Dontnod continue to be a developer committed to original, varied concepts; Remember Me, Life is Strange and, now, the upcoming Vampyr are all pretty diverse in theme. It’s probably best not to get too impatient for this next game, though, as it’s not due for release until 2017 (they may even put out something else before this one).
Vampyr will be set in post-WW1 Europe, during 1918, the height of the Spanish Flu outbreak (which actually killed more people than the war itself – though, obviously, war-time conditions were perfect to help it spread). The streets of London are shuttered and under siege as people remain inside to avoid infection.
Meanwhile … vampires! The blood-hungry creatures roam among London’s frightened population, taking advantage of the chaos to feed at will.
In Vampyr, you’ll play as a recently-turned doctor trying to understand your new affliction. You’ll be building up your skills with a “versatile RPG tree” and using “a wide range of crafted weapons and powerful Vampire abilities” to tackle London’s fervent bestiary. At the same time, you’ll be facing moral choices and the difficult task of (if you desire) clinging to your humanity.
It’s a fair distance away, but the game’s sounding pretty interesting; particularly if your Venn diagram of interests contains both ‘Dontnod Games’ and ‘Vampire Fiction’.
Here’s some gloomy concept art, showing London at its finest.
