One of the most appealing aspects of Redfall, the latest from Dishonored Developer Arkane Studios, was its world ruled by tech-bro vampires. The vampire has been one of the most fascinating and enduring monsters in fiction for hundreds of years thanks to its ability to reflect the dark underbelly of humanity. Redfall doesn’t quite deliver an amazing vampire game, but that doesn’t mean there aren't other titles out there to quench that thirst. Here are 9 bloody amazing vampire games to sink your teeth into.
9. V Rising
Letting you work your way up from lowly thug to vampire lord, V Rising is all about building the perfect moody castle to lounge about in like Dracula in Castlevania. The dark and gloomy isometric world of V Rising is full of enemies as well as prey to feast on, but blood determines what kind of powers you get. V Rising is one of the best ways to live the vampire power fantasy.
8. Code Vein
Technically Code Vein doesn’t call its bloodthirsty characters vampires, but they operate under similar rules and are filled with blood lust. The charm of Code Vein is that it offers an anime twist on the bloodthirsty monster, all within the confines of a competent action roleplaying game from Bandai Namco.
7. Vampyr
Vampire narratives often deal with the ethical questions surrounding the monster's affliction. Dontnod’s vampire adventure puts this at the front of the story by making players inhabit the role of Jonathan Reid in 1918 London and makes the player choose what and who to prey on in order to feed the bloodlust.
6. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
The second game in the Legacy of Kain series, Soul Reaver builds on the deep lore of the world. Developed by Crystal Dynamics, known for Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver is a great 3D action-adventure game. It was also directed by Uncharted creator Amy Hennig!
5. The Sims 4
Vampire stories are full of manipulating the people around the central monsters; thus, vampires have a myriad of powers to use on their victims. What might surprise you is that this makes The Sims the perfect place to have vampires. The Sims 4’s vampire expansion lets players make their own creatures of the night and let them loose in towns. You even get to use powers like super speed, turning into a bat, influencing the minds of other sims, and plenty more.
4. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
In addition to being the quintessential Metroidvania, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the best Castlevania game ever. It puts players in control of Alucard, Dracula’s son, and lets them enjoy all the incredible powers that this vampire lineage offers. Exploring the castle’s hidden depths expertly embodies the dread you would imagine permeating a vampire’s home.
3. First Bite
Vampires aren’t the only monsters to be feared. They are also often creatures of desire. First Bite is a dating sim that leans on the lustful nature of the vampire by letting you get to know three different vampires all hoping to get a bite of you. For a break from all the bloody drama of most vampire games, First Bite is a delightfully short date.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Blood and Wine
Wherever Vampires go, so do Vampire hunters. The Witcher 3’s Geralt of Rivia has slain his fair share of vampires and this is what brings him to the land of Toussaint in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s DLC Blood and Wine. Mixing court drama, murder mystery, and good old-fashioned vampire gore, Blood and Wine is a bloody good time.
1. Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines
With hundreds of years of lore, vampires don’t fall into one type of story or depiction. Not all vampires are attractive. Not all are outright bloodthirsty. Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines adapts expansive TTRPG to create a world full of every type of vampire out there. This vampire RPG lets players take on the role of different vampire factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and explore a world with an underbelly of vampire sociopolitical dynamics at play. With so much to do and so many ways to do it in the game, Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines is the best vampire game you can play.
