There have been enough games with the word “Survivors” in the title released in the last year that it’s pretty clear what you’ll be getting. One you, millions of them, and a powerup tree that sees each run evolve slightly differently than the last. Sometimes you find what you want, other times you make due and hold on for dear life, but the basic gameplay can be broken down to two to actions- move, and choose one of three upgrades on level-up. The constant flow of enemies and mounting pressure, broken up by moments when your character is overwhelmingly powerful for a short while, make each run a pure hit of action gaming. The map is usually the least important part, there to hold a resource or two but otherwise one spot is very much like another. Vampire Saviors got players moving by scattering strong upgrades around its levels, but once collected one spot is very much like another. The first DLC for the game, on the other hand, takes a very different approach.
Legacy of the Moonspell’s single map doesn’t seem like a major upgrade on the surface, but it brings with it something the survivors genre has been needing- a reason to explore. The new level is themed after feudal Japan, and rather than being a big field extending in every direction it’s actually multiple areas with their own unique monsters. The fields of a small farming village lie at the base of a large mountain, and each area has a trinket or upgrade to chase after. The Unlock menu has seventeen new entries to help with finding the new goodies, which includes eight playable characters and thirteen weapons. It’s a surprisingly large amount of content for a single level, and that doesn’t include whatever hidden secrets may be kicking around the landscape.
Vampire Survivors: Legacy of the Moonspell released today and even has a briefly-animated trailer to show off the new toys. Still no vampires, but it’s a lot of fun to see some of the cast come to life outside of sprite form for a few seconds.
