As a devoted admirer of dark fantasy and vampiric realms, I was excited about the survival game V Rising years ago when it was still in Early Access. However, I decided to wait for the full release of the game before diving in. So, on that note, I would now like to share my very first experiences with the 1.0 version (which was released in May) in the review below. It's important to note that even though V Rising focuses on the multiplayer experience, this review will cover only the PvE content of the game.
GAME SETTING – A Survival Roleplaying Game with Vampires
You awaken as a vampire, weakened and ravenous, driven by an insatiable thirst to reclaim your former power and forge a dark empire. The game thrusts you into a world where survival hinges on resource gathering and castle building, all in the relentless pursuit of becoming the ultimate vampire overlord... or something along those lines, as V Rising does not actually have a long, explicitly told story. That said, you don't particularly need a pre-written story to be able to build your own world, and that's exactly what V Rising is about.
GAMEPLAY – Defeat Enemies, Gather Resources, and Build Your Castle
Your main task is to explore the world, gain knowledge and power, defeat enemies, gather resources, and craft/build better equipment and bases.
As a famished vampire, your food source is of course blood, but the type and quality of blood you consume matters, as it affects your skills: essentially, when you weaken an enemy, you have the option to drink their blood and adopt their abilities. While going on adventures around the world is fun, your primary targets are the V-Blood bosses, who grant you skills and more powerful knowledge upon defeating them.
Character progression is well-balanced. As you discover more, you can venture into increasingly dangerous areas and face higher-level opponents. The day-night cycle is particularly interesting; during the day, the sun burns you unless you have protection. Personally, I was very impressed with how dynamic the environments are: while embarking on important missions – such as killing bosses to become more powerful – you can be attacked by vampire hunters determined to burn you to dust. Alternatively, you may encounter random treasure caravans, which can optionally be looted if you so desire.
I also liked the inventory management and crafting systems. Everything was clear and easy to use, although trying to organize the mess of my own randomly looted items gave me a bit of a headache.
What Games Can It Be Compared To?
V Rising evokes a blend of familiar elements: the hack&slash combat mechanics of Diablo, the MMO dynamics of Albion Online, and the intricate construction and crafting systems reminiscent of Conan Exiles. All of this is enveloped in a dark fantasy universe filled with skeletons, bandits, vampires and forest creatures, resulting in an extremely colorful and diverse world.
Overall, Is It Worth the Time?
V RisingPlatform: WindowsGenre: Action, AdventureDeveloper: Stunlock StudiosPublisher: Stunlock StudiosRelease: 05/17/2022At first glance, for those who enjoy building and crafting/survival games, the PvE component is definitely worth the time and effort. The world is dark and diverse, building has numerous possibilities, combat animations and gameplay are smooth, and while the endgame involves endless PvP, the PvE aspect of the game also promises hundreds of hours of fun, especially if you decide to start your blood-sucking adventure with a couple of friends.
In the next part, I will analyze the PvP aspects of the game, so thanks for reading and stay tuned for next time!
V Rising is available on Steam and PS5.
