Overview:

A top down 2D run based game where you’re inundated with hordes of enemies whose mission is to kill you.  Along the way you collect gems from the slain foes or find treasure boxes throughout the level to help you mow them down more efficiently.  Oh, did I mention that you don’t control when you shoot and, in some cases, where you shoot.  This will depend on which character you decide to choose and, let me tell you, there are a ton of them and they all feel different.  Some will move fast and give buffs while others are just straight up slow as fuck while moving through a level.  Speaking of levels, each level gives you a unique setting, and a slew of monsters related to the setting.  As the level progresses the enemies become tougher and more abundant so, hopefully, the weapon combination you picked take you to the end of the level. 

Visuals:

Talk about sprite hell!  This game can become full of sprite garbage as the levels go on and on that it becomes hard to make out just what is going on.  It may sound like I’m harping on it, but I LOVE the way the game looks.  The sprite work looks amazing and the enemies match with the environments so well it makes every world feel unique.  The characters are all reference to other games from the sprite generation of gaming.  You notice Contra, Castlevania, or Ninja Gaiden characters who have similar type of weapons.  As you upgrade the weapons, they start becoming more powerful with crazy effects filling the screen.  It all looks amazing.

Audio:

Like the visuals, Vampire Survivors’ music is all reminiscent of games from long ago.  The jams you get for each level are all bangers.  They make you just want to slay as many monsters and baddies as much as possible and as fast as possible.  Weapons also get upgraded so you get satisfying thwips and shots that get more and more devastating as the levels go on. 

Completion:

I FINISHED THIS GAME!  In so much that I got to the end of the 30-minute timer and had to face Death.  I didn’t beat him, but I got through 6 iterations of him.  I really love this game with how it plays.  It’s so fluid and the state of progression throughout a run is very unique.  The only thing is you’ll find out that certain combinations are guaranteed to get you through to the end so your style of play tends to start becoming stagnant.  Luckily, you will unlock tons of characters if you wanna spice up your game.  It’s a great co-op game so I recommend playing with friends/family to extend the longevity.  It’s a blast.