Dontnod Describes Vampyr’s Combat System

In a post made on the official PlayStation blog, Dontnod’s game director for their upcoming Vampyr release, Philippe Moreau, describes some of the combat systems that awaits players. There are plenty of options when it comes to Vampyr’s combat system, but according to Philippe Moreau, these options could change gameplay and story.

Dontnod released a critically acclaimed hit last year with Life is Strange, a game that is even being adapted into a live-action series. However, for Dontnod’s upcoming video game, it seems that the developers are making a drastic switch in gameplay and story.

Vampyr puts players into the shoes of a vampire named Jonathan Reid. The year is 1918 and London’s streets has been filled with a lethal Spanish Flu. Now Jonathan Reid is forced into dealing with vampire hunters and mutated abominations as he sets out to discover the truth behind the deadly plague origin.

Unlike Life is Strange, Vampyr seems to be more action-oriented. Gamers are forced to fill Jonathan’s Blood Gauge in order to deliver powerful attacks and it seems that these attacks can be unlocked through a nonlinear skill tree.

Filling your Blood Gauge could be done in a variety of ways such as engaging in combat or dodging attacks. Gamers can even drain the blood of the innocent, but doing so will change the game difficulty and alter some of the narratives.

“Armed with an array of conventional melee and ranged weaponry, attack and dodge enemies to fill up Jonathan’s Blood Gauge, required to unleash powerful vampire attacks. From impaling enemies on a spike to draining them of blood at a distance, as Jonathan’s Blood Gauge fills during a combat situation, his Vampire affliction will start to overtake his more human side, unleashing destructive spells and abilities against those who try to stop him.

Combat difficulty can be affected by player actions out of combat. Feeding on civilians provides a huge XP boost, which will make combat situations easier — but that comes with caveats; an increased danger on the streets, and narrative consequences for the world’s citizens, to name a few. Full brawls are not the only options open to Doctor Reid — he can also stalk his prey, or even utilize his vampire speed and agility to avoid combat entirely.”

So far Dontnod Entertainment doesn’t have a specific release date yet for their third video game release. Instead, the developers have simply stated that the game will be launching sometime next year, 2017, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.