Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 Hours or Less

The Bottom Line:

"Solid"

It's Diablo 3, minus the awful auction house and always online requirements, with better graphics, and 1/4 the price. And, it has a cool gothic atmosphere with a hint of steampunk. And a spirit lady that acts as a pet a la the pet mechanic used in Torchlight. The graphics go for a realistic look and are not cartoony at all. I personally prefer Van Helsing's graphical style over Torchligt or D3, but to each his own.

VH is not very innovative, but it is well done. And it's ONLY 15 BUCKS. It is superior to Diablo 3. Yes, Diablo 3 had better cut-scenes and 5 character classes, whereas there's only 1 class here (albeit the class has a LOT more customization options and skill trees than any one D3 class). At the end of the day, this game is better than D3, and IT'S 15 BUCKS! You REALLY get your money's worth here. You also get to adjust your attributes (strength, dexterity, will, etc.) yourself. Unlike D3, different characters can be spec'd to have much different strengths and weaknesses one from another. Focus on ranged combat, melee, magic, buffs, or a combination of any of the above. Or be a jack of all trades in all categories. Buff up your pet, learn traps, etc. It's up to you. Unlike D3, character progression is NOT dumbed down.

If you're looking for innovation, you won't find it here. This very much plays like Diablo 3, (actually more like Diable 2, which is way better than D3) without D3's annoying drawbacks. If you like these types of games, you'll LOVE Van Helsing. If you don't like Diablo-style action RPGs, you won't like Van Helsing. That's the bottom line.