V Rising

V Rising redefines the survival genre with its enthralling vampiric twist and rich, gothic landscapes, proving that being a vampire has never been more captivating.

A confident 1.0 release for an action-RPG/survival game hybrid that was already excellent in Early Access.

V Rising makes being a vampire fun, with a great feeling of being both predator and prey. With plenty of challenges to face, both from the world and other players, alone or with friends.

An action RPG with survival and base building elements, you get out of V Rising what you put into it. This is a deep and engrossing experience in which you get to develop your very own vampire lord, even going so far as to designing and building their castle. Only fiddly controls let it down a little on PS5.

It starts with a bump, but played the right way, V Rising offers riches few other crafting survival games can match.

Even with its slightly unintuitive interface and occasionally-tedious boss encounters, V Rising does what so many survival-sandbox and loot-based RPGs alike get horribly wrong from the word go: having the base gameplay start from a point of enjoyment. While the task to build one's self up and survive the ongoing perils remain crucial to one's progression, it's thanks to the game's reframing of key...

V Rising shows us that being a vampire lord isn't all about smoldering looks, frock coats, and soaring Gothic architecture. It's a lot of work, apparently. But it has its perks, such as roaming the countryside, picking fights with champions, and occasionally draining them dry for their power.

V Rising may not be your cup of tea, but it offers an intriguing combination of building mechanics and gameplay systems that truly reach their high potential when playing with other players. Without others, though, be prepared for a long, solitary grind to reach a portion of that potential.

A streamlined survival game that iterates rather than innovates, but still stakes its claim as a good time solo and a great time with friends in tow.

Awaken as a Vampire. Hunt for blood in nearby settlements to regain your strength and evade the scorching sun to survive. Raise your castle and thrive in an ever-changing, open world full of mystery. Gain allies online and conquer the land of the living. PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.

Blood-sucking fun that encourages you to become the vampire of your nightmares while suffering from being repetitive.

Already a hit on PC through early access, V Rising emerges on PS5 as it enters version 1.0. This is an isometric action RPG not unlike Diablo, but instead of focusing on loot, this blood-sucking adventure emphasises crafting and building. It's an enjoyable blend of genres, but it's fair to say that the game struggles to show its true worth until you're hours and hours into a save.