V Rising is an action survival RPG from Stunlock Studios that was released as an early access game on Steam in May 2022, with the full 1.0 version being released on May 8th for Windows and June 11th for PS5 in 2024. The game is currently not available on Xbox.
In this quick yet comprehensive review article, we equip you with everything you need to know before purchasing this vampire ARPG.
Character Customization
To begin with, when you start the game and join a server, you are greeted with a character customization window. The game’s character customization is a no-brainer. In fact, it is extremely basic. You only get to customize your vampire’s gender, skin color, face structure, facial hair, hairstyle, hair color, and accessories limited to earrings and glasses. So, if detailed character customization is your thing, V Rising might not be the perfect fit for you.
Gameplay And Mechanics
Where this vampire ARPG lacks in character customization, it makes up for it in its rich gameplay and smooth mechanics. I must admit I was not expecting this level of art detail and world design. Given that it is developed by a small team of developers, V Rising does a remarkable job of showcasing its meticulously crafted game world.
You can’t help but fall in love with Vardoran’s haunting beauty. I remember being taken aback when I ventured into Farbane Woods for the first time. At many times, I found myself staring endlessly into its treacherous landscape before being jolted back to reality by creatures suddenly attacking me.
It is finer details like these that make you further fall in love with the game. Vardoran is not just a place where you are the center of everything. It is practically a living ecosystem. If you like playing games where the world actually feels alive, V Rising has you in for a great ride!
For instance, bigger predators hunt for smaller prey while also fighting among themselves for food and territory. I once came across a bear and a treant, where they both started fighting among themselves so that the winner could eat me, lol.
While this vampire ARPG is fun to progress, it is also challenging at times. When traversing the game world, you can’t even trust the plants. In Vardoran, there are these flesh-eating creatures disguised as regular plants. So the next time you are gathering resources, they will suddenly jump open and try to eat you!
Combat feels realistic too. Each hit feels just right and solid. There are different weapons available, each with its own proficiencies and attributes. When an enemy dies, be it a player or AI, you can loot them for resources. The same holds true for you as well. You drop loot upon dying but can recover it from the exact same location after respawning. In addition to killing animals, you can also feed on them and this affects your blood type. Each blood type comes with its own set of unique skills for your vampire.
Crafting and base-building lie at the core of V Rising. You cannot survive in Vardoran without these. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to gather and the overall crafting mechanics are simple to understand. Nonetheless, given how frequently and regularly you need to craft items, crafting can quickly start to feel redundant unless you are really into crafting. As for base-building, the game provides you with ample utility and decoration materials to build your dream castle. Just be prepared to invest hours!
The world of Vardoran is divided into 5 different biomes and 8 regions. Each area is unique and brings something new to your gameplay experience. Moreover, V Rising incorporates a destructible environment. From ruined structures and destroyed buildings to towering trees and hulking stones, you can pretty much break everything. Keep in mind, however, that breaking things is not always in your favor. You might cut down a tree during the daytime under whose shadow you were seeking refuge from the scorching sun!
Speaking of time, the game also features a dynamic day/night cycle. In the night, your powers know no bounds and you are free to roam. However, during the day, every step you take needs to be considered with extreme caution. The sun will turn you to ashes if you stay under it for more than a couple of seconds.
While the pros are as they are, this vampire ARPG is not without its cons.
For one, it does not feature any dedicated storyline. Right off the bat, when you wake up from the coffin, you find yourself fending off from ferocious creatures and undead beings. Yes, there is a tutorial that guides you through basics, however; you are completely on your own afterwards. All you have in mind is to rebuild your castle and become the all-powerful Dracula in Vardoran. And how you do that, it’s totally up to you!
This aspect will quickly put you off if you are not used to being completely independent. You will feel lost and wander aimlessly that will quickly build up frustration.
While I enjoyed the isometric view, I noticed there was not much freedom in moving the camera angle. At times when I tried getting a nice view of landscapes, I found myself severely restricted by the camera angle.
The fact you can’t move or swim across a body of water further ruins your gameplay experience. I got killed many times when running away from monsters and tried to instinctively move across a shallow pond only to find my character standing still there and doing nothing. Being unable to walk through water is downright shameful for a game excelling in almost every other aspect of its genre.
Although V Rising supports single-player, you cannot “pause” the game in solo mode. Even though you will see the menu screen, the game will continue to run in the background, attracting potential predators.
While there is the option for PvP, the majority of online servers feel empty. I was lucky to find a good thriving server and it made me realize this vampire ARPG is 100x better playing with friends than solo. I highly recommend you take part in PvP and engage actively. However, what I truly hated in online PvP is having to create a new character every time you join a new server. It just feels unnecessary. We should have the option to bring in the same character in every server.
To Wrap It Up
V Rising is a thrilling and captivating ARPG game that takes a refreshing take on vampire roleplay. If you are a fan of the genre, you must try out this game at least once. Just keep in mind that the game can quickly feel empty if you don’t have friends to play with. Watch out for good thriving servers and make sure to give your best so that everyone can have fun!
Article written by Abdullah U. based on gameplay during the free weekend that ran from September 12th – 16th, 2024. This was his first time playing V Rising
