Vampyr, the new Action-RPG from acclaimed game-development studio Dontnod, explores combat on the flu-ridden streets of 1918’s London. All manner of dangers prowl London during a bout of the lethal Spanish Flu. From Vampire hunters to mutated abominations, Jonathan Reid will face foes as well as friends on his mission to discover the truth behind his new affliction.
Armed with an array of conventional melee and ranged weaponry, attack and dodge foes to fill up Jonathan’s Blood Gauge, required to unleash powerful vampire attacks. From impaling enemies on a spike, to draining them of blood at a distance, as Jonathan’s Blood Gauge fills during a combat situation, his Vampire affliction will start to overtake his more human side, unleashing destructive spells and abilities against those who try to stop him.
A non-linear skill tree will unlock through experience gained new, more powerful attacks and abilities. Jonathan is able to equip these abilities in any order, effectively allowing players to create their own archetypes to match their play-styles. Play aggressively and deal greater damage, or more securely, focusing on crowd-control and keeping enemies at bay. Skills can be evolved two different ways, for example, Spring, a skill that allows you to rush instantly to a distant enemy, can be developed to either deal area-of-effect damage or grant temporary invincibility. The choice is yours.
Combat difficulty can be affected by player actions out of combat. Feeding on civilians provides a huge XP boost, which will make combat situations easier – but that comes with caveats; an increased danger on the streets, and narrative consequences for the world’s citizens, to name a few. Full brawls are not the only options open to Doctor Reid, he can also stalk his prey, or even utilize his vampire speed and agility to avoid combat entirely.
Players will have to investigate who to feed from, and who to spare, conscious of their need to increase their strength. Jonathan’s Vampire impulses will always be working against his human side.
Take up the plight of Jonathan Reid when Vampyr releases in 2017 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
