Summary
Video games used to recycle the same types of scenarios and genres all the time because they were easy and everyone loved them. Fighting Nazis in World War 2 or destroying zombies were two ideas that have come and gone from the gaming landscape often. Another idea is vampire hunting.
Arkane Austin triedto bring the concept back in a big way withRedfallbut it fell short of expectations. So, in light ofRedfall, what have been the best games involving vampire hunting? Are they all in the past or have there been recent hits pastRedfalltoo? It’s time to dig those fangs in deep and find out with a bloodsucking ranking of the most authentic.
Destroy Vampires In Japan’s Hottest District
Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressedcan be stylized asAkiba Strip, a pun on the gameplay of this wild adventure. The gametakes place in the modern-day Japanin the fashion district of Akihabara. It’s here that the hero gets roped into a ring of vampire mobsters and is tasked with taking them out. Players will fight action battles wherein they will weaken their enemies and then strip them of clothing. Once stripped, their exposed skin will glint in the sunlight and destroy them. None of these vampire expose more than their underwear but it’s still a pretty fan service-heavy RPG.
Technically, the enemies are called Synthisters as they drain soul energy and are artificially created vampires but either way, it’s still a good “vampire” hunting game.
MostCastlevaniagames are about hunting THE vampire i.e. Dracula. There aren’t many other vampires to contend with except for inCastlevania: Lords of Shadow. The titular Lords of Shadow are bosses who fall under different groups of the paranormal from vampires to werewolves.
That said, there are multiple vampires or vampire-like creatures controlling everything like Carmilla that players have to slay among other creatures. The game also features a big vampire-related twist involving the protagonist, Gabriel Belmont.
Code Veinis a Soulsliketaking place in the post-apocalypse wherein humanity has morphed into vampire-like creatures called Revenants. Some succumb to the mutation further and become lost, thus transforming into more horrifying creatures. Players can make their character and go through the campaign in co-op or they can hire a companion at home base to make things easier. Players can equip a variety of weapons and learn skills via Blood Codes which are like classes in the game. There’s a lot of customization to be had for a Soulslike that goes after vampires hard.
Around the PS3 and Xbox 360 era, developers were experimenting with paranormal DLC packs.Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmareis a primary example as isinFAMOUS 2: Festival of Blood. It’s an alternate take wherein the hero ofinFAMOUS 2, Cole, gets turned into a vampire in this DLC episode. Now his electric powers are turned into vampiric ones like flying around like a horde of bats.
Players both hunt vampires and are a vampire in turnlike Marvel’s Bladein this standalone DLC. It’s a shame this DLC and the originalinFAMOUSgames have not been updated past the PS3.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaveris a great game to discuss now in the wake of Raziel’s two games getting remastered. Raziel was once a vampire who evolved to grow wings. Disgusted by his evolution, his lord Kain threw him into the abyss and now Raziel is out for revenge against all vampires.
While Raziel fights various monsters, vampires are a big enemy type in the game and they have to be taken out in specific ways like an extra pierce through the heart with usable objects in the environment. This game shows that it takes a former vampire to kill another to harvest their souls.
El Paso, Everywhereis a newer experience that dives deep into its inspirations. The look has a PS1 quality to it with low polygonal figures and backgrounds. The music is reminiscent of earlyDevil May Crygames with rock and rap beats blasting as players gun down vampires. Thebiggest inspiration though isMax Payne. James, the protagonist, is constantly talking to himself like he is in a noir movie.
The goal is to go through a series of floors eliminating vampires and other creatures by the barrel all to get to your ex-girlfriend who also happens to be a vampire. It’s a slick, goofy homage to games of the past and while not revolutionary, it sure is fun slaying vampires.
Boktaiis the best vampire-killing simulator and it’s one that, sadly, not a lot have played. It may be because it was a GBA game and it also might be because of the weird gameplay gimmick. There is a solar panel on the GBA cartridge that will charge the player’s gun full of sunlight to kill various zombies and other creatures of the night.
There are several vampire bosses and their showdowns are quite involved. Once they are defeated the first time, players have to take these vampire coffins and bring them into the sunlight to dispose of them for good. Time is of the essence too so there is an innate danger to the whole process as there would be in real life.Metal Gear’sHideo Kojima helpedbring this brainchild into existence.
