Vampire Survivors really has those frantic Geometry Wars thrills

I know exactly which game Vampire Survivors reminds me of and it’s Geometry Wars, which is a wonderful thing. And yes, I know it doesn’t look like it, and yes there’s a crucial difference in that, here, you’re not in control of your own attacks – and I’ll come onto that in a moment. But it’s absolutely Geometry Wars in the way that really matters to me. In that screen-filling spectacle of being utterly overrun by an endless wave of enemies while you scrabble to find any gap to escape through. That thrilling, never-ending headlong pelt while fireworks go off around you. Vampire Survivors packs that thrill.

Now, the not-being-in-control-of-your-attacks bit. This is the game’s quirky ingredient, the part you notice early on and maybe wrinkle your nose at. I did; I honestly thought the game was broken and restarted it, silly sausage. But what happens here is the game attacks for you. Say you’re equipped with a whip, which you will be, then every so often, the whip flashes out and hits. It goes something a bit like whip, beat, beat, whip – it’s not a long wait (although it’s agonising later on if you don’t improve it).

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