Released back in 2022, Vampire Survivors was a huge hit. Its mix of roguelike mechanics and unique control style made it stand out amongst the crowd. Developer Poncle has had a steady stream of updates and DLC content to keep the game thriving, with some very exciting additions, including Ode to Castlevania.
For those who don’t know, Vampire Survivors is a roguelike action game where the player directly controls character movement, but all other parts of the gameplay are automated. Weapons attack on a cycle, enemies swarm the character, and items are unlocked and levelled up by vacuuming up EXP crystals. It’s an addictive loop that is very hard to put down. Everything about the game screams Castlevania – the visual designs, the enemies, the weapons – so it is simultaneously surprising and unsurprising to see this partnership DLC drop.
Enter Ode to Castlevania. It is more than a skinsuit; in fact, it feels like a whole new game. With new iconic characters to unlock, players will enjoy the chance to take on new challenge criteria while being blasted by fantastic renditions of Castlevania music. Originally based in a single new, incredibly large stage, players can face off against all sorts of familiar Castlevania villains, including the eponymous Dracula, if they can survive long enough.
One stage might not sound that compelling, but through replaying it, players will be able to access around 60 new characters and over 100 weapons, all of which add to the game with their own little powers and designs. This is all done along with an incredible soundtrack, with around 100 remixed tunes from Bloody Tears to Simon’s Theme, so no fans will feel uncatered to.
Obviously, this DLC is not easy; after all, it uses the same mechanics as the base game. Beating the entire map might take hours’ worth of attempts, with many ending purely because of the RNG aspects. Luckily, players unlock permanent buffs to items and weapons through earning money that can be spent on these buffs. Weapons and items also evolve with use when matching items are collected, resulting in some truly screen-clearing attacks that look and sound amazing.
That original level has now also become a new “adventure”. This means players can progress through a set of stages in the adventure mode, giving them a great progression structure, as well as a load of new goals to clear these levels. This structure feels great, with a bit more focus and drive for those who want to have more specific goals to beat.
To be honest, it’s amazing and cool to see the developers recognise more niche characters like Shanoa from Order of Ecclesia sporting a faithful but distinctly Vampire Survivors design. Each character has their own starting setup, which is then augmented in each level based on random items and weapon drops, so success is usually still random, no matter who is picked. There are a few characters, though, that are definitely harder to get a good run going with, such as Syph, who has weak magic projectiles.
The gameplay loop is ridiculously addictive, with runs taking between two minutes and one hour based on success and luck. It’s super hard to put down, especially with this perfect crossover matchup, yet it’s short enough for portable play on Switch, making it the perfect platform, so definitely consider this version in particular. It even has co-op play, making it even more fun with friends. Just be ready to face down the hordes together!
