Vampyr

Better left undisturbed in the shadows

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There is an argument to be made that Vampyr represents the quintessential Dontnod experience. Although that is, of course, something of a loaded statement. The seasoned studio has but a small body of work to its name; creatively adventurous, high-concept titles that often straddle an ever-blurring line between charming ambition and middling execution. But in spite of Dontnod’s best efforts Vampyr arrives with many of the problems of Remember Me, none of the charm of Life Is Strange, and a handful of perplexing issues of its own design that, ultimately, coalesce to create an experience as creatively intoxicating as it is consistently frustrating.

The game works to ensure that every decision you make – no matter how large, small or seemingly inconsequential – has ramifications that echo out across the meticulously crafted game world and the eclectic cast of characters that inhabit it. In theory this has all the makings of one hell of a fantastic vampire story, something this medium is in dire need of.

Taking on the role of Doctor Jonathan Reid – a renowned blood specialist turned vampire – you are forced to explore the conflict between Reid’s natural desire to save lives and his new hunger to take them. It’s a killer concept that never quite comes together as intended. Vampyr struggles to deal with the uncomfortable dissonance created by your actions in the moment-to-moment play and the themes that to tie it all together.