DONTNOD is a company that has made a name for themselves with their narrative games like Life is Strange but at the same time though, they are also trying to prove they can make games that are more complex and have more replay value in an attempt to address common criticisms of their games. Many feel that Life is Strange didn’t give the player true immersive freedom to explore different options, and as such DONTNOD is addressing that with Vampyr. I will say one thing right off the bat ( pun intended), Vampyr is certainly very different from the company’s previous games.
Vampyr is DONTNOD’s attempt to explore the moral and philosophical issues that go unexplored often in vampire fiction. The game is the story of a doctor forcibly turned into a vampire and who must also help a hospital in London deal with a disease outbreak. That is certainly quite the premise, but the game plunges right into the moral questions. There isn’t any simple resolutions to the issues presented either, as each choice does open up anew potential plot path. It certainly is different from Life is Strange, but a bit overwhelming at the same time.
The game offers the typical good and evil choices, but makes you work for them. Going on a killing rampage is an option, but will have consequences to be dealt with. Conversely, choosing the side of good will also put you into uncomfortable positions. Not uncomfortable in a bad way though, but in the sense of forcing you to make serious choices. DONTNOD took the criticism to heart regarding narrative in their previous games and applied the feedback well here.
Vampyr is absolutely gorgeous, as it has a truly breathtaking depiction of London while still showing the horrific situation going on. The music is not the best admittedly, but is still somehow very fitting and that odd feeling perfectly captures the emotional conflict going on in Vampyr. Of course, Vampyr is also different in that the game has a heavy emphasis on combat and RPG mechanics to set itself apart. This is a strength of the game, but sadly it is also a big weakness. The RPG elements and horror atmosphere actually blend together surprisingly well, but it is the combat that feels like an unnecessary addition. This isn’t saying that the combat is bad, but it sadly doesn’t add all that much to the game. This is very unfortunate as the combat is rather well done and fluid, but if it were taken out of the game, nothing would feel off.
Vampyr is definitely not your typical vampire game, or a game that is standard for DONTNOD . Every action has a consequence and the game feels far more immersive, but the combat feeling tacked on does create some issues. DONTNOD seems to have acknowledged this and have announced two new modes. These modes offer either a more story focused experience where a player needs not focus on the gameplay as much, or a mode that heavily emphasis combat and makes interactions and embracing citizens to get power more of a priority. I like that these additions are coming but I wish they were already in the game. As it is though, I do recommend Vampyr, as it is both a great horror experience and a great example of what going outside the norm in narrative focused games. I will be checking out the new modes, and hopefully others will do so as well.
Disclaimer: A review code was provided