There are a lot of video games out there and in this era of mobile and home-based gaming, the choices have never been greater. So how do you cut through the noise and find the “Best of” for any chosen topic?
Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest, and unforgettable games through the years.
For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best video games, our attention this time turns to games about vampires. From classic side-scrolling adventure games to phenomenal action-centric titles, there’s enough here to whet your appetite.
Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
BloodRayne: Terminal Cut
If you adore action games with an intense female protagonist, BloodRayne: Terminal Cut might be the game you seek. It doesn’t have the best story imaginable, but its over-the-top violence and strong female lead will encourage folks to play it numerous times. In it, players control a blood-thirsty agent named BloodRayne.
She works for a top-secret organization that orders her to hunt and destroy supernatural beings. She’ll encounter numerous creatures and soldiers on her quest to thwart an evil man’s plan at finding every occult relic to achieve total control over the world. Terminal Cut gives BloodRayne fans a definitive way to experience the classic 2002 game.
It contains higher resolutions, upscaled cinematics, and better textures. For those who’ve never played the game, expect to hack and slash your way through many creatures in this haunting environment. Some enemies are boring to fight. Nonetheless, the bosses have enough personality and charm that makes their bouts entertaining to endure.
Vampyr
Vampyr has its flaws, but underneath it all lies a game with potential. It takes place in 1918 and is set in London. You’ll play Jonathan Reid, a newly-turned vampire who happens to be a great doctor. As such, you must help Jonathan locate a cure to save the city’s citizens from the flu. Furthermore, you must overcome your desire to feed on them.
As you traverse the game’s darkened landscapes, you’ll encounter numerous Vampyr hunters, undead enemies, and supernatural creatures who’ll make your experience far from dull. The game’s storytelling is its best quality while its gameplay feels clunky and desperately needs revamping. The game’s environments look nightmarish and appealing, though.
The same can be said for the citizens you’ll meet during your adventure. If you can withstand the game’s sluggish gameplay, then you’re in for a decent time.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines is regarded as a cult classic amongst RPG fans. Its developers had a mission to create an RPG that blends the genre’s traditional aspects with the hardcore elements found in first-person action titles. It contains decent graphics, compelling combat, and a rich world filled with merciless creatures.
In it, players control a humanoid who was killed and revived as a vampire. You’ll navigate this human through a dark and vampiric version of L.A. Players will enjoy interacting with the game’s otherworldly organisms and developing upon their character’s strengths to overcome the many hurdles ahead. While you can settle things in violent exchanges, the game gives players pacifistic options.
Castlevania (Series)
No vampire-themed gaming list would be complete without mentioning Castlevania. This series went on to inspire numerous developers and creators alike with its dark atmosphere, masculine protagonists, and terrifying settings. Accompanied by a killer soundtrack, it’s no wonder fans want Konami to revisit the series in modern times.
The series gets better over time and delivers memorable encounters. You’ll admire the diversity in its enemy designs and find some of the series’s narratives riveting. The series’s difficulty curve can annoy some folks. It’s not an easy experience the first time around, so many fans might want a smoother experience. However, later games tend to balance things out. If you’re looking for a series with great lore, epic battles, and an amazing soundtrack, give any of the Castlevania games a shot.
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is regarded as one of the best vampire games of all time. This title offers challenging gameplay and a gripping narrative. The game’s developers at Silicon Valley specifically made the game for adults and included some mature themes and epic cinematics. These aspects will pull players in the most.
We follow Kain, a man who was murdered and reborn as a vampire. He embarks on the fictional world of Nosgoth to find his murderers and seek a cure. This gets Kain roped into a menacing plot involving the Circle of Nine, a cult-like group of godlike sorcerers. After each encounter with these folks, Kain learns to cope with his new livelihood.
The gameplay is intruiging as it’ll have players exploring dungeons to defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and avoid hazards. You’ll be forced to feed on many creatures’ blood to continue venturing through its spooky terrain. Players can look forward to fighting foes using magical spells and wonderfully-designed physical weapons. While Blood Omen is an older work, it’s one that many modern gaming fans can look back on and appreciate.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Knight is a side-scrolling action RPG by Koji Igarashi. Koji was a programmer for some of the older Castlevania games and wanted to pull in die-hard fans who miss that series. This game emphasizes exploration to the fullest capacity. You’ll traverse numerous gothic-like environments and fight countless supernatural creatures.
The game offers a pleasant 2.5D experience. Its characters have wonderful 3D models that mesh well with the game’s 2D backdrops. The backgrounds will remind fans of the creepy and elegant settings found in the Castlevania series. The game’s protagonist, Miriam, has a likable personality and uses many weapons to make her adversaries suffer.
The game can feel glitchy at times and there’s one mission that may drive you insane. However, if you can ignore those nuisances, you’ll love this game.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Video games based on hit movies tend to fail to live up to fans’ expectations. The video game based on Buffy The Vampire Slayer is one of the few movie-based video games that’s a genuine joy to play. It spawned six different games, but many tend to gravitate toward the 2002 Xbox-exclusive game. In it, fans must help Buffy foil Lybach’s plans at resurrecting her long-time nemesis, The Master.
He’s a demon that plans to sacrifice humans to achieve his goal. Buffy’s mission won’t be easy as she must contend with numerous foes from shrimp demons to shape-shifting vampires. The game contains witty dialogue, fun beat-em-up gameplay, and a great story. The storytelling never feels dull as the developers implement enough engaging segments to keep you invested.
At the time, the game’s graphics were great and captured the soul of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The game features some repetitive jokes and slight puzzle-solving annoyances that might hamper players’ experiences with it. Nonetheless, you’ll be so pleased with the game’s combat and storytelling that it’ll be easy to ignore these minor inconveniences.
Infamous 2: Festival of Blood
Infamous is a dormant PlayStation property many fans would love to see make a dramatic return on Sony’s latest console the PS5. It spawned two praise-worthy entries with gripping storylines, fun gameplay, and memorable characters. Infamous 2: Festival of Blood acts as a side story for the series and has Infamous protagonist Cole MacGrath become a bloodthirsty vampire.
To return to normal, Cole must locate the vampire who turned him into one by dawn to return to normal. This game retains what fans loved about the second installment but overlays it with vampire themes. For instance, you can traverse the game’s setting and drain people of their blood. Cole also can transform into a flock of bats, giving players more ways to immerse themselves in the world.
The storyline is somewhat cheesy and goofy, though. However, if you loved the Infamous series and need something creepy to play to pass the time, check this out.
Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver
Darkwatch: Curse of the West
Darkwatch: Curse of the West is an FPS game with a great mix of western, horror, and steampunk elements. It follows an outlaw named Jericho Cross and takes place in the late 19th-century American Frontier. Jericho gets turned into a vampire one day and gets recruited by a monster-slaying organization to fight against supernatural forces.
The game received positive reception because of its grand visuals, fun gameplay, and unique thematic concepts. While you’ll be bashing monsters’ skulls in, the game offers a neat reputation system to prevent players from going overboard with the violence. You’ll also make thorough and moral decisions that’ll affect Jericho and the power he wields.
While he can tap into his vampiric abilities at night, he’ll lose his powers during the daylight hours. Nonetheless, Jericho isn’t a pushover without his powers. Gamers will enjoy using his standard human-made weapons to thwart foes’ plans. The game’s storyline is decent but tends to fall victim to boring horror clichés. If you’re okay with that, then Darkwatch: Curse of the West shouldn’t disappoint you.
So, there we have it, our pick for the best vampire-themed video games through the years!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!