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Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Content Rich Enemy Hell Horde Survival Mowing Game Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Wave Survival |
9.9
Combined Ranking Score
1/72
Ranking Position
1595/1600
Total Points
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9.8
Final Review
98%
Steam
9.7
Scale
10.0
Vibes
205178
Steam Reviews
395/400
Review Points
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10.0
Similarity Score
100%
Diagnosis:
Similar
1200/1200
Comparison Points
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100%
Genre 8/8
genre
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100%
Simple Controls 7/7
move
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100%
Survival Modes 4/4
modes
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100%
Power Progression 4/4
level
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100%
Buildcrafting Depth 5/5
build
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100%
Stage Features 7/7
stage
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100%
Content Breadth 9/9
stuff
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100%
Aesthetics 6/6
style
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100%
Gameplay Vibe Check 10/10
vibe
vibe
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Vampire Survivors Ranking Notes
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Scaling and Review Notes
Personal Hours Played: 92.8
Review Disclaimer
Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.
Added or last checked on 11/23/2023
The standard to which all other games on this list are held! We recognize that it's not just the basics of gameplay but also the depth of content and collectables that makes it addictive.
It's a simple casual game about moving towards some things and away from other things. And it's a complex hardcore build crafting systems game about over the top screen wiping action. It's a very influential game with an auto-fire design that isn't just replicating how weapons work without it, where as one dev on another game put it "every weapon makes you move in a different way." Many followers don't fully understand what it attempted to deconstruct and many attempt to do their own thing. Also I just found out a full symphony orchestra was used for the DLC soundtrack - what the fuck!
We're not considering some more recently added features in our main scale, mainly just because they came out after the game had moved to DLC. The multiplayer is free, but the boom happened before it happened so we're just kind of leaving it in metadata for now. The new adventure mode is also linked to DLC.
It's totally possible, just annoying, to add more categories to the scale, but for now we're going on 'vanilla' Vampire Survivors circa 2023. It's easy to see which categories we are comparing, anyway, on the scale heatmap! There isn't as in depth review notes here, but if you check out the explainer much of it is about breaking down what made Vampire Survivors so successful and seperated it from other similar games that came before. The scoring guide also will walk through how Vampire Survivors works for every category on the scale.
Note on other games: "Many of these games have campaign or dungeon crawling mode, but we're not really scoring that for or against them directly, just if they include the wave survival modes."
Longer reviews are sometimes for worse games: "I just write more when there are issues to note. Some are just more complicated. Just don't think a short review means it's bad, often it means there's little to complain about. Enjoy the scale!" - xoxomonstergirl
Vampire Survivors Similarity Scale Heatmap
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Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.
10.0
Similarity Score
100%
Diagnosis:
1200/1200
Comparison Points
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle
1/1
Top Down or Isometric
1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar
1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets)
1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets)
1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller)
1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty
1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival
1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves
1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde)
1/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event
1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI)
1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks
1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution"
1/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy
1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible
1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground
1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events
1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run
1/1
Many Interesting Characters
1/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs
1/1
Vampire Survivors Review Scale Heatmap
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The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.
9.8
Final Review
98%
Positive Steam Reviews
205178
Steam Reviews
10.0
Pure Vibes
9.7
Review Scale
395/400
Review Points
Good Graphics and Sound
1/1
Game Features
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Listing various features we've got info on.
Multiplayer
- Local: Co-Op
- Online: No
- Player Count: 4
- Leaderboards: No
Steam Features
- Steam Cloud: Yes
- Steam Achievements: 190
- Steam Leaderboards: No
- Steam Workshop: No
- Steam Trading Cards: Yes
Extras, Etc.
Critic Review Excerpt
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Here's another perspective to evaluate the game.
"With its dead-simple graphics and basic map and enemy design, Vampire Survivors seems like it has no business sticking with me as much as it does. And yet, I felt compelled to put over a hundred hours into experimenting with its many weapon and ability upgrade combinations, starting round after round trying to reach the end and unlock all of its characters, evolve all of its weapons, and unlock all of its secrets. The bewitching spell of its appeal can be broken by the duller stretches between when you find a great build or unlock a challenging new mode, but it probably won't be long until you find a new way to challenge yourself to survive just a few seconds longer."
By Dan Stapleton, IGN
Read More
Marketing Blurb
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Some description of the game and its features from the creators.
"Mow down thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you."
"Vampire Survivors is a time survival game with minimalistic gameplay and roguelite elements.
Hell is empty, the devils are here, and there's no place to run or hide. All you can do is survive as long as you can until death inevitably puts an end to your struggles. Gather gold in each run to buy upgrades and help the next survivor."
"The supernatural indie phenomenon that lets you be the bullet hell!"
More info and fan reviews on steam
Control Style Notes
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Single Stick Shooter: Vampire Survivors has a movement only control scheme, except for selecting upgrades and naivating the menu with one button.
Auto-Shooter: Attacks happen on a cool down timer with no player button or trigger available. They also auto-aim in various ways depending on the weapon.
Mowing Game: Movement is the primary mechanic, you're always charting a path away from some things and towards others. Automated attacks have distinct shapes so "every weapon forces you to move in a different way" as drowsyau, design lead of Sea of Survivors puts it. This is a distinct feature of the subsubgenre of mowing games.
Enemies from maze like patterns.
Automated Features
Auto-Aim
Auto-Fire
Default, no option for manual aim or trigger.
Supported Controls
- Controller: Full
- Controller Move Only: Yes
- Controller One Handed: Yes
- Mouse Only: Yes
- Keyboard Only: Yes
- Keyboard One Handed: Yes
Accessibility & Tutorial
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Accessibility Notes
Seizure warning.
Game is highly accessible control-wise out of the box due to the large array of support and simple single stick controls.
Menu FX Toggles: Flashing VFX and screen shake toggle
Legibility/Visibility Toggles: Border Opacity, Pixel Font, Co-Op Outlines, Disable Damage Numbers
Option to disable blood.
Tutorial Notes
Vampire Survivors has no tutorial. On first launch it quickly opens to a menu where you have few options but to simply start a run. Inside a run, you are presented with no prompts, control diagrams or instructions.
It works fine, because there is only one control during play: Joystick, mouse click or touch screen press to move.
Game Modes
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Timed Survival
Endless Survival
Campaign / Story
(Adventure DLC)
Difficulty Modes
(Hyper, Hurry, Inverse, Endless)
Difficulty Modifiers
(Via Meta Unlocks)
Multiplayer Co-Op
Game Mode Notes
Starts with 30m survival and opens up other game modes and difficulty options as you progress. Each difficulty mode has a variety of changes and increased rewards, including:
Hyper Mode: Character and enemies move faster, difficulty is increased in a few ways.
Hurry Mode: In Hurry mode, there's 2x Clock Speed and increased XP.
Inverse Mode: In Inverse mode, the map is flipped upside down (literally) and much difficulty is increased
Endless mode: Instead of an unkillable boss spawn at 30m, the enemy waves repeat with increased difficulty
Some meta unlocks also increase or modify difficulty and eventually you can banish some upgrade options pre-run for a "deck construction" style gameplay aspect. Quick streamlined menu directs you into the next run with minimal effort.
Run Times & Speedups
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Average Run Time: 30m
Run Time Notes
The initial run time is about 30 minutes, later stages are 15 minutes. "Hyper Mode" allows standard stages to take 15m run time.
Run is ended by a near impossible to kill boss. Unlockable endless modes and difficulty modifiers.
Speed Settings
2x
Unlockable
"Hyper Mode"
Hurry mode increases player and enemy speed, but not clock speed.
Player Power Progression
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Detailed notes on progression systems.
In Run Progression
During the run the player defeats enemies and gathers xp drops to level up. Level dialog pops up automatically on xp gain event. Leveling is done by selecting random options for ability enhancing items or attacking weapons (kind of like cards, but presented horizontally), eventually with the option of rerolling or banishing options. Items can also be collected off the ground when found around a map.
They can also gather temporary powerups dropped by enemies and open elite enemy treasure chests for items and weapons. In addition, a later game system of "arcana" drops further allows for modification of the run. Weapons and items can combine when fully leveled for "evolved" forms.
When you "run out" of levels in an endless run you can pick gold or health and even set it to auto. The player can hold 6 weapons, but pick up over the limit
Meta Progression
As the game progresses players unlock more stage and difficulty options by accomplishing timed survival goals and find based goals on each stage. They also unlock the option to purchase characters or purchase upgrades, as well as new weapons/items to find in future runs.
Players earn a currency through runs (gold) that can be spent on the in run vendor (eventually unlocked) or saved to get character or upgrades in the menu. Upgrades can be refunded, allowing for some buildcrafting.
Content By The Numbers
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58 Characters (16 secret, 16 DLC)
48 Base Weapons (+7 Counterparts)
38 Evolved Weapons and Unions
10 Special / Temporary Weapons
17 Passive Effect Items
(Almost all with upgrade levels)
16 Weapon Stats
19 Pickups
(XP, Gold, Food, Powerups)
22 feature unlocking relics to find
22 Run Modifying Arcana Cards
22 Meta Upgrade Powerups
198 Unique Enemies (58 Bosses)
19 Stages
5 Stage Modes
2 DLC available
In Game Lore & Extras
Collection
- Browse weapons, items,
relics, arcana
Bestiary
- Browse Enemies
Music
- On stage select,
can listen jukebox-style
UI Walkthrough: Main Menus
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Any other accessibility or menu options not mentioned already in the game modes. Instead of deciding what to list here, I'm going to just list it all. This should make for a pretty interesting UI study, actually, but probably won't be needed by most players. These are all likely missing late game unlock options! Please comment in corrections! From top left, back or close buttons are assumed. Spoiler Warning! Menu unlocks often happen later in play. See also meta unlock menu walkthrough.
Main Menu
Quit
Options
- "Favorites", Display, Sound, Gameplay,
Co-Op, Account
Start
-> Character Select
--> Enter Co-Op
-- Max Weapons, Eggs, Meta Stat Sidebar,
Map Completion Sidebar
--> Stage Select
--- Stage Stat Sidebar, Music Selection
--- Difficulty Modes (Hyper, Hurry, Arcanas,
Limit Break, Inverse, Endless)
---> Start
Quick Start
Collection (Seal Item)
Power Up (Purchase and refund with gold)
Unlocks (Option to hide completed)
Bestiary
Credits
Secrets (Checklist, Enter Cheat Code "Cast Spell")
Display & Sound
Both under "Options" in main menu.
Display
- Resolution Dropdown
- Vsync
- Border Transparency Dropdown
- Checkboxes: Flashing VFX, Disable Blood,
Weapons ScreenShake, Pixel Font,
Show Defanged Enemies
Sound
- Sounds Slider
- Music Slider
- Option for "Classic" or
"Blast Processed" sound effects
Track / speed options for music available at level select.
Gameplay / Input / Other Options
Under "options" in the main menu.
Gameplay
- Checkboxes: Damage Numbers, Show stage
progression, Visually Invert
Stages, Touch Screen Control Stick
- Option for Legacy or Default Joystick Type
Co-Op
- Player Colour Dropdowns
- Checkboxes: Show Co-OP Indicators,
Co-Op Vibration, Tint UI Selection,
Sequential Chest Mode
Account
- Language Selection (Many Options)
- Twitch Channel Connect
- Data Recovery
UI Walkthrough: Player HUD & Pause
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From top left of the screen, persistent UI during play (aka Heads Up Display) and other menus during your run.
Player HUD / Gameplay UI
XP Bar across full screen width, level number in top left corner.
Weapon/Item Slots in top left corner. Timer in middle. Enemy and gold count in top right corner.
Mouse pause button in top right corner, low opacity.
Player health bar below avatar. Optional touch screen joystick on screen, damage numbers, and arrows on edge of screen for pickups and treasure drops.
Pause Menus
Stats Sidebar, Map
- Options
-- Sounds, Music, Touch Screen
Control Stick, Flashing VFX,
Weapons ScreenShake, Damage Numbers
--| Quit
--> Resume
- Hide Pickups / Show Pickups
- Hide Guide / Show Guides
- Open Grimoire
- Resume
UI Walkthrough: Leveling & Progression
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Listing UI display as well. "In run" applies to "round end" UI in games with rounds. May use in game terms for complicated concepts. See also metaprogression system notes in the game mode notes.
Level / Power Up / Treasure: In Run and End Menus
XP drops as gems. Gold, powerups and health drop from enemies and breakables. Items sit on map. Enemies drop chests.
On XP Gain Event
- Equipment and Stat Sidebar
- 3-4 Level Options in vertical bordered list
- Reroll, Skip, Banish
If Arcana is Enabled in late game, starts with "Randomazzo" and more can be dropped
- pick from 22 tarot style "cards' with major effects.
Merchant
- when found purchase from unlocked options with gold.
Treasure Pickup Event
- Display gacha style drop and confirm, no options.
End Run Displays Results
-> Done
Meta Unlock Menus
Characters can be purchased from character select, under "Start".
Upgrades, called "powerups" are purchased in a simple UI with checkboxes after the option to purchase them has been unlocked through goals.
Upgrade Options / Unlocks: Might, Armor, Max Health, Recovery, Cooldown Area, Speed, Duration, Amount, Move Speed, Magnet, Luck, Growth, Greed, Curse, Revival, Omni, Defang, Reroll, Skip, Banish, Seal
Meta PowerUps can be Refunded, characters cannot. Meta PowerUps can be individually toggled off after purchase.
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