The MMO market is arguably overflooded with fantasy/sci-fi titles that don’t quite know if they’re bread or butter – meaning, they want to be survival, MMO, PVE, and farming sim all at once, without ever being really good at one thing only. Enter Vampir, the newest entry from developer Netmarble, which seeks to change that by being focused on the power fantasy of being a blood-sucking, skulking terror of the night.
The gothic visuals are reminiscent of the World of Darkness, and maybe this is the vampiric solution for the less-than-stellar reception of Bloodlines 2 recently.
Pre-downloads are open, with August 26 marking the official launch of Vampir. You can then test your class, fight in PvP arenas, or even just explore what looks like Netmarble’s most ambitious online endeavor yet.
Sure, you could dismiss this as just another title in a long line of uninspired MMOs trying to ride the wave, but the gothic charm and the world-building alone warrant a closer look at this one.
A Dark World Dripping In Blood
While Bloodlines and its pseudo-successor Bloodlines 2 depict the world of today in a bleak and horror-themed, sometimes even B-movie-esque way, Vampir is going the road of Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption.
True, later chapters of the cult-classic have you wander the streets of today and even the future, but the gothic paint job cannot be denied upon first glance. Moody castles, fog-choked forests, and creepy crypts are the backdrop for all your MMO needs, and if Netmarble manages to fill this world with meaningful content, Vampir could be a worthy release.
Character creation is a notable feature; customizable bloodlines shape your abilities and take the place of the classic classes gamer are probably intrinsically familiar with, or at least aware of.
Brute-force melee builds are just as viable as blood mages, stealth classes, or even hybrid paths, should you be of the undecided persuasion. This fantasy ties directly into the game’s mechanics, what with all the blood consumption and moon phases shaping your nightly predator’s playstyle.
And of course, what would a vampire game be without clan allegiances, which also seem to shape your progress in a significant way.
Long-Term Play Appears To Be The Goal
One of the key features that they showed is its Diamond progression system. Imagine a season, but monthly and tied to your progression, that’s solely based on player achievements, PvP performance and contributions to your respective clan. The best part? Not unlike Escape from Tarkov, this performance is reset or “wiped” each month.
This enables hardcore players to keep up the grind while more casually aligned gamers still have a chance to climb the ladder in their own time.
Naturally this progression system doesn’t stand on its own, so you can expect the Netmarble typical MMO structure of skill trees, relevant gear upgrades and instanced dungeon runs with your best friends. The keyword is teamplay and it really is essential to success here, with raids and their bosses designed to munch up single players for a midnight snack.
What Will The Launch Reception Be?
With players already sinking their teeth into Vampir, the early first impressions are strong.
A great art style and character customization are two of the things being praised, although some players have reported server issues and severe performance dips.
Have we ever heard of an MMO without these issues though? An early patch could – and should – solve the problem. There is optimism that Vampir will be here to stay, even if the competition such as Dune and Enshrouded are pumping out solid content, patch after patch.
