We need more Floor Chickens!
When Poncle Studios set out to create Vampire Survivors in 2022 for PC, no one thought that it would have taken off the way that it did. It quickly grew to be one of the top survivor style games to come out of that genre. But after several console and phone ports and selling millions upon millions of copies of the game, they created a name for themselves. So how does a studio top the success they have already achieved? Make a sequel? Nah! Too easy. Let’s make a completely different style game in the same universe. Cool! I would love to have an adventure game in the Vampire Survivor universe. Nope! First person shooter? Getting closer. How about a first person, dungeon crawler, rogue-like, deck building, card-based attack game? Oh, you have got to be kidding me. But okay, let’s do this!
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Vampire Crawlers. From the moment you boot up the game you will feel right at home. From the title screen with a familiar face on it. To the music that greets you. But that is where the similarities end to a point. After hitting start you are greeted by a hub world that seems scant in the beginning but soon opens up as you complete more runs through dungeons. You are given a couple crawlers to start out but no instructions on what to do. So, why not jump into your first dungeon? Once you are in the first dungeon you will quickly find some familiarity in the enemies you face. And even some of the items you see and pick up. The attack system is based on card attacks with weapons and items from the first game so you kind of know what to expect when you use them. The cards all have a number assigned that represents the casting cost for the card using a mana system for the attacks. You only start out each run with a few mana, but as you play and level up you run you will find cards and items that will increase your mana count so you can play more cards and build bigger decks. It’s a pretty simple system to wrap your head around and get going, but the challenge is to figure out how to use those cards in ways to increase your health, make longer combos, create more powerful attacks and so on.
MSRP: $9.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $9.99
In my opinion, this is where this game shines. The fact that they don’t hold your hand and teach you how to play the game adds to the fun when you discover a new way to build combos. Or unlock a new crawler. Or when you successfully complete a dungeon. This is what makes this game a blast to play. As far as the crawlers… they are all here from the first game. There are 22 characters in total and each one, just like Survivors, has different skills that can help you, or hinder you in your quest to complete a dungeon. The characters’ attacks are the same as the first game but can look different in a first-person view. The enemies are the same as the first game as well, so the whole game feels like a warm comfy blanket.
Upon Entering your first dungeon, you might notice that it feels a lot like an old school Doom game from the 90’s. But you will soon see that it is very different. Your first few runs may only last 5-10 minutes. And that is okay. You will then be sent back to the hub world where you can spend what coin you may have collected on upgrades just like in the first game. And then head back in to try again. The hub world when you first start seems a little lack luster, but after a few rounds, things start to open up. Including a tavern where all of your unlocked characters can go to relax and have a drink. And even have a rave from time to time. There is a blacksmith where you can add slots to cards you have unlocked. A fortune teller tent where you can select different arcane magical abilities to aid you on your journey. A museum to display the relics you find in the various dungeons. And of course, a gate where you can access the world maps. As far as the maps go, you will find that they decided to keep the familiar zones from the first game, and added a couple new zones.
Thus far, I have enjoyed my time in Vampire Crawlers and at the same time have beaten my head against a wall when trying to figure out the best way to beat a level. There is a lot to the gameplay and it is often fun figuring out new and inventive ways to defeat your opponents, but at the same time the content seems a little scarce. I have been playing Vampire Crawlers for about 5-6 hours, and it seems that I am on the last dungeon and have unlocked most of the content and a fair number of secret items. But if we know anything about Poncle Studios, they are far from finished with this game. Vampire Survivor has had several DLC updates and content add-ons since its release. I would expect the same for Vampire Crawlers. And as far as value, I would say you are getting a pretty fair amount of content for the price. The game is currently released on Game Pass for Ultimate subscribers, and only $9.99 in stores right now. So, if you have Game Pass, I would recommend checking it out if you enjoyed the first game, or if you don’t have Game Pass Ultimate, $10 seems like a more than fair price for what you get. Just don’t expect this game to hold your hand and teach you how to play. That is its charm. The discovery of how to play and break the systems to win.
Overall, Vampire Crawlers is a fun and somewhat addicting game that is easy to get into and challenging enough to keep you playing even if the content seems a little on the slim side. And in the immortal words of Leslie Nelson from Dracula: Dead and Loving It, “I’m drinking vine (wine) and eating chicken!” but in this case, its floor chickens.