Vaccine

Vaccine Review

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Vaccine is a Survival Horror game with 90s-inspired design, where you explore a randomly rebuilt house to find a vaccine for a team member infected with a deadly virus. As a member of a bio-hazard rapid response team, you must uncover the house's mystery to save your friend permanently. With unique abilities and a level-up system to enhance skills, each playthrough increases your chance to survive.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

34%

Audience ScoreBased on 15 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

Vaccine successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic survival horror games, particularly Resident Evil, with its retro graphics and tank controls.
The roguelike mechanics add a layer of tension and replayability, as each run is procedurally generated and time-limited, creating a unique experience every time.
Despite its flaws, the game offers moments of genuine tension and excitement, making it a fun choice for fans of the genre who appreciate challenging gameplay.

The game suffers from a lack of content and enemy variety, with only a handful of rooms and enemy types that can lead to repetitive gameplay.
Controls can be frustratingly unresponsive and overly sensitive, making navigation and combat difficult, especially for players familiar with classic tank controls.
The absence of quality-of-life features, such as a map function, auto-aim, and a more intuitive inventory system, detracts from the overall experience and can lead to confusion and frustration.

gameplay
15 mentions
20 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive nature and high replayability, particularly appealing to fans of roguelike mechanics and classic survival horror. However, it may frustrate players unfamiliar with these mechanics, as it lacks clear explanations and essential elements found in traditional Resident Evil games. While it offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of old-school titles, its limitations and RNG elements can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is addictive and has a lot of replayability.”
- “Roguelike mechanics work like a tension booster and fit well with its plot.”
- “If you love classic, original Resident Evil with a mix of roguelike gameplay, then this is for you!”
- “I will conclude by saying that I always appreciate the work beyond hobbyist and amateur games, but for the customers that want to buy it, my impression is that 'Vaccine' is very close to not being a game but just some rough game mechanics attached together.”
- “The game doesn't explain its own mechanics well.”
- “While the artistic choice to have this look very similar to the PlayStation-era Resident Evils is a nice call, it lacks many of the key gameplay elements that helped define the series as one of the heavy hitters of the late 90s.”
story
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking cinematic elements, relying heavily on scattered documents for narrative exposition. Players feel it resembles an unfinished minigame rather than a cohesive story experience, with minimal introductory and concluding scenes, resulting in a bare-bones storytelling approach.
- “The mystery of the game's story reveals itself through documents scattered around the house; some containing useful information, others providing background on what's going on.”
- “There is hardly an intro and barely an ending scene and no cinematics or other story-related scenes for the rest of the game (story is executed through notes and it is very bare-bones).”
- “What this game truly lacks is a really nice, cinematic story you can sink your teeth into, and as this is a game made by an indie studio and not Capcom, they couldn't accomplish that and so this was the result.”
- “What this game truly lacks is a really nice, cinematic story you can sink your teeth into. As this is a game made by an indie studio and not Capcom, they couldn't accomplish that, and so this was the result.”
- “The game itself right now feels like an unfinished minigame for this non-existent story mode.”
- “There is hardly an intro and barely an ending scene, and no cinematics or other story-related scenes for the rest of the game. The story is executed through notes, and it is very bare-bones.”
graphics
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game evoke a strong sense of nostalgia, successfully mirroring the aesthetic of classic 90s survival horror titles like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. However, while some players appreciate the retro visuals, others criticize them as muddy and lacking the detail found in the original games, leading to a mixed reception overall.
- “It beautifully mirrors the style of Resident Evil 1 both in visuals and controls.”
- “It simulated the old PS1 graphics pretty well, and it got a bit intense towards the end, when the clock became a real factor and the music ramped up.”
- “Nostalgic, yet muddy visuals (reminiscent of Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, etc.).”
- “Nostalgic, yet muddy visuals (reminiscent of Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, etc.).”
- “They should also look a lot better - even if he is attempting to simulate PS1 graphics, the old Resident Evil games had far more detailed environments.”
- “I really appreciate the graphics and overall nostalgic throwback to Resident Evil games, and that's what I bought it for, but it pains me to say that it's completely dull and just not fun at all, and after just these 30 minutes I know I won't be playing this anymore.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game offers addictive gameplay with significant replayability, primarily due to its procedural generation. However, some players feel that the reliance on this system can lead to a lack of engaging pre-generated content and varied level design, which may diminish long-term enjoyment.
- “The gameplay is addictive and has a lot of replayability.”
- “The procedural generation is a key part of this game's replayability, offering a unique experience each time you play.”
- “While I understand that procedural generation is a key part of this game's replayability, I'm not a huge fan of it. There needs to be a lot of pre-generated content and more stunning set pieces in the mix for me to enjoy it for longer periods; otherwise, the level design feels scattered, lazy, and repetitive.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless. Once you've experienced the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “After completing the game once, I found that the excitement of replaying it diminished significantly. The lack of variety in missions and character interactions made it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
music
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game effectively enhances the tension and atmosphere, particularly during intense moments as the timer counts down, contributing to a fresh and unpredictable experience with each playthrough. While it complements the gameplay well, some players noted that it can occasionally be overshadowed by the fixed camera angles. Overall, the soundtrack successfully simulates the nostalgic feel of classic PS1 games.
- “However, when it works, it serves well to keep the game fresh with each playthrough being tense, thanks in part to the tension-building music, cinematic (yet occasionally obscuring) fixed camera angles, and the inability to predict what will be behind the next door, all while a thirty-minute timer counts down above you.”
- “It simulated the old PS1 graphics pretty well, and it got a bit intense towards the end, when the clock became a real factor and the music ramped up.”
- “The music often feels repetitive and fails to create a lasting impact, making it easy to tune out during gameplay.”
- “While the game has its moments, the soundtrack lacks variety and can become monotonous, detracting from the overall experience.”
- “The music doesn't match the intensity of the gameplay, leaving players feeling disconnected from the action.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game's atmosphere is heavily inspired by 90s survival horror titles, incorporating nostalgic aesthetics and tank controls that enhance the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is thick with tension, reminiscent of classic 90s survival horror games.”
- “The aesthetics and sound design create an immersive experience that pulls you into the game's world.”
- “Every corner of the environment is crafted to evoke a sense of dread and anticipation.”
- “It's evident that the atmosphere, aesthetics, and tank controls are not the only elements borrowed from 90s survival horror games.”
- “The game fails to create a truly immersive atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected from the experience.”
- “Despite its attempts at nostalgia, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the tension and dread that defines great horror.”