In Carol J. Clover’s landmark analysis of horror — Men, Women, and Chainsaws — she notes how horror movies closely resemble folktales: ”a set of fixed tale types that generate an endless stream” of “sequels, remakes, and rip-offs.” This might sound like a diss, but for Clover, it is closer to the highest of compliments. If there is “no original, no real, or right text,” then what becomes most important is how these tales are performed. The phrase “endless stream” is particularly fitting for Vampire Survivors, the roguelike shoot 'em up game developed by Luca “Poncle” Galante.
