Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors is a game that I could happily play every day for the rest of my life, and now I can do that on the Nintendo Switch.

92%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

grinding, monetization

99% User Score Based on 128,135 reviews

Critic Score 86%Based on 15 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $3.95

Buy NowGet on Steam$4.99

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Buy NowGet on Play Store

Buy NowGet on PS Store$4.99

About

In Vampire Survivors, players must survive nightly waves of monsters in rural Italy, using a variety of weapons and power-ups to increase their chances of survival. With roguelite elements, each playthrough is unique as players try to end the reign of terror of the evil Bisconte Draculó and restore good food to the land. The game features minimalistic gameplay with no place to hide, challenging players to survive as long as possible and collect gold for the next survivor.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 128,150 reviews

gameplay3.3k positive mentions

grinding665 negative mentions

The retro pixel art style evokes nostalgia and complements the addictive gameplay loop, creating a charming experience.
The gameplay is simple yet engaging, allowing for a satisfying loop of movement, automatic attacks, and strategic upgrades that keep players hooked.
The game offers exceptional replayability with a variety of characters, weapons, and unlockable content, making it a highly addictive experience.

The graphics are often criticized for being simplistic and garish, leading some players to find them unappealing.
Gameplay can become repetitive over time, with some players feeling that the lack of real challenges diminishes the experience.
The game suffers from performance issues during late-game scenarios, leading to frame rate drops and occasional crashes.

gameplay
7,177 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
The gameplay of "Vampire Survivors" is characterized by its simplicity and addictiveness, allowing players to easily pick up and play while engaging in a satisfying loop of movement, automatic attacks, and strategic upgrades. Despite its basic mechanics, the game offers a surprising depth through various character abilities, weapon combinations, and unlockable content, making each run feel unique and rewarding. While some players note the gameplay can become repetitive over time, the constant introduction of new mechanics and updates keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
- “The gameplay is really simple, as you only need to move your character around and they will auto-shoot their attack to the enemies (well, depending on the weapon).”
- “Simple but addictive gameplay — and be sure to look up guides, as the game is full of secrets!”
- “Its simple yet endlessly engaging gameplay loop—surviving waves of enemies while building increasingly wild weapon combos—keeps me hooked for hours.”
- “The gameplay itself is just flat-out boring, and I genuinely don't know what satisfaction others are getting from this.”
- “I realized that adding more weapons, characters, and maps does exactly nothing to improve this game, as putting a build together feels meaningless when there are no real difficulties to overcome and little mechanical depth to any of your choices.”
- “The gameplay is very repetitive but it's so easy it basically plays itself after a certain point, and seeing the funny numbers just zoom upwards is incredibly satisfying.”
graphics
2,971 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The graphics of "Vampire Survivors" are characterized by a retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic games, particularly the Castlevania series. While some players find the visuals simplistic or unappealing, many appreciate their charm and how they complement the addictive gameplay loop. Overall, the consensus is that despite the graphics not being cutting-edge, the game's engaging mechanics and replayability far outweigh any visual shortcomings.
- “The visuals are retro eye candy.”
- “This game has awesome art direction, really cool visuals and a lot of charm.”
- “Don't let the graphics fool you, this game is way better than it first appears.”
- “The visuals aren't amazing, which usually isn't a problem, but here, they're just too garish.”
- “Yes, the graphics look like a forgotten Castlevania knockoff made in MS Paint.”
- “The art style and animations are not great in this one, which lead to horrible hitboxes.”
music
2,694 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The music in "Vampire Survivors" has received widespread acclaim for its catchy, nostalgic chiptune style, reminiscent of classic games like Castlevania. Players appreciate the engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, although some note that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's addictive nature and charm.
- “The soundtrack is amazing, the gameplay is simple and fun, and it just keeps giving at every corner.”
- “The music is catchy, the pixel art is beautiful, and the bestiary entries are filled with laughs.”
- “The music, composed by Michiru Yamane, is one of the standout elements of the game, with tracks like 'Beginning' and 'The Tragic Prince' becoming iconic in the gaming world for their emotional resonance and atmospheric depth.”
- “My only real complaint is the 30 second song loops for 30 minute levels.”
- “They could have made a solid 2 minute (or longer) song for each level to make them more memorable.”
- “The music is boring, uninspired and super repetitive.”
replayability
1,780 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
1%
The game "Vampire Survivors" is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, with many players noting that it offers endless fun through a variety of characters, weapons, and unlockable content. The game's simple mechanics combined with a deep progression system and frequent updates keep players engaged, making it a highly addictive experience that encourages experimentation and exploration. Overall, it is considered one of the most replayable games available, especially for its low price point.
- “It keeps getting better the more you play as you unlock characters and items, which offer great replayability.”
- “Amazing game with great replayability and progression, tasks, and unlocks that have kept me interested for over 100 hours, and they keep developing it!”
- “The sheer number of hours you can sink into it is staggering, and the replayability is not just high, it's incredibly fun.”
- “While I am not someone who usually cares that much about replayability (so long as the first playthrough is great), this game is about as close as one can be to infinitely replayable.”
- “The replayability is nearly endless with different combos of weapons, characters, and stages to choose.”
- “After the initial phase where you get addicted to its simplistic gameplay and killing of thousands of enemies, its replayability value turned on and it now has transformed to the perfect game to have open in the 2nd while doing something else, like watching a documentary or Elden Ring lore videos.”
story
1,069 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The story aspect of "Vampire Survivors" is largely minimal, with many players noting the absence of a coherent narrative or deep lore. While there are hints of character backstories and light worldbuilding through item descriptions, the game primarily focuses on gameplay mechanics rather than storytelling, making it ideal for those seeking casual, engaging fun without the burden of a complex plot. Overall, the lack of a significant story does not detract from the game's appeal, as players appreciate its addictive gameplay loop and the thrill of unlocking new characters and abilities.
- “The intricate web of lore and storytelling weaves its magic throughout the game.”
- “While the game’s overall narrative is somewhat minimalistic, focusing on Alucard’s quest to defeat Dracula and save the world, the story is enhanced by the game’s deep lore and character interactions.”
- “The story is gripping.”
- “What’s funny is that this game doesn’t have most of the things I usually love: no deep story, no rich visuals, no emotional arc.”
- “There’s no plot to speak of, and no pressure to say anything deep.”
- “If you're looking for some sort of coherent story, rational worldbuilding, or clever content, go elsewhere because the game basically makes no sense at all.”
grinding
757 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
11%
88%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While many find the grind rewarding and addictive, allowing for a satisfying sense of progression and achievement, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game where farming for upgrades and achievements can feel like a slog. Overall, the game is characterized as a "dopamine farming simulator," appealing to those who enjoy grinding, but potentially off-putting for players who prefer a more dynamic gameplay experience.
- “You’re not farming gold—you’re committing war crimes against pixelated bats.”
- “Very fun and not too grindy.”
- “Not too grindy, just rewarding enough to keep you hooked and complex enough to keep you exploring.”
- “Progression relies heavily on grinding 'gold' to unlock permanent buffs, which can be a slog for some.”
- “The beginning feels very slow and tedious.”
- “It's an easy game to get into, but if you aren't a fan of grinding, do not get this game because that's literally all it is.”
humor
667 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Vampire Survivors" is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many players highlighting the game's witty writing, amusing character names, and humorous bestiary entries. The comedic elements, often rooted in Italian culture and puns, add a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, making it an enjoyable experience even amidst the chaos of its bullet-hell mechanics. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging gameplay, resulting in a fun and addictive experience that keeps players entertained for hours.
- “Great game, they managed to distill the funny number goes up and general fun gameplay loop down to the almost absolute minimum and by god it just works - great humor and music too, many hats off to you, poncle - you're amazing 👏”
- “The writing is pure gold, dripping with dark humor and witty banter that will leave you cackling like a witch on Halloween.”
- “The bestiary is really funny to read and has over 100 entries.”
- “Sorry devs, I'm not in on the joke and it's not funny...”
- “There's no real story or proper end-boss, and the writing is unfunny ironic unjokes about something being in another castle.”
- “Jim Sterling's unfunny and greasy hands got into the game and added a bunch of political statements into something that was a fun casual game.”
monetization
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
44%
37%
The monetization model of "Vampire Survivors" is widely praised for its ethical approach, featuring a low one-time purchase price of around $5 with no microtransactions, ads, or pay-to-win mechanics. Players appreciate the absence of predatory monetization tactics commonly found in mobile games, allowing for a pure gaming experience focused on fun and replayability. The game also offers optional DLC expansions, which are viewed as fairly priced, further enhancing its value without compromising player trust.
- “I appreciate the non-predatory way Ponicle handles DLC and in-app purchases, and I wish all games had such an honest and ethical moral compass for their businesses.”
- “The price for the base game is relatively low, and the only microtransactions are DLC expansions.”
- “This game proves that time and time again you don't need fancy graphics or in-game purchases to make a fun game.”
- “Now due to its success, it just became a cash grab for the creator who pumps out easy DLCs by doing asset swaps and adding achievements... just sad.”
- “The gameplay loop seems as if it's been sinisterly designed to milk money from you through microtransactions, but... there aren't any.”
- “In a world of high-priced AAA games littered with bugs, monetized with ludicrous microtransactions and NFTs, and released years before they are ready, Vampire Survivors is an extremely inexpensive, nostalgic little slice of roguelike heaven.”
optimization
224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
65%
8%
The optimization of "Vampire Survivors" has received mixed feedback from users. While many players report smooth performance on a variety of systems, especially with the recent engine updates, there are notable performance issues during late-game scenarios when numerous enemies and effects are present, leading to significant frame rate drops. Overall, the game is praised for its affordability and engaging gameplay, but further optimization, particularly for late-game performance, is still needed.
- “The game strikes a perfect balance between simplicity and progression, making it appealing to both casual players and those who love diving into the nitty-gritty of optimization.”
- “This game is well optimized and the devs really thought about what makes a roguelike fun and engaging enough to get the player back into the game.”
- “Great pixel art coupled with great game performance makes this game a lot of fun to enjoy.”
- “The game could use a big optimization boost in the late game, though, when you start farming.”
- “Performance can struggle a bit at times when there are hundreds of entities on the screen and flashing attacks, but the GPU lag fix helps a lot.”
- “The game has some severe performance issues at later stages, but that's something the devs have addressed already so hopefully they will find a way to fix that.”
stability
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
4%
54%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting smooth performance, especially on the Steam Deck, and minimal bugs or crashes during regular gameplay. However, some users have experienced frequent freezes and crashes, particularly with specific DLC content or when pushing the game to its limits. Overall, while the game generally runs well, occasional stability issues can disrupt the experience.
- “Runs great on the steam deck!”
- “The developers continue to stay involved, it's not buggy at all, and is a perfect steam deck game.”
- “Runs great on steam deck, runs great on my desktop, and runs great on my laptop.”
- “My game very frequently freezes mid-game.”
- “I actually really enjoy this game, however the new DLC level 'the coop' either freezes or crashes my computer literally every single time I try to play it.”
- “In the current build, the game freezes and crashes 100% of the time once all upgrades for gear have been completed in a run.”
atmosphere
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Castlevania, and is enhanced by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that complements its gothic visuals. Players appreciate the diverse and richly detailed environments, which contribute to a captivating and layered experience, while the pixel art style adds charm and nostalgia. Overall, the combination of atmospheric sound design, engaging gameplay, and visually stunning graphics creates a compelling and memorable gaming experience.
- “The game's atmosphere is immersive, with soundtracks and effects that effectively set the tone.”
- “The haunting atmosphere of Dracula’s castle is brought to life through stunning 2D sprite-based graphics that have aged like fine wine.”
- “The stunning graphics and haunting soundtrack create an immersive atmosphere that draws you in, while the hordes of night creatures that relentlessly attack you keep you on your toes.”
- “There's no atmosphere or story, but it's really addictive and I'm unsure why.”
- “The only thing lacking is atmosphere—sometimes it’s a bit too silly, and the pixel art feels a bit too simple.”
- “Honestly, it’s more fitting to say this game gets you 'in the zone' more than saying it has atmosphere.”
emotional
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' deep connections to its characters, heartfelt storytelling, and nostalgic gameplay, often evoking strong feelings such as joy, sadness, and a sense of accomplishment. Many reviews mention the game's ability to create an emotional rollercoaster experience, with memorable moments that resonate long after playing, while its music and art further enhance the emotional depth. Overall, players find the game to be a wholesome and fulfilling experience, often describing it as a touching tribute to classic gaming.
- “The music, composed by Michiru Yamane, is one of the standout elements of the game, with tracks like 'Beginning' and 'The Tragic Prince' becoming iconic in the gaming world for their emotional resonance and atmospheric depth.”
- “The story delivers a layered, emotionally captivating experience with a cast of unforgettable characters.”
- “Sometimes I want to cry myself to sleep, but then I remember this game exists and everything is okay again.”
character development
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
49%
8%
Character development in the game is often viewed as minimal, with many characters feeling interchangeable and lacking a compelling narrative or progression system. While the character designs are praised for their creativity and homage to classic titles like Castlevania, players express a desire for deeper story elements and more substantial character growth. Overall, the game's charm lies in its visual aesthetics and unique character abilities, but it falls short in delivering a rich character development experience.
- “From the haunting landscapes to the intricate character designs, every detail is meticulously crafted, immersing players in a world teeming with danger and intrigue.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the storyline is gripping, and the character development is on point.”
- “The character development of Clock Lancet and Laurel is unparalleled to any source of entertainment I have seen ever.”
- “The only downsides are that there isn't much of a story or character development, and some elements can feel repetitive after a while.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are simple and repetitive, and the lack of a compelling story or character development makes it difficult to become fully immersed in the game world.”
- “Don't expect a story or character development, but an old school arcade game filled with thousands of enemies.”

86%Critics’ scoreBased on 17 critic reviews

Buy Vampire Survivors

22h Median play time

37h Average play time

14h Main story

49h Completionist

9-58h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 948 analyzed playthroughs

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