Vampires: Bloodlord Rising: A Fang-tastic Work in Progress
When your vampire kingdom needs more than just a fresh coat of paint
Launch Day Larry
Ah, “Vampires: Bloodlord Rising,” a game that promises to let you live out your wildest vampire fantasies, complete with a kingdom to rebuild and thralls to manage. But does it deliver a bite worth sinking your teeth into, or is it more of a garlic-laden disappointment? Let’s dive into the shadows and find out.
Gameplay: A Bloody Good Time or a Pain in the Neck?
“Vampires: Bloodlord Rising” attempts to carve out a niche in the Survival Craft genre with its unique vampire twist. The game offers a tantalizing concept with its hunter/aristocrat dynamic and the ability to extract rumors and taxes from villagers. However, the execution is a bit like a vampire at a garlic festival—awkward and uncomfortable.
The building system is a standout feature, allowing for blueprint-based crafting and significant customization. It’s like Minecraft, but with more fangs and less blockiness. Yet, the lack of a physics engine means you can create floating castles that defy the laws of gravity and common sense. Meanwhile, the combat system feels like it was designed by a vampire who skipped leg day—clunky and basic, with a reliance on repetitive actions that make “bashing the mouse” a legitimate strategy.
Movement mechanics, including jump and dash, are as inconsistent as a vampire’s reflection in a cracked mirror. The camera tracking during combat can be unresponsive, making it feel like you’re trying to fight with a blindfold on. Plus, the gameplay loop is repetitive, with the game feeling incomplete in its current early access state. On the bright side, co-op play is engaging, and the different biomes add some much-needed variety to the game environment.
Graphics: A Feast for the Eyes or a Blast from the Past?
Visually, “Vampires: Bloodlord Rising” is a bit of a mixed bag. On high settings, the game can look stunning, with vibrant colors and a charming old-fashioned aesthetic reminiscent of “Thief: Deadly Shadows.” However, the game’s optimization is about as stable as a vampire on a caffeine binge. Even high-end systems struggle to maintain stable frame rates, leading to stuttering and frame drops that can make the game feel like it’s running on a potato.
The field of view and camera positioning can be disorienting, and the inability to disable screen shake adds to the discomfort. It’s like the game is trying to give you a headache, one frame drop at a time. Despite these issues, the game’s graphics have a solid foundation, and players are hopeful for future updates that will address these optimization woes.
Story: A Tale of Blood and Brooding
The story of “Vampires: Bloodlord Rising” is set in a gothic vampire universe, with a narrative that centers around rebuilding a vampire kingdom. It’s a concept that has potential, but currently, it feels more like a checklist of objectives than a compelling tale. The protagonist, a “Default Brooding Man™,” doesn’t do much to engage players, and the dialogue is often overly dramatic and prophecy-laden.
Despite these shortcomings, the story has its moments. The voice acting, particularly the protagonist’s aristocratic voice, adds depth to the narrative, even if it occasionally sounds like it was generated by an AI with a penchant for Shakespearean drama. The game’s setting, Sangavia, is a dark, open-world environment that some players find bland compared to other games, but it provides a solid backdrop for the vampire lifestyle the game portrays.
Final Verdict
“Vampires: Bloodlord Rising” is a game with a lot of potential, but it’s currently held back by its early access status and a host of issues that need addressing. The unique concept and engaging co-op play are highlights, but the clunky combat, repetitive gameplay loop, and optimization problems detract from the overall experience. With more polish and content, particularly in combat and RPG elements, this game could become a must-play for vampire enthusiasts.
Score: 6.0/10