Vampyr gets into a grim early 20th century mood
For such a familiar and well-loved piece of folklore, it sure has been a while since we have had a video game centered on vampires and their mythology.
Vampyr is a bold and fresh attempt at carving an ambitious vampire-centric RPG, set in the streets of London during the time of the first World War.
Vampyr’s depiction of London in the early 20th Century is just as you would expect, grim and bleak narrow streets that snake around in mazelike fashion, forcing you to consider up-close the devastating effects of the Spanish Flu and an economy in turmoil.
Vampyr does an excellent job of capturing the mood of a particular time and place, a feat which is further aided by the tremendous effort the developers have put in to creating the wealth of fully-voiced dialogue options.
Further adding to the authenticity is the sheer amount of inspiration the developers have pulled from actual historic records, mythology, real-life figures and a much, much more in order to lend a great deal of credibility and immersion to the story.
You are cast as the reluctant hero, Dr. Reid - a man who must come to terms with his new vampiric disposition.
Vampyr focuses on the conflicting duality present in Dr. Reid’s mind. He is a man of science, and therefore a walking mockery of everything he believes in.
A great deal of the early game is devoted to the journey undertaken by Dr. Reid, one in which he must reconcile his scientific beliefs with the apparent monster he has become.
While it is hard to find fault in the environment and story laid out by Vampyr, the same cannot be said for the actual execution.
The gameplay is extremely easy, which is further amplified by the lack of any real difficulty system.
Most fights in the game can be boiled down to a simple and repetitive pattern of commands.
The animations outside of the immediate main cast is also quite janky, lending an amateurish air to some parts of the game.
If you like your vampires and bleak renditions of World War 1-era London, then Vampyr is a game for you.