Best Vampire Games That Aren’t Castlevania

Highlights

• Vampire games have a rich history, with iconic titles like Castlevania capturing the allure of these creatures.
• Games like V Rising delve into the daily lives of vampires, offering experiences beyond just survival.
• BloodRayne, Legacy of Kain, and Darkwatch are standout titles in the vampire gaming genre, blending lore and stylish gameplay.

The night is dark, the moon is high, and prey roams. That means vampires are lurking in the shadows: ready to strike. Vampires used to be everywhere in films, shows, and, of course, video games. However, bloodsuckers have lost some of their allure in recent years, and vampire games have grown quite rare.

Though vampires have slowed down, they have had quite a history in gaming. Whether they are the main protagonist or the antagonist, vampires have been part of games since the 1980s. Some of the best vampire games ever made know exactly why these disturbing creatures are so riveting, with Castlevania being just one of the many games that capture their allure perfectly! If players are wondering why Vampire Survivors is not mentioned here, it’s because the game doesn’t feature any vampires despite what the name may suggest.

Updated May 9, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Learning about the creatures of the night and how they suck the blood of their victims to retain their youth is something that continues to fascinate lovers of fiction. These monsters either serve as compelling antagonists or intriguing protagonists in the games they’re featured in, making it clear why more people want to check out quality vampire titles that do justice to the mythos.

While some games may not be up to the mark that most people expect, other games do a great job of making vampires feel genuinely threatening and fascinating at the same time, which is not an easy task in the slightest.

1 Vampire Hunter D

Metascore: N/A

Based on the popular IP of the same name, Vampire Hunter D lets players take on the role of the eponymous character in a rare survival horror title on the PS1 that focuses on vampires. While the game itself may be a bit janky at times, players who overlook some of its faults will find themselves enjoying a pretty fun game that focuses on hunting down these bloodthirsty creatures.

Once players get over the janky controls, they’ll have a great time with a game that takes no prisoners. Even survival genre veterans will find this game pretty challenging, and players must come to grips with the game and how it works to even stand a chance of making it to the very end.

2 The Incredible Adventures Of Van Helsing

Metascore: 79

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a major reason why vampires have become such a major part of pop culture. Any IP trying to draw inspiration from the same needs to do justice to the source material, and The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing just does enough to justify itself in this department, with fans getting the opportunity to control the son of the great Abraham Van Helsing.

Exterminating monsters in the city of Borgova makes for a great time, even if some people feel that this title didn’t do anything new or revolutionary. Still, fans of cool action RPGs will have a lot of fun in this title and the two sequels that followed, which were considered by many to be improvements over the foundation set in the first game.

3 BloodRayne: Betrayal

Metascore: 68

BloodRayne is a series that many fans of vampire video games will recognize. Players control a dhampir by the name of Rayne who hunts down Nazis in the first game while focusing on more traditional enemies in the sequel. While these games were pretty decent in their own right, the series eventually died down as time went on.

Thankfully, fans of BloodRayne were graced with a side-scrolling action game that featured this beloved protagonist. It may not be the full-fledged BloodRayne game that fans wanted, but BloodRayne: Betrayal is a decent entry in the series that fans will love if they give it a chance.

4 Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong

Metascore: 66

• Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
• Released: May 19, 2022
• Developer(s): Big Bad Wolf
• Genre: RPG

It’s a shame that Vampire: The Masquerade has fallen out of the mainstream, with Bloodlines being considered the best title that makes the most of this IP. With Bloodlines 2 requiring a developmental restart and still likely a late 2024 release at best, fans can instead satiate themselves with a wealth of narrative-driven games set in the series that are pretty interesting in their own right.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong is one such game that focuses on choice-driven gameplay, with the results being pretty engrossing. The game’s execution can falter at points, but fans of Vampire: The Masquerade as a whole will find Swansong to be a great time.

5 El Paso, Elsewhere

Metascore: 78

• Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Released: September 26, 2023
• Developer(s): Strange Scaffold
• Genre: Third-person Shooter

Players who want to experience a stylish third-person shooter with a flair for style and finesse will love what El Paso, Elsewhere brings to the table. The game is an ode to Remedy’s stylish action games like Max Payne and is perfect for fans of this studio’s games who want to take on Dracula himself.

The stylish action of this game coupled with its focus on supernatural elements is a blast. The fact that El Paso, Elsewhere manages to nail its action game feel to such an impressive degree speaks volumes about developer Strange Scaffold’s love for both Remedy’s style of action and classic vampire stories.

6 Van Helsing

Metascore: 64

• Platform(s): PS2, Xbox, GBA
• Released: May 7, 2004
• Developer(s): Saffire
• Genre: Action-adventure

Van Helsing is a character who’s been featured in many video games, including a lesser-known action title on the PS2 that deserves its plaudits. Devil May Cry clones were all the rage around this time, and Van Helsing is no exception here.

Players steadily acquire a wealth of new weapons, using them in tandem with their firearms to wreak havoc against their enemies. It’s not the deepest game around but it is perfect for players who want to enjoy an old-school brawler where they step into the shoes of a legendary vampire slayer.

7 Code Vein

Metascore: 70

Code Vein is one of the many Soulslikes that adds its unique spin to the formula. This one has a rather unique take on vampires, referring to them as Revenants. The lore and story of this game are pretty interesting as players create a Revenant from scratch and fight the monsters that have awakened during an apocalyptic event called the Great Collapse.

It’s up to the player to figure out what’s going wrong, uncovering a tantalizing mystery and meeting a wealth of intriguing characters in the process. While the level design of this game can be pretty disappointing at times, the core gameplay of Code Vein coupled with its stylistic presentation makes up for its negatives, which are easy to overlook after a point.

8 The Sims 4: Vampires

Metascore: 70 (Base Game)

The Sims 4 had one of the most disastrous launches in gaming history, missing many features that were commonplace in previous entries and missing the groundbreaking open-world that had made The Sims 3 such an incredible game. It took a long while for EA to help fans come around to this title… and, even then, many detractors aren’t huge fans of The Sims 4 and what they perceive to be a game that is missing the soul of Maxis’ beloved franchise.

However, fans who gave The Sims 4 a chance after the many expansions and updates that were released are pleased by the way this game has turned its reputation around, establishing itself as one of the best life simulation titles on the market. Many DLCs were launched for this game, including The Sims 4: Vampires, which added the creatures of the night to the title and let players control numerous Vampire Sims who had to blend into society while feeding off other Sims to satiate their bloodthirst.

9 BloodRayne

Metascore: 76

BloodRayne is a third-person action game that follows the story of Rayne, a dhampir who must stop Nazi occultists from using supernatural artifacts to win World War 2. That premise sounds insane yet does a great job of showcasing what BloodRayne is all about.

The game features fast-paced, acrobatic combat, with Rayne using her vampiric abilities to slice and dice her way through hordes of enemies. BloodRayne is known for its stylish and gory gameplay, as well as its unique blend of vampire lore and historical fiction. Players were glad to see that this title and its sequel received an updated release as well, even if the work put into the same was minimal at best.

10 Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver 2

Metascore: 80

Soul Reaver 2 is one of the many excellent titles in the Legacy of Kain series that is an underrated masterpiece in every way. It follows the story of Raziel, a former vampire who is seeking revenge against his former master, Kain.

However, as the story evolves, Raziel’s motivations change and turn him into a pretty engaging character in the process. The game’s intricate storytelling and gothic atmosphere are easily two of its biggest strengths, and it’s a shame that this series has remained dormant for so long despite boasting such amazing quality.

11 Legacy Of Kain: Defiance

Metascore: 75

The final game in the Legacy of Kain continues the trend of excellence in this franchise and is an excellent action-adventure game that fans of the genre should check out. The mere fact that players can play as both Kain and Raziel is enough of a draw for many people to love this experience from start to end.

The game features fast-paced combat, with both main characters featuring their unique abilities and weapons. The game includes puzzles and platforming elements, with its intricate narrative that ties together the narrative of the entire Legacy of Kain series and clears up any doubts players had about the more open-ended nature of certain stories. If this game is going to be the last one in the series, then there’s no denying that it went out with a bang.

12 Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt

Metascore: 77

There’s seemingly no end to the battle royale genre, and while most games have come off as cheap imitators of the genre’s biggest success stories, some have distinguished themselves with unique aesthetics, interesting mechanics, or both. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt is a solid entrant in the “both” category.

The game allows players to make their custom character belonging to one of several vampire clans. From there, they’re set free in the streets of Prague to drink the blood of mortals, hunt down their fellow Kindred, and avoid violating the Masquerade and exposing the secret existence of vampires. Thanks to the game’s verticality, breakneck combat, and a diverse suite of powers, Bloodhunt easily sets itself apart as not only one of the best vampire games but also one of the best battle royales.

13 Darkest Dungeon – The Crimson Court

Metascore: 82

Darkest Dungeon has a reputation for having a punishing difficulty level. It’s not enough that one’s party of intrepid heroes can be stabbed, bludgeoned, melted, and otherwise killed by the legion of horrific monsters they face; they must also avoid losing their minds to stress. This grim premise is the perfect backdrop for introducing the vampiric curse and making things that much worse for players.

Characters afflicted with the Crimson Curse develop an insatiable thirst for blood. The player can try to cure their characters of this vampiric malady, but it may be preferable to let them dive deeper into their unnatural hunger. Characters who succumb to the Crimson Curse and are allowed to feed bolster their strength with the supernatural power of blood, leaving it up to the player to decide whether the Crimson Curse is more of a horrific blessing in disguise.

14 V Rising

Metascore: 85

Many vampire games are narrow affairs. As a member of the undead, one is beset by enemies on all sides, and the player’s top priority is making sure their undeath isn’t abruptly ended. There’s nothing wrong with such plots, but they don’t leave much room for exploring other aspects of vampiric life, such as what a vampire is supposed to do with all the time their immortality gives them.

V Rising is an ambitious open-world title that does its best to answer that question, at least in part. In it, the player is free to travel the countryside, develop their castle, and make friends (and enemies) among the living and the dead, all while avoiding the killing glare of the sun. With crafting, base-building, combat, and numerous other activities to get sunk into, V Rising makes a compelling case for being one of the most complete undead experiences out there, ensuring it won’t be forgotten any time soon.

15 A Vampyre Story

Metascore: 75

A point-and-click adventure reminiscent of classics such as the Monkey Island series, A Vampyre Story follows Mona, a woman who is unwillingly turned into a vampire and forced to live in a castle. After her “husband” comes into intimate contact with a stake, Mona sets out on an adventure to head back to Paris.

A puzzle game with a somewhat cheesy sense of humor, A Vampyre Story benefits greatly from having a devilishly charming art style. Mona is a fine enough protagonist, and her adventure is set to continue in the future with the release of A Vampyre Story: Year One.

16 BloodLust 2: Nemesis

Metascore: N/A

Since 2015, WRF Studios has been quietly putting together an enjoyable vampire-centric universe. As a sequel to 2015’s BloodLust Shadowhunter, Nemesis builds well upon the foundations laid by its predecessor. Both games take some inspiration from Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines, although the BloodLust games place a heavier emphasis on combat and dungeon crawling.

While rough around the edges, these vampire games are passion projects made by a small but dedicated team. Permitting someone goes in knowing full well that these are budget titles, they should have quite a bit of fun. 2021’s Vampirem is also pretty good.

17 Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds

Metascore: 77

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is one of the best vampire-related TV shows of all time, and the franchise even spawned a few decent games. 2002’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the Xbox is a fun action-adventure title, but 2003’s Chaos Bleeds is slightly superior. Taking place during the fifth season of the show and involving the “First,” the personification of pure evil in Buffy‘s universe, Chaos Bleeds ties into the series impressively well, serving something more satisfying than just fan service.

Along with Buffy, Chaos Bleeds comes with a couple of other playable characters, including Spike. So, not only does this game offer players the chance to kill vampires as the slayer, but they can also step into the shadows of a vamp.

18 Infamous 2: Festival Of Blood

Metascore: 78

Cole MacGrath has led quite a peculiar life. As gaining superpowers was not weird enough, Infamous: Festival of Blood throws vampires into the mix. Now, this game is not canon, and Cole’s meeting with Bloody Mary is just a story told by Zeke, but that doesn’t make Festival of Blood any less enjoyable to play through.

The expansion reuses Infamous 2’s map, but Cole’s new powers and the UGC missions more than make up for it. Festival of Blood might not last too long, but it is one of the best vampire games on not just the PS3, but any console.

19 Hunter: The Reckoning

Metascore: 79

Based on a tabletop RPG, Hunter: The Reckoning is a hack-and-slash action game that only launched on the GameCube and original Xbox. This exclusivity led to Hunter becoming an overlooked gem of that era despite good reviews.

Vampires and a legion of monsters have taken over and it’s up to the player to fight back. This game is certainly no Devil May Cry but a fun enough equivalent for those wanting a vampire hunter game. Hunter: The Reckoning also spawned two sequels, called Wayward and Redeemer.

20 Lunar Knights

Metascore: 82

When acclaimed game developer Hideo Kojima comes up, most are quick to think of the Metal Gear Solid games or the recent and disappointing Death Stranding. In 2006, Kojima released an action RPG focusing on vampire hunters…hunting vampires. Pretty straightforward.

Originally, the Japanese version featured an exclusive mechanic using a solar sensor and a microphone. However, when Lunar Knights was revamped for international release, these mechanics were removed. This does not stop Lunar Knights from being a fun dungeon crawler with awesome vampiric bosses to contend with.