Video Games
‘Vampire Survivors’ Receives New Name, New Expansion This Summer [Trailer]
Luckily for fans, even after the release of Vampire Crawlers earlier this year, Poncle is still not done with Vampire Survivors. The developer recently announced a new chapter for Vampire Survivors, as well as a new expansion entitled “Legacy of the Bloodmoon”, which is expected later this summer. That “new chapter” coincides with Poncle having released a free content update for Vampire Survivors, as well as launching Survivaton, a new label for its growing lineup of Survivors-inspired projects.
Survivaton is the name of poncle’s new lineup of Survivors-like projects. Short for “survive a ton,” the label encompasses internally developed games that build on the foundation of Vampire Survivors, in collaboration with selected content partners. Each project will aim to introduce major gameplay changes, content expansions, or genre twists exploring ideas substantial enough to stand as their own games.
The Survivaton initiative will serve as Poncle’s umbrella for future Survivors-like releases, and reflecting its place as the foundation of the series, Vampire Survivors will also be renamed to Vampire Survivors – First Survivaton.
To celebrate this new chapter, the game has releasing its free Patch 1.15 update on Steam, featuring a new stage, new characters, new weapons, and new Darkanas. Patch 1.15 will be released on all other platforms a bit later by the end of the month, due to platform-specific optimizations and differences in save slots management. And for Switch 2 fans, there will be a version of Vampire Survivors coming soon, with better performance and mouse support.
Meanwhile, described as the “evil twin” to the game’s first-ever expansion pack Legacy of the Moonspell, Legacy of the Bloodmoon is expected this summer across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and mobile platforms. The expansion will include a substantial 10 new characters, more than 16 weapons and evolutions, a new XL stage, and 8 new music tracks. As part of this release, poncle will expand Legacy of the Moonspell with additional content and permanently reduce its price, ensuring both it and Legacy of the Bloodmoon deliver a similarly substantial experience.
In addition to Steam, Vampire Survivors is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and the Epic Games Store.
Video Games
Definitive Edition of Throwback Survival Horror Game ‘Doctor Viscera’ Launches June 23 [Trailer]
For those who enjoy their survival horror gaming with a side of old-school cheese, you have Liminal Road’s Doctor Viscera. Released last October on Steam, the game is set to receive its Definitive Edition next week on June 23rd, with plans for a release on consoles to be shared soon. The Doctor Viscera: Definitive Edition will include a variety of improvements, adjustments, and new content designed to make the experience even more intense. All of this content will be available free to existing owners.
For those not in the know, Doctor Viscera is a throwback survival horror title with PSX-inspired visuals, where you must escape the abandoned GrimmHaus Asylum. You must explore the asylum’s various rooms, find useful items, and solve puzzles to unlock new areas and discover escape routes. At the same time, you’ll need to be on the lookout for the Doctor and his grotesque experiments.
The biggest addition to the Definitive Edition is the Nurse, a brand-new enemy who will actively pursue players throughout the campaign. Although slower than the eponymous doctor, the nurse introduces a completely different gameplay dynamic by using ranged attacks with a firearm, forcing players to rethink their routes, strategies, and survival tactics.
Under certain circumstances, you can disarm the Nurse, creating entirely new situations and possibilities within the game.
Doctor Viscera: Definitive Edition also introduces a new area to the map, featuring a tram system. In addition to serving as a new exploration route, it can also be used to quickly escape pursuers and travel between different sections of the asylum.
The update also brings improvements across multiple aspects of the experience, including:
- Level design changes
- Puzzle redesigns
- Performance optimizations
- New immersive audio system
- Controller support
- New menu interfaces
If you’re looking to check out the game before buying it, you can check out the demo that’s also available on Steam.