V Rising has been one of my favorite games released through Steam’s Early Access program, proving to be even more enjoyable since its full release last year and fixing some frustrating issues from earlier builds.
For the unaware, V Rising is a vampiric top-down ARPG (Action Role Playing Game) that features PvE (Player versus Environment) combat throughout a massive open world of human treats.
You’ll take on humanoid and creature-like bosses as you empower yourself with new abilities by transferring their blood essence into your being.
It also features optional PvP (Player versus Player) combat for those who wish it. Depending on the type of game you create, or server you join, V Rising can be an entirely solo experience, or cooperative from start to finish.
In my first playthrough, it took over 50 hours to finally beat all the bosses. That was well before the game was even done, and since then, they’ve added two new areas!
Last week, the free update 1.1, “Invaders of Oakvale”, dropped, and it’s massive. So, what’s new?
- New Zone: Oakveil
- Multiple new bosses and enemies
- 3 new weapons
- 7 new spells
- You can now craft from your treasury
- New free decor
To keep the lights on, the developers also release premium cosmetic-only DLC. Rather than go the route of a battle pass, they stick to the traditional method of $20 packs that come with a whopping amount of new items for your castle, weapons, skins, and more.
Seriously, it’s a ton of content packed into an affordable $20 package. No spending $25 for a single skin!
Not only do they offer a plethora of new item variants, but also color variations of said items. Rather than nickel and diming players like some companies do, they present their color swaps in the same pack.
It’s a small win, but in today’s gaming economy, sometimes you need to give a nod to the good guys. I appreciate Stunlock Studios for doing the right thing.
