Just one more run. This has been the comment of many gamers who spent all night on the new roguelike, Vampire Crawlers. If you love roguelike games, then Vampire Crawlers could ruin your sleep schedule, but in the best way possible.
At first glance, it is a basic game created on a daring spin-off of the wildly popular game Vampire Survivors. But this new name replaces the hectic shooting gameplay with a more relaxed and strategic deck-building dungeon crawler. Somehow, it works.
Vampire Crawler Header. Image Credit: Steam
Vampire Crawlers stays true to its DNA of Vampire Survivors. You’ll recognize familiar weapons like the Whip, Knife, and Cross. However, now, they appear as cards in a deck rather than real-time attacks. The biggest shift? Perspective and pacing.
Instead of dodging swarms of enemies in real-time, you explore grid-based dungeons in first-person and engage in turn-based battles. This transforms the experience from reflex-heavy chaos into something more thoughtful and tactical.
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Deckbuilding That Feels Rewarding
Deckbuilding and Enemy Swarms. Image Credit: Steam
Battling is all about deck construction and deck optimization. Mana is used to play each card and playing them in a series results in combos that increase your damage or buffs. The magic works.
There is nothing like it to rip off a well-timed combo that cleans out a room full of bad guys. The game also promotes experimentation, allowing you to combine offensive and support cards to build unique builds.
Even better, the system isn’t overly punishing. It is not only accessible to casual players but also to strategy lovers, as you can still win games with imperfect decks as long as you play wisely.
A New Level of Strategy and Chaos
Vampire Crawlers Deckbuilding Combat. Image Credit: Steam
Though it is slower in pace, Vampire Crawlers never sheds the chaotic appeal of its predecessor. Relics add new mechanics to the game, such as changing the way items appear or providing new dimensions to your deck.
Meanwhile, there is an element of risk-reward with dungeon exploration. Early or late: Do you fight a mini-boss that is tougher to kill but has better rewards or just fight it safely at first? These choices make each run new and exciting.
The game constantly tempts you to dive back in, whether it’s to try a new deck, unlock a stronger combo, or push deeper into its dungeon system. There’s also a satisfying progression system.
As you unlock upgrades and relics, your runs become more powerful and chaotic. Eventually, you can create builds so strong they feel almost too powerful for the game. That sense of progression keeps you hooked for hours.
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Performance and Value
Vampire Crawlers, available at a relatively low price of 9.99, has a volume of content that many AAA games can only aspire to. It is already Steam Deck Verified, being able to run at an ideal 90 FPS with little battery consumption, making it the ideal game to play on the go for handheld gamers.
Great, But Not Without Its Flaws
Vampire Crawlers has received numerous good reviews, with a rating of 8/10 on GameSpot. It has been commended as having good Turboturn™ combo play and impeccable performance on Steam Deck and handhelds.
Its rich deckbuilding based on the classic Vampire Survivors has also attracted new players. Nevertheless, despite numerous reviews commending its novelty, not all gamers are convinced by the implementation.
Critics say that the challenge of balancing can be awkward. The upgrades can make enemies too easy. Just after, bosses suddenly increase in difficulty, making it tough to play. Some also say the game feels repetitive during the longer sessions, particularly when you are grinding to get an upgrade.
Final Thoughts
Vampire Crawlers is an evolution of a masterpiece. It simultaneously maintains the “one more run” magic of the original and provides a more tactical experience that is more in-depth and more approachable. Though the turn-based action switch might be a challenge to some, the rewarding combo system and endless unlocks make it a must-buy among roguelike players.
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