Summary
Vampires have consistently been a staple in pop culture, largely owing to the literature of the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Although these blood-sucking creatures of the night are often painted as villains, deserving of a stake through the heart, they’ve also become sympathetically portrayed in a lot of media. This helped flip the evil vampire stereotype and imagined them in a variety of different roles and scenarios.
As vampires have crawled their way into the role of protagonist, audiences have seen a multitude of films, series, and books with fanged main characters, whether good or evil (The Vampire DiariesandTwilight,for example). But, it is video games in particular that really put us in their shoes to experience life (or death) on the other side. This list contains the best games with vampire protagonists.
BloodRayneis a hack-and-slash adventure game that follows half-human/half-vampire Rayne, searching for her father. On the way, she is recruited by the Brimstone Society, an organization that protects the human race from supernatural threats. As a result, Rayne becomes involved in an operation to prevent the Nazis from using occult relics to win World War 2.
BloodRayneproved to be very successful, with subsequent movies, comics, and sequels made in its wake. The combat is fun with a combination of guns and martial arts, and the player can use Rayne’s vampire powers, such as slowing time and feeding on blood to regain health. Fans ofXena Warrior Princessshould definitely check this one out.
Castlevaniais among themost renowned franchises of all time. Despite not selling well upon its release,Symphony of the Nightgradually gained a cult status and became the basis for the “Metroidvania” genre (alongsideMetroid). The game follows Dracula’s son, Alucard, on a mission to destroy Dracula’s castle and prevent Dracula from being resurrected.
The soundtrack ofCastlevania: Symphony of the Nightis fantastic, with scores from a variety of genres that maintain pace and atmosphere throughout the whole game. The player can find a number of abilities and items to help Alucard on his quest, such as summoning familiars and shapeshifting. The expansive map and fluid gameplay makeSymphony of the Nightone of the most enjoyable platformers.
InVampire’s Fall: Origins,the player takes on the role of a villager from the aptly named Vamp’Ire, who has enlisted in the village’smilitia to prepare for the rumored return of the Witchmaster. When the village is attacked, however, the player-character is transformed into a vampire. Exploring the ravaged land, they must decide whether to embrace the dark side or fight for humanity.
Despite being forced into the role of a vampire,Originsstill has plenty of character and playstyle customization expected of an open-world turn-based RPG. For example, the player can choose their bloodline (each having unique attributes), and can level up to upgrade different abilities. Overall,Vampire’s Fallhas ample worldbuilding and gameplay for a freeDiablo-esque mobile game.
What’s better than one vampire protagonist? Three vampire protagonists!Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansongis set in modern Boston, where (like the tabletop RPG) vampires walk among humans without their knowledge. This “Masquerade” is held up by the vampire governing body, “Camarilla.” After a shootout at a party, the protagonists are summoned to investigate what is going on.
InSwansong,the player switches betweenthree vampires — Leysha, Emem, and Galeb — each from different clans, and each with their own powers that prove more (or less) useful in certain situations. The narrative basis to this game makes it great for players who prefer no combat experiences, and instead prefer a suave and intriguing world of mystery. They must be careful to keep their powers hidden, however.
Vampyrfollows Dr Jonathan Reid, a field medic in the Great War, returning to London. The caveat is, his return begins by awakening in a mass grave with a craving for blood, an ironic twist considering that Reid is a famous phlebotomy expert. Finding London to be overrun with rogue vampires known as Skal, mistaken for sufferers of the Spanish flu, the player must help Reid in his search for the epidemic’s origins.
One of the unique features of this game is the feeding mechanic. The player can choose who to feed on and who to leave alive — with theirchoice significantly altering the story. While feeding is necessary to gain experience and level up, killing notable NPCs can negatively affect the “district status,” making other characters more hostile and locking the player out of certain quests.
V Risingis a survival RPG. After waking in a crypt to find the vampire population on the brink, the player can explore a dark open world to regain their powers and rule over the living. To do this, they must defeat bosses known as V Blood Carriers. There are upwards of 50 Carriers, each with their own ghoulish designs and combat styles.
Both the PvP and PvE combat inV Risingare diverse, with a range of weapon types, spells, and abilities that can be upgraded according to the player’s preferred style. For those who prefer sandbox games, there is also crafting andbasebuilding, allowing players to design and buildtheir perfect Gothic castle. With a large map and different biomes that have their own unique atmospheres,V Risingoffers hours of untiring gameplay.
BloodLust 2: Nemesisis adungeon crawlerset against an urban fantasy backdrop, where lab-made blood “Neural Embryonic Morphing Experimental Synthetic Immune System,” or NEMESIS, grants vampires extreme power. Despite this overarching plot, the game is largely non-linear and procedurally generated, meaning the player can choose their own path and offering a lot of replayability.
The settings are an immersive combination of post-punk and at times cybergoth style. Players can also level up their stats and skills in both combat and dialogue. Despite criticisms about inventory management and repetitive gameplay,BloodLust 2: Nemesisremains a go-to game for gamers who simply want to slash enemies and take their loot.
If there is one genre that should be more popular, it’s vampire cowboys. The Western horror vibe is something thatDarkwatchdoes extremely well. The game follows Jericho Cross, an outlaw, who has just robbed a train and accidentally releases the vampire lord Lazarus, in turn unleashing an army of dead. Jericho is turned into a vampire, eventually being recruited by the Darkwatch hunters to tackle the supernatural hordes.
As the game progresses, the player can choose between good and evil, influencing the endgame. These decisions also determine the powers Jericho gains. For example, good grants “silver bullet” which increases weapon damage, and evil grants “blood frenzy” which improves melee damage. Overall, the gun types, enemy designs, and stylistic Gothic Wild West makeDarkwatchone of the most charming early FPS games.
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain(orLegacy of Kain: Blood Omen,depending on the player’s side of the debate) is an action-adventure game set in the fictional medieval lands of Nosgoth. After being refused lodging while traveling and killed by assassins, Kain is offered a chance for revenge by the necromancer Mortanius, not knowing that this would mean turning into a vampire. The player will discover that there is a much larger story at play.
In addition to combat — a variety of melee, spells, and artifacts — there are also puzzles and secrets that can be completed to find items and secrets. Some of these can only be accessed by backtracking with certain abilities, such as the werewolf jump, which encourages exploration. There is also a whole roster of scary enemies, from skeletons to zombies to possessed dolls, in a range of moody settings. Thevoice acting is cynical and believable, which really makes Kain an unlikeable but lovable protagonist.
Set in 1890s Europe,A Vampyre Storyisa point and click gamethat focuses on Mona De Lafitt, a French opera singer abducted and held captive by the vampire Baron Shrowdy von Kiefer. After escaping, the player must help Mona both navigate being undead and come to terms with her new vampiric nature, all while attempting to return to Paris.
What really makesA Vampire Storystand out are the beautifully hand-drawn, stylized backgrounds, complementing the 3D elements and creating a charming atmosphere. The dialogue is humorous and self-aware, with a range of quirky, charismatic character encounters from New York rats to Italian dressmakers.Despite its initial commercial flop,A Vampyre Storyis a special passion project that was evidently made with love, and although not the typical vampire story, it delivers players the best experience as a vampire protagonist.
