Summary
Thepromise of eternal life as a vampiredoes funny things to a person. For one, it turns them into an inhuman, bloodsucking creature of the night. And, despite this transformation (and ironically enough because of it), all their human follies and qualities become more prominent than ever before. To be transformed by a sudden influx of great power and, certainly, a semblance of immortality, is really a very human response.
Some find it brings the self-sacrificing hero inside them to the surface, and for others, the sadist. One might spend several lifetimes seeking knowledge, while another will use their supremacy to dominate others. Certainly, the vast array of differences between members of the supernatural species is exactly what keeps them so interesting. This list celebrates the very best vampire characters in video games, ranging from a reluctant doctor-turned-vampire in early 1900s London to the son of the Prince of Darkness himself.
In the 2018 action RPGVampyr, Johnathon is a character of contrasts — a doctor who returned from the front lines of theFirst World Waronly to find himself turned into a blood-drinking creature of the night after an ill-fated encounter.
This narrative setup creates an interesting dichotomy that feeds into the gameplay, as the player must choose between whether they wish to keep characters healthy but lose out on extra experience and abilities or to chow down and face a more sickly and infested London while they become a more powerful vampire.
The primary antagonist of theBlood and Wineexpansion ofThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Dettlaff is a fantastic villain but also a character of great depth. While much ofThe Witcherexplores a theme of monsters as misunderstood and easily blamed due to circumstantial evidence and poor luck,Blood and Wineweaves one of the Witcher’s best stories, where this theme is interrogated and expanded upon more than theside quests of the main gamehave room to do.
Much of this is achieved through the character of Dettlaff, who makes for an excellent rival to Geralt. A creature both misunderstood and equally callous of humans. The finale of the expansion, “The Night of the Long Fangs,” is a fantastic climax to Dettlaff’s story and, depending on choices made by the player, an atmospheric and challenging final fight between Geralt and Dettlaff.
Bloorayneis a game that very much indulges in the sexual aspects of the vampire mythos as it has evolved in the 20th and 21st centuries. Not in any particularly deep or meaningful sense — it’s not conducting any mindblowing ruminations on sexual repression versus liberation or the hysteria surrounding alternative sexuality — but it is having fun, and in turn, protagonistRayne is also having a lot of funbiting and dismembering her way through the game.
Certainly not the character or game with the greatest depth, but Bloodrayne knows that and instead revels in what it is; an ultraviolent, not-too-serious romp, where attractive leather-clad vampires fight one another and make endless innuendos.
Serana is one of themost beloved companionsinThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. Besides her usefulness in combat — excelling in physical combat, general magic, and necromancy — Serana is beloved due to her endearing character.
Unlike many other companions, Serana is full of situational dialogue that makes her seem much more alive (funnily enough) than the other companions. She also has a much more personal story in which the player is involved throughout, as it is interlinked with the main story of theDawngaurdDLC, which helps in lending itself to the feeling of having a companion the player has a shared past with.
Kain is the longstanding titular character of theLegacy of Kainseries. He develops greatly over the course of the series as his story spans many eras (and timelines) and sees great changes occur in the world of Nosgoth.
It is rare to experience a video game series that has the player in control of a character and then pitted against them, allowing Kain to be seen as both antihero and outright villain. A vampire with a powerful constitution and the constitution forever more power.
Another playable character from theLegacy of Kainseries, Raziel is the protagonist of theSoul Reavergames. While technically an ex-vampire, or a wraith, Raziel still carries many of the characteristics of a vampire. Though his wings are ripped from him, suggestive of a position similar to fallen angels, to which his name may also hint.
For a time, Raziel is Kain’s right-hand man before he is betrayed and must battle his way back to his former master to find out why. While a generally more heroic protagonist than Kain, Raziel is no saint. His story is more of a fallen villain turned hero through circumstance.
Next to his father, Dracula, Alucard is likely the most recurrent character in the series. Much like his name, his visual design is also in opposition to his father’s. Blonde hair, a white interior lining to his cape, and an eternally hairless face.
Hero of the much adoredCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, Alucard defined himself against his father but also developed to become much more than that and a fully formed character in his own right. It can only be hoped that he will be kept as a mainstay character in the brilliantCastlevaniaNetflix series as much as he is in the games.
Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlinesis a game absolutely filled to the brim with interesting multifaceted characters. Jeanette is one that captures many players' attention right off the bat. Upon entering her nightclub, The Asylum — co-owned with her sister Therease — Jeanette will meet the player with the most seductive greeting they have likely ever experienced.
Yet there is also the underlying hint of threat, something hidden behind the words she chooses. In short, it’s a very Malkavian way of saying “hello” and a greatintroduction to what the Malkavians are like(if the player is not one themselves).
