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Vampyr
New Vampyr trailers give us a more in-depth look at the action-RPG from Dontnot Entertainment, the creators behind Life is Strange.
Players take control of Dr. Jonathan Reid, a surgeon famous for working with those afflicted with the Spanish flu. As a soldier in the First World War, he came down with a nasty ailment of his own: vampirism. Upon his return to London, he struggles between his thirst for blood and protecting the lives of the innocent.
Vampyr’s London exists as a fragile microcosm which threatens to break under the burden of the various societies warring within it. As Reid, players will experience first-hand relationships and interactions with the citizens of London. Certain conversations may reveal hints to your next victim's location, or help you to defend yourself from the brutal vampire factions and vampire hunters within the city. Manipulation is key in Vampyr, and several conversational options allow players to control the purpose of each interaction in accordance with their overall goals.
As in a traditional RPG, players will have opportunities to employ different abilities and combat mechanics which are customizable based on personal playstyle. Skills are available both inside and outside of combat, giving players ample tools to deal with the dynamic London environment and its inhabitants. Lore and loot are prevalent in the game as well, and will direct players through the semi-open world of 1918 London.
Combat is dictated by timing, positioning, and three key resources, represented by the stamina, health, and blood bars. The stamina bar determines normal combat mechanics such as melee moves and dodging, while the blood bar represents the availability of supernatural mechanics. In order to become strong enough to face certain enemies in combat, Reid must feed on the London inhabitants. With the Spanish flu and vampire factions at large, healthy people will stay off the streets, making it more difficult for players to get to them. This is an exceedingly important aspect of the game, as sickly individuals provide lesser benefit to Reid than that of their healthy counterparts. Reid also may only enter households with an invitation from the proprietor, increasing the importance of social interactions and relationships.
With each conversation, players will discover how intertwined the lives of London truly are, and they will see the results of their deeds reflected in each of the city’s four districts. Every action has consequences, and your choices will effectively shape the world around you. Each decision must be carefully weighed in order to keep the delicate balance of both London and Reid, himself.
Watch the newest gameplay trailer below.
To see Vampyr at last year’s E3, head here.
Vampyr is scheduled to release in November of this year for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
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