Vampire Survivors was the unexpected break-out hit of 2021/2022. Its ludicrously accessible formula combined with its dopamine-riddled loop captivated everyone, and heck, it’s still going strong. With the latest update to the game now live, local co-op is now available for everyone, and it’s glorious.
Allowing you and up to three mates to play at the same time on all platforms opens the game up to a whole new audience – people who just want to have a blast with some buddies huddled around a TV. This guide will go over the major changes this mode implements to get Vampire Survivors working with friends so you know what to expect.
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Take Your Turn Levelling Up
This is arguably the biggest change to Vampire Survivors. To prevent players from wrestling over EXP crystals, Poncle has introduced the perfect way to settle disputes – player-ordered levelling-up. What does this mean? Simple, Player One gets all the EXP until they level up. Once this is done, all the EXP goes to Player Two, etc.
This is an excellent way to keep players amicable during a hectic game of Hyper Hasty Vampire Survivors 4-Player Co-op (or any variation). It stops infighting, everyone gets a turn, and power is shared evenly. Not everything is quite so co-op friendly, however, as we will soon see.
Consumables Are Not Shared
Unlike EXP Crystals, consumables, namely Chickens, are not shared between the party. This means if people want to heal, they need to gun for the nearest poultry-dispensing torch before their marra from across the road. This is the complete opposite of the peace-loving EXP system – it invites pure chaos.
Which is a good thing. Vampire Survivors is not meant to be a super serious experience in multiplayer, so having some wiggle room to cause some friction keeps things interesting. Just be sure you are the one getting their first – you don’t want to be the first one to go down during a run, do you?
Immortality…At A Price
Not that it really matters. To make sure everyone is having a good time, Vampire Survivors introduces immortality into the game. Death will happen, but it isn’t permanent. Upon death, you will enter a coffin. Once you have been resting in your wooden box long enough you will rise again ready to kick butt.
There is one exception to this – if everyone is sent to their coffin at the same time, the game is over. Considering how much weaker each player is in multiplayer, deaths can pile up very quickly once one person bites the dust. Get ready to run for your life or you could be the one dooming your already entombed mates.
Reduced Item Count
Having up to four players running around blowing the place up is not great for balance, and Vampire Survivors is well aware of that fact. To combat this, the number of items a player can hold is reduced in relation to the number of players in the game. The more friends you have, the fewer items you can hold.
At two players, your maximum item count drops from six to four. Three players? You are looking at a lowly 3 items per person. This does mean the number of items in play is higher in multiplayer which directly relates to on-field strength. That power is just separated and vulnerable to being picked off over time.
Oh, and because you have more items on the field, you better believe the chaos on screen is immense. There are combos you wouldn’t believe possible, and they are great to mess around with.
New Level-Up Item
Waiting for your turn to level up can be a slow process – especially when the game ramps up and you are running with three friends. Thankfully a new upgrade has been added to the mix which lets players sacrifice their curated level-up for a randomised level-up that applies to the whole party.
This is an excellent way to quickly but unreliably power up your team. It’s a great addition but requires high Luck to pull off consistently. Having a player run Clover can help offset this, so talk amongst yourselves and designate a ‘Clover Caddy’.
Single-Screen Tug Of War
This is the hardest thing to deal with in multiplayer and it will get you killed. You all share one screen, and that screen will only move in a direction if everyone is willing to go that way. This is hard to manage in the heat of things as everyone is ultimately out for themselves.
If you are desperately trying to outrun the horde coming from the left, and your mates are running in the opposite direction, death will soon be upon you. If you want to get good at multiplayer either accept your fate or rally your friends to your cause and work as one unified force. Above all else, have a blast.
That’s all we have on Vampire Survivors for now. Be sure to check out our other guides, lists, and walkthroughs for more content.
