Bloodsuckers and night demons have been common themes in the horror-survival genre, but one particular game aims to twist the plot a bit. Dontnod Entertainment and Focus Home Interactive are introducing a different kind of hero/villain with "Vampyr."
The game is set in London in 1918 when the Spanish flu struck everyone, killing millions in the process. The player controls the character named Jonathan Reid, a newly-turned vampire who is also a doctor who knows how to rid the people of the illness.
As per Game N' Guide, the gameplay revolves around Reid's idea that vampirism is nothing more than an ordinary disease that can also be cured. As he searches for clues on how to rid himself of the cursed ailment, he needs to feed on London's remaining citizens to remain strong. Ergo, the more he feeds, the stronger he gets, although there will be repercussions.
With the game set in an era where there are widespread disease and death, killing other people to survive won't be noticeable, but it will be a question of who to kill. Narrative director Stéphane Beauverger explains to Games Radar that the game does not punish the player, but his actions would limit what he can do.
One example is if the player kills too many people, there will be fewer resources to get, such as in-game items sold by merchants. There, too, lies a problem of weakening when not feeding on people, thus Reid can easily be defeated by stronger enemies. It is a game of who and why the player needs to suck blood from another being.
When asked about enemies, Beauverger said: "all supernatural creatures in 'Vampyr' will be linked to the vampire mythology. Maybe, just maybe, ghosts, ghouls and werewolves are just different species of vampire, wrongly labelled by mortals when facing supernatural phenomenon beyond their understanding?"
The game is shrouded in mystery, which is very enticing to curious players. It will be a test of both morality and strategy.
"Vampyr" is scheduled to be released sometime in 2017.
