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. Butthe announcement of theVampire Survivorsmovieis 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, evenVampire 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 Survivorshas 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, asVampire Survivorsrarely 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 ofVampire Survivors, for better or worse.
Vampire Survivorswill be getting less frequent, more substantial updatesmoving forward, which could effectively take the place of a properVampire 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 isElden Ring, which has a storythat can more or less be ignored, but it’s still there for players to explore, should they so choose.
So, even though itsunlikely thatVampire Survivors 2will ever see the light of day, it’s not inconceivable that some post-film patches could inject pieces of lore from said film. MaybeVampire Survivorscould 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 expandingVampire Survivorsthrough 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 aVampire Survivorsmovie is both a strength and a liability. Unlike something like, say,The Last of Uson HBO, thisVampire Survivorsfilm won’t just be a translationof 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 theVampire SurvivorsIP as a whole.
This is to say nothing of howfutureVampire Survivorsprojectscould be impacted by the introduction of various narrative elements. IfVampire Survivorswere 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.
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!
