Action RPGs are a genre that are increasingly common on console, and it is hard to stand out.. This is due to a few reasons, including making sure the game ages well, has a good identity and more importantly that it will not be compared to a more well known game in the genre. The latter is an interesting point here, as Victor Vran: Overkill Edition has a good identity, and great gameplay but its releases tended to be overshadowed by other games. For instance, its Switch release was just a short time after the announcement of Diablo 3 for Switch and that gave the game more of a challenge to stand out..
I was worried about how Victor Vran would play on the Switch, because I had had some bad experiences before this game and Diablo on Switch, when it came to Action RPGs. I had played games that were a mess, and were held back by issues stemming from their origins and the systems they were originally on. Fortunately however, I am pleased to say that the game plays wonderfully on the system. The controls are responsive and the buttons can be re-mapped to your specifications, and as such the action never feels interrupted. I like the jump mechanics in the game, as they really help change things up compared to the other games in the genre, as it adds a nice platforming element that helps to give Victor Vran its own entity and continue to set itself apart from the rest.
The game is not perfect, as there are some flaws of course, namely that the visuals can be a bit too dark in some areas and there are some graphical issues. This is not a major issue, except when it comes to finding secrets. You can be thrown off in your search for secrets by the lighting and graphics, but fortunately this is not always the case. Overall though, the game is great and the Overkill release comes with all the DLC including the acclaimed Motorhead Through The Ages expansion. This expansion is basically a Motorhead video game, with a new setting and story and sees you wield weapons like Lemmy’s bass guitar while Motorhead music plays. Licensed games get a bad reputation, but this one is amazing and even has an appearance from Lloyd Kaufman of Troma Entertainment as a bartender and narrator.
Victor Vran is a hard game, but that is by intention. While a game like Diablo 3 features characters that are overpowered and superhuman, Victor Vran plays more like you are in the middle of a street fight. It has far more in common with Diablo 2 than the third entry, by having the ability to shift between builds on the fly and giving you a truly customization experience even with a set character. You do not feel overpowered, but have to be very strategic in how you progress. Pick your weapons and destiny cards and plan your assault on your enemies accordingly. You will die over and over again, but love it all the same. Your different weapons set ups are in fact this game’s version of classes, as each weapon comes with its own unique abilities and sub attacks. You can equip two and alternate for maximum strategy,
Victor Vran: Overkill Edition is a game that should not be passed up. It is fun and exciting, and will keep you engaged or hours on end. I fully recommend it, and you will not regret this purchase.