The Scale

The Monstergirl Scale

For determining if a game is like Vampire Survivors

-1 to 1 in 60 categories

Genre

1. Rogue-Lite 2. Auto-Shooter / Auto-Battler 3. Real Time 4. Top-Down or Isometric 5. Direct Control of Single Avatar Camera Usually Centered on Player 6. Arcade Style (Little Plot) 7. Bullet Heaven A Many Player Shots 8. Bullet Heaven B Few Enemy Shots / Damage on Touch Focus

Simple Movement Focused Controls

9. One Handed Play (With Controller) 10. Move Only 11. No Dash / Dodge 12. No Trigger 13. No Special Move Button 14. No Aiming 15. No On Attack / On Aim Movement Penalty

Survival Game Modes

16. Timed Survival / Boss Mode 17. Endless Mode 18. Unannounced & Organic Waves 19. High Enemy Count / "Horde"

Power Progression

20. Level on XP Gain Run Event 21. Streamlined Level Choices 22. Currency Based Meta Unlocks 23. Goal Based / Find Based Meta Unlocks

Depth of Buildcrafting

24. Build Crafting 25. Impactful Level / Item Options 26. Weapon Combination / Evolution 27. Interesting Weapon, Item & Ability Synergy 28. Invincible / Broken Builds Possible

Map / Level Features

29. Explorable Map 30. BIG Maps 31. XP / Currency on Ground 32. Health on Ground 33. Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 34. Treasure Chests / Loot Events 35. Vendors on Map / Run

Depth and Breadth of Content

36. Enemy Variety 37. Elites & Bosses 38. Many and /or Interesting Characters 39. Many Challenges 40. Multiple Stages 41. Difficulty Modifiers 42. Bestiary / Lore 43. Achievements 44. Secrets

Aesthetics

45. Retro / Pixel Art Style 46. Damage Numbers 47. Lo-Fi Charm 48. Bumpin' Music 49. Unique / Fun Names / Writing 50. Subtle Humor

Gameplay Vibe Check

51. Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 52. Over The Top 53. "One More Run" / Short Runs 54. Difficulty Ramp 55. Fun Ramp 56. Low Price 57. Technical Check / Functional Polish 58. Controls Check 59. Fun Check 60. Feels like VS

How to Tally

-1 to 1 in 60 Categories
Scoring in 10ths
(example: -.4 or .8)

1: Feature Fully Present
0: Feature Missing
-1: Critical Difference

Tip:

Rely Heavily on Vibes!

Report as number out of 60,
Or Convert into 10 Point Score.

The scale "assumes you're
ranking a very "similar game.
In theory a final score can be negative.

See Definitions for a full explanation of every category on the similarity and review scales. See scoring guide for detailed examples.

Comparison Scale Examples:

Vampire Survivors

10.0 | 60

Halls of Torment

9.0 | 53.9

Chess Survivors

8.0 | 48.0

20 Minutes Till Dawn

6.8 | 40.8

Risk of Rain

5.1 | 30.7

Hades

4.4 | 26.3

Returnal

3.2 | 19.4

Rogue

1.0 | 6.1

Elden Ring

-1.9 | -11.3

Call of Duty 2

-3.8 | -22.9

Fun at Home!

Score games yourself with The Scorecard!

Argue about it on the playground!

Latest Updates

Here are the latest update notes imported from the spreadsheet.

09/28/2023 Imported patch notes

Roboquest >> Roboquest – Progress, Playtest and Pricing

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor >> It’s demo time baby

Voidigo >> Voidigo v1.1.0.1

Future Daoshi >> Emergency! Bird-like monsters are raging in the south!

Purrfect Survivors >> Update 2023.09.28

Missiles Away >> September 28 Update (Linux Support)

Mage and Monsters >> Patch 3.2.4: Fixed some cave bugs

Beyond Fantasy >> Update minigame

Wild Legion >> Wild Legion at SHMUP & New Demo Updates

Spellbook Demonslayers >> SHMUP Discount & Mid-Autumn Festival

09/27/2023 Imported patch notes

Symmodance >> New Features and Game Balance 2.3.00.0

Star Farmer: Warlock of the Universe >> Space Debris!

Bad Egg >> Beta Test

Arcadium - Space Odyssey >> New Update

Mechabot Defender >> New beta branch

Whisker Squadron: Survivor >> 0.63 released. Major update!

When the Light Dies >> We’re Celebrating SHMUP Fest!

Voidigo >> Voidigo v1.1.0 – The Elemental Update

Bing in Wonderland >> Update Log

Star Survivor >> Happy Mid-Autmn Festival!

Nomad Survival >> SHMUP Fest, New Game Project, and Price Change.

Operation STEEL >> v1.4.4 + Bonus goodies!

Tree of Ashes >> Play the Tree of Ashes Demo Now!

Kill The Crows >> Patch Notes for v1.1.0 – Controller & Language Support!

Princess Survivors (nsfw) >> Ver1.022 Tweak parameters

Auto Cast >> Lost Souls: Update 2.0

09/26/2023 Imported patch notes

Just King >> Patch 0.5.0 – Early Access

Sun Down Survivors >> Patch 1.4: The Final Boss

Evoluship >> Mary

Dwerve >> Action Tower-Defense Bundle! 🏷️

Castle of Alchemists >> Dwerve and Castle of Alchemists Bundle!

Elemental Survivors >> v0.2.21 – Hotfix!

Last Monarch >> MangoCouncil official website

Magecraft >> Magecraft 1.0 Release!!!

Reality Break >> Reality Break is part of SHMUP Fest!

Steredenn >> Steredenn 2.6.3: hotfix (Linux)

Monsters 'Til Midnight >> Monsters ’til Midnight is ON SALE as Part of SHMUP FEST!

Relinked >> The game has been released. What’s next?

The Braves >> Stream Demo The Braves

King Krieg >> woopsi

Kitty Survivors: Rogues of Catmere >> Early Access 0.9.21 HOTFIX

Chess Survivors >> 1.1 Hotfix Patch #4

Highway Rampage >> Fix Comin’ In Hot!

Goobies >> 1.1.0 – Late game balancing.

Too Many Cooks >> Final Demo Update!

Relinked >> Live Broadcast of game ReLinked!

Realm of the Mad God Exalt >> Update 4.0.2.0 – Season 8 & Tavern

Noobs Want to Live >> 【Noobs want to live】Join Steam SHMUP FEST! 23% off!

Bloody Heaven >> Small Update #10 -2023/9/26

Purrfect Survivors >> Update 2023.09.26

Steredenn >> Steredenn 2.6.2: hotfix

Star Survivor >> Backstory of the recent developments

Light Speed Ride Out >> Light Speed Ride Out v0.36 is live!

Light Speed Ride Out >> Light Speed Ride Out – 30% Off!

Brotato >> Brotato on SHMUP Fest and new bundles

09/25/2023 Imported patch notes

Crafty Survivors >> Backup & Bug Fixes – v0.4.1.4

Sharded World >> Sharded World at the Shoetemps Festival!

Champion Shift >> Champion Shift Demo Update 0.3.1

Chess Survivors >> 1.1 Hotfix Patch #3

Chess Survivors >> 1.1 Hotfix Patch #2

Pesticide Not Required >> We’re in the Steam SHMUP Fest!

Mechabot Defender >> HUGE UPDATE + Improved Controller Support

Survivors of the Dawn >> Survivors of the Dawn on SHMUP Fest

Core Devourer >> Big Demo Update: New Weapons, Maps, and Challenges Await!

ICEwall >> Celebrating Steam SHMUP FEST and 1 Year Anniversary with Trading Cards and more

Path of Survivors >> v0.7.1 – Minor Changes

Castle of Alchemists >> vEA_05a Ranged Weapons Update

Snake Farm >> Item preview: Snake Eyes!

Reality Break >> Demo Update v0.14.4

Armaggeddon >> Content Drop: Future Tech Part 1

Pact of the Ancients - 3D Bara Survivors (nsfw) >> Steam Keys Giveaway!

PhaigeX: Hyperspace Survivors >> PhaigeX at 20% Off for SHMUP FEST!

Arcadium - Space Odyssey >> Arcadium Space Odyssey on SHMUP Fest!

Galactic Glitch: Prologue >> New Demo for SHMUP Fest

Paper Planet >> Steam’s SHMUP Fest is here!

Galactic Glitch: Infinity's Edge >> New Demo for SHMUP Fest

AK-xolotl >> AK-xolotl is on SHMUP Fest!

Deadlink >> Deadlink 1.1 is out

The Braves >> The Braves joins the Steam SHMUP Fest

PhaigeX: Hyperspace Survivors >> ROADMAP: THE PIONEER SHIP BANNER IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Missiles Away >> Bugfix Patch for SHMUP Fest

Nova Drift >> – THE VORPAL UPDATE IS LIVE –

SHPR >> Steam SHMUP Fest 2023 – 50% off!

Kritter >> Kritter SHMUP Fest Update (v0.7.5)

Motordoom >> Steam SHMUP Fest

Deadlink >> Deadlink at SHMUP Fest

Kitty Survivors: Rogues of Catmere >> EA 0.9.2 & SHMUP FEST!

SpeedOverflow >> GameUpdate

Viking Survivors >> Viking Survivors participates in the Steam SHMUP Fest

Cards and Guns >> Cards and Guns participates in the Steam SHMUP Fest

Highway Rampage >> Leaving Early Access!

Chickado >> New Level

Boneraiser Minions >> Patch v35.16

Overrun Survivors >> Steam SHMUP FEST -40%

Time Wasters >> The 1.0 Update

Outer Terror >> SHMUP FEST 2023 has ARRIVED!!!

Elemental Survivors >> v0.2.20 – Introducing Gary Lou!

Overrun Survivors >> SHMUP FEST Broadcast(pre-recorded)

Rift Rangers >> Steam Shmup Fest

First Jam >> v0.1.925