It's become a running joke in Vampire Survivors that there are no vampires. In fact, there's pretty much every other kind of monster or undead creature you could care to think of, except for vampires. Wouldn't it be brilliant, then, to bring vampires to the game via a Konami crossover – Castlevania would be the perfect fit, wouldn't it? Kudos to poncle for sticking to its guns (quite literally, in this case) for its Operation Guns DLC – a crossover with Konami's Contra series. Castlevania was just too obvious, I guess. Therefore, vampires remain nailed into their coffins, absent from Vampire Survivors. And the running joke runs on. We needn't worry, though, because Operation Guns is superb.
As you'd expect, Operation Guns pits you against the forces of Red Falcon, and, in typical Vampire Survivors fashion you'll need to keep the hordes at bay using a barrage of evolving weapons. Classic Contra characters like Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Ariana, Probotector, Stanley, Lucia, Brad Fang, Browny, and others are all accounted for, though you'll need to put in the hard yards to unlock them. It's all worth it, of course, because Vampire Survivors remains utterly compulsive – it's the video game equivalent of Pringles: once you pop, you can't stop. I'm writing this review wondering when I can get to the end and go back to playing the game. Have I written enough words yet? No? Dammit.
As well as eleven new characters, each with their own weapons and individual perks, Operation Guns introduces the Neo Galuga stage, peppered with exploding cars and authentic enemies (a menagerie of marauding robots and aliens) to tear through, but it's the new weapons that immediately stand out. Homing missiles, the spread shot, screen-clearing smart bomb grenades, the long gun, the short gun... they're all present and correct. The level of unfettered chaos that eventually engulfs the stage as the timer reaches its final minutes remains one of the most gratifying things available in any video game. Ever. Chuck in proper tunes taken from the Contra series, and there's nothing here not to like - everything from the new stages to the character sprites have been lovingly recreated.
There's even an encounter with the 'Big Fuzz' boss battle, plucked straight from SNES classic Contra III: The Alien Wars (aka Super Probotector: Alien Rebels) and its other appearances in subsequent Contra titles – it's abundantly clear that poncle has a real fondness for Konami's hallowed run 'n' gun series. If you too have a love for Contra, then giving Operation Guns a go is a no-brainer. If nothing else, it's another excuse to jump back into Vampire Survivors – as if you ever needed one. Now I’m off for a lie down in a dark room - my eyes hurt.
Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns is out now for $2.49/£1.99, and, criminally adds no new achievements. Boooooo!
Thursday, May 09, 2024
It's become a running joke in Vampire Survivors that there are no vampires. In fact, there's pretty much every other kind of monster or undead creature you could care to think of, except for vampires. Wouldn't it be brilliant, then, to bring vampires to the game via a Konami crossover – Castlevania would be the perfect fit, wouldn't it? Kudos to poncle for sticking to its guns (quite literally, in this case) for its Operation Guns DLC – a crossover with Konami's Contra series. Castlevania was just too obvious, I guess. Therefore, vampires remain nailed into their coffins, absent from Vampire Survivors. And the running joke runs on. We needn't worry, though, because Operation Guns is superb.
As you'd expect, Operation Guns pits you against the forces of Red Falcon, and, in typical Vampire Survivors fashion you'll need to keep the hordes at bay using a barrage of evolving weapons. Classic Contra characters like Bill Rizer, Lance Bean, Ariana, Probotector, Stanley, Lucia, Brad Fang, Browny, and others are all accounted for, though you'll need to put in the hard yards to unlock them. It's all worth it, of course, because Vampire Survivors remains utterly compulsive – it's the video game equivalent of Pringles: once you pop, you can't stop. I'm writing this review wondering when I can get to the end and go back to playing the game. Have I written enough words yet? No? Dammit.
As well as eleven new characters, each with their own weapons and individual perks, Operation Guns introduces the Neo Galuga stage, peppered with exploding cars and authentic enemies (a menagerie of marauding robots and aliens) to tear through, but it's the new weapons that immediately stand out. Homing missiles, the spread shot, screen-clearing smart bomb grenades, the long gun, the short gun... they're all present and correct. The level of unfettered chaos that eventually engulfs the stage as the timer reaches its final minutes remains one of the most gratifying things available in any video game. Ever. Chuck in proper tunes taken from the Contra series, and there's nothing here not to like - everything from the new stages to the character sprites have been lovingly recreated.
There's even an encounter with the 'Big Fuzz' boss battle, plucked straight from SNES classic Contra III: The Alien Wars (aka Super Probotector: Alien Rebels) and its other appearances in subsequent Contra titles – it's abundantly clear that poncle has a real fondness for Konami's hallowed run 'n' gun series. If you too have a love for Contra, then giving Operation Guns a go is a no-brainer. If nothing else, it's another excuse to jump back into Vampire Survivors – as if you ever needed one. Now I’m off for a lie down in a dark room - my eyes hurt.
Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns is out now for $2.49/£1.99, and, criminally adds no new achievements. Boooooo!