reading the description, I would almost dismiss it at a glance. Yet everyone, including a lot of people whose opinions and tastes I really respect, seems to adore it.
Guess it's time to find out.
Not sure how, but I bought the game 2 hours ago, and I already have 8 hours of play time.
@PuppetMaster Gaming is in a weird space with players expectations vs. the amount of money charged. This was a small dev team who took a risk and developed something, that I and many others, think is truly a special experience. It’s really hard for me to understand why people think it should be free! Although I’m in law and have billable hours that have to be justified down to every six minutes so I might be biased on this subject.
This game is really addicting, good, very fair, and cost so little!! I go it and all it's DLCs, and really want to play it again later!! And it is very generous with trophies, a good incentive to me who likes to do some trophy-hunting. A must-play.
@IamJT I just don't get gamers nowadays and their "it should be free" mentality.
But i feel a lot of gamers these days doesn't have respect for 2D pixelated / sprite graphics. So every time they see games that doesn't have super detailed graphic where they can see the character nostril or reflection in the mirror with 4K/120 fps, they will automaticly think those games are trash and should be free.
@nessisonett I felt that way at first, but the more I dug into it, the more I realized how cynically designed the game systems are. I’m not sure if this sort of reptile brained “number go up, money get” approach to design is necessarily good. Unless the game is some meta commentary on the nature of video game content, divorced from context, about getting a bunch of stuff with higher numbers. I guess the experience sort of depressed me and made me want to go do something creative with my time. I’m not sure a video game should create that feeling….
Though I have increasingly become tired of JRPGs for similar reasons.
@PuppetMaster even worse, whenever a game doesn't have a huge budget and looks like a ps3 game, it's immediately dismissed by gamers and reviewers alike, whereas games like this don't face the same scrutiny.
@naruball I've seen some gamers mocked games with simple 2D pixelated graphic like this. But yes, the situation isn't as widespread as 3D games with AA budget that looks like a PS3 games.
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