VICTOR VRAN: OVERKILL EDITION
Not quite the Ace Of Spades
Action RPGs are thought of as a PC gaming staple, but Diablo 3 and Alienation prove that they can work on consoles. Haemimont’s heavy metal throwback now joins their ranks. A vicious and frenetic dungeon crawler, Victor Vran follows the titular monster hunter as he explores various sprawling dungeons in the city of Zagoravia. They’re overflowing with creatures to kill, as this edition includes two expansions1 alongside the original campaign.
A few tricks help Vran to stand out. Your playstyle isn’t defined by your character class but your equipment loadout. Which weapons, ‘Destiny Cards’ (passive boosts), and finishers you pick all push you towards certain ways of playing, plus they can be swapped out quickly, which facilitates easy experimentation. There’s a jump button, for climbing up walls and dodging enemy attacks, that adds welcome speed to the action. And the game still ticks all the ARPG boxes; there’s loads of procedurally generated loot and co-op, both local and online, to get stuck into.
But while all the pieces for a cracking RPG are there, some parts feel unpolished. The voice acting2 isn’t great, and the enormous maps can be confusing to follow. This rankles more when you’re a few levels short of accessing a crucial dungeon and need to grind for experience. There’s also some unwelcome slowdown, as the action lurches to a crawl during busier fights.
Still, those niggles don’t stop Victor Vran: Overkill Edition from being an intense, brutal, and gorgeous ARPG. If you’ve got withdrawal symptoms from Diablo 3, look no further. Joe Parlock