In an era where video game adaptations seem more prevalent than ever, it's hard to be surprised when a popular IP gets approved for translation to film or television. But the announcement of the Vampire Survivors movie is nevertheless a bit of a shock, as the indie phenomenon isn't exactly the most obvious choice for a port to the silver screen. Indeed, even Vampire Survivors' developer has noted the challenges of such an adaptation, commenting on the fact that the game has no real story.
As its name suggests, Vampire Survivors has a strong focus on the undead, occult, and supernatural, though these qualities aren't explored beyond the surface-level. That's not meant to be a criticism, as Vampire Survivors rarely gestures toward some greater narrative at work behind the scenes. The central conceit of the game, in essence, is the ever-building power fantasy—the transformation of the player into the "bullet hell," so to speak. This driving force tickles players' dopamine receptors and makes for an awe-inspiring pixelated spectacle, and perhaps some of these strengths can be communicated to the medium of film, but any adaptation will necessitate structure, which a plot will provide. This obvious addition could wind up defining the future of Vampire Survivors, for better or worse.
Vampire Survivors will be getting less frequent, more substantial updates moving forward, which could effectively take the place of a proper Vampire Survivors 2.
How the Vampire Survivors Movie May Impact the Broader Franchise
A Firm Plot Could Deepen the Vampire Survivors Experience
Games can sometimes be criticized for focusing heavily on a story that isn't for everyone. For instance, if a game features several long, unskippable cutscenes that don't land well with audiences, they can get in the way of its stronger, interactive elements. Whether such criticism is well-founded is, of course, a matter of personal opinion, but few would make the argument that subtle or unobtrusive narrative techniques actively make a game worse. A good example of this is Elden Ring, which has a story that can more or less be ignored, but it's still there for players to explore, should they so choose.
So, even though its unlikely that Vampire Survivors 2 will ever see the light of day, it's not inconceivable that some post-film patches could inject pieces of lore from said film. Maybe Vampire Survivors could take a FromSoftware approach to its storytelling, adding new item descriptions or environmental details that explore narrative aspects introduced in the movie. Even something like an intro cutscene, or characters from the movie making their way into the roster, could go a long way toward expanding Vampire Survivors through a firmer narrative, effectively establishing whatever plot the movie has as canon in the game.
A More Prominent Story Could Get Vampire Survivors Lost in the Sauce
The inherent originality of a Vampire Survivors movie is both a strength and a liability. Unlike something like, say, The Last of Us on HBO, this Vampire Survivors film won't just be a translation of an already-existing plot. Rather, it will be making up a brand-new plot, and new lore, as it goes along, meaning that anything it introduces as canon will be subjected to a great degree of scrutiny. For players who care about such matters, a poorly written or controversial narrative could sour the Vampire Survivors IP as a whole.
This is to say nothing of how future Vampire Survivors projects could be impacted by the introduction of various narrative elements. If Vampire Survivors were to ever get a sequel, spin-off, or story-focused expansion, it might be locked in to whatever story the movie establishes, which could be tricky if the movie's story is poorly received. Otherwise, the IP may have to get into the messy business of declaring what is canon and what isn't.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- December 17, 2021
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Luca Galante
- Publisher(s)
- Luca Galante
- Engine
- unity
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- Vampire Survivors
WHERE TO PLAY
Vampire Survivors is a time survival game with minimalistic gameplay and roguelite elements.
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.
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!
- Number of Players
- 1-4
- Split Screen Orientation
- N/A (Shared Screen)
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
- How Long To Beat
- 6 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- No
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- File Size Xbox Series
- 1 GB (November 2023)
- Local Co-Op Support
- 1-4 Players
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
