Gothic-Noir Steampunk Fantasy Action RPG Anyone? Original & Lovingly Crafted Design, Wrapped Around Tested Formula.
All things considered, even 'said studio' has used all but the same exact formula since 1996. Most recently even for their third entry in 'said series' which despite a few hiccups - cough - cough - ERROR 37 - has nevertheless succeeded in delivering a mostly solid gaming experience. So is 'The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing' by small but up and coming developer Neocore Games just another rip-off, albeit a successful one? Well yes and no.
GAMEPLAY
You are [insert name here] Van Helsing, the son of legendary London-based monster hunter and vampire slayer. We begin after your father has received an urgent letter requesting his help. Seeing as how he's in retirement, it's up to you to fill his shoes. You are on your way to the fictional region of Borgova (which considering its geographical location is pretty much smack in the middle of Transylvania), when your caravan is attacked by bandits. From here you along with your sexy & witty ghost companion make your way on foot, slaying a plethora of monsters, dead, undead, mythical creatures, cybernetic werewolves and mad scientists along the way.
The game mechanic, as mentioned before, should be pretty familiar by now. It is a top-down view of a vividly varied and epic game world where you frantically mouse-click your way through hordes of foes. Throughout the adventure you are able to deeply customize your character's and your companion's skills while benefiting from a sh*t-ton of loot along the way that's yours for the taking. Although you cannot switch between different characters, Van Helsing's customize-ability more than makes up for this initially perceived shortcoming. In a nutshell, you have sword Melee, Guns and Magic at your disposal, which you develop according to your whim. The myriad of different Attributes, Skill sets and Perks have been crafted with enough attention to detail and engrossing strategic variety to satisfy any genre buff.
Lady Katarina is your trusty companion. She is a ghost whose spirit has been bound to serve the Van Helsing family. She can switch between a regular ghost and vicious combat Medusa form and is a worthy companion who is also highly customize-able. You can choose whether she focuses on melee or ranged attacks to support you or have her stay in her ghost form, where she can neither deal nor receive any damage but can still provide you with buffs. Her behavior and skills can also be set so as to make her more aggressive or defensive, provide you and/or herself with support buffs, as well as gather items and gold for you. You can even send her to town on a shopping spree, that is, if you trust a very outspoken and distinctly girly ghost with all your money matters. Indeed, the playful banter between Van Helsing and Lady Katarina breathes life into their relationship and solidifies their personalities.
GAME DESIGN
What really stands out here is the game world, along with its noteworthy original design and the enthralling atmosphere that is conveyed throughout. Technically the game also impresses compared to its contemporaries: The character designs, the detailed textures, lighting and shadows are a sight to behold. But more than anything, I found myself being completely drawn in by the atmosphere despite any initial apprehensions. The world is an original take on gothic-noir with a generous twist of steam-punk mixed into the blend and yet it still manages to stay true to its original genre. The game has a subtle sense of humor and is packed to the brim with witty references to mythology and modern fiction even Lord of the Rings and Castlevania are represented. Then there is the ever present distinct flare of eastern European culture from the characters you meet, the locations you discover to the beautifully composed score which successfully fuses sweeping fantasy with a dab of gypsy violin to spice things up and give it it's unique ambience. Clearly the small Hungarian based developer Neocore Games has drawn upon some of its local heritage to give the game its very appropriate flavor. From beginning to end this setting entices you to come back for more and despite some clichés, I must concede, it has completely enamored me with its charm. All of this is nicely packaged into a campaign that can easily stretch to over 20 hours or more.
There are some faults here, no doubt. These pertain mostly to some minor gripes about the somewhat repetitive game-play mechanics, some minor technical issues in single player and unfortunately some bigger issues concerning lag and connectivity in multiplayer at launch. Concerning the game-play gripes, well when it comes to ARPG's we have become accustomed to a vast array of different character types to choose from, so some may find that having Van Helsing and his guns/swords/magic arsenal as being the only choice, will impact the multiplayer aspect and hamper the replay-ability of the game. However, truth be told the vast diversity in enemies, the rich and painstakingly detailed eye-candy, more than make up for these omissions. Some minor bugs were also detected, but nothing game breaking. Although the multiplayer connectivity issues did give pause for concern, it should be noted that since its release just a few days ago, Neocore Games have already released several patches fixing most issues. They are communicative and appear to be genuinely concerned, continuing to address and resolve these issues ASAP, which unfortunately is much more than what can oft times be said for some of the major studios out there despite their gigantic budgets.
CONCLUSION
This brings me to my conclusion and why I am writing this review in the first place. I have been an avid Gamespot member since the dawn of time, yet it wasn't until now that I felt compelled to write a contribution of any significance. Being a dedicated fan, I have been eagerly awaiting the input of Kevin VanOrd or perhaps Chris Watters, but as of yet to no avail. Could it be? Have you guys actually missed this little gem?
Well I am here to do my part and make sure that that doesn't happen. Why? Because it's time to stick up for the little guy, that's why. Because maybe we give our gigantic developers and publishing houses too much credit that's why. Here is a jewel of a game from a little unknown underdog developer that's packing the same punch as any of the top titles contending in the same arena. It may not be a completely original experience, but it conjures up more than enough original allure and charm to be given a proper seat at the table. And all of this it manages to do at under $15 US. That's the real kicker here. Maybe it is time to rethink how the structure of the industry's marketing and pricing schemes influence our decisions to purchase a game or to not.
In any case, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing is not a ground-breaking achievement, but it is a testament to what can be achieved with a lot less money and a lot more good ol' fashioned enthusiasm and passion for making a great game. Is it a rip off of "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named"? Well on the surface and in the ways that matter to us gamers: yes, certainly in many good respects it is. However, under the surface, behind the curtains it is anything but. In fact it is the exact opposite. It is NOT a game with an unearthly über-development cycle, über-budget, über- hype factory and an über-price with an underwhelming story and über-glorified but mediocre-ly acceptable end result. Much rather, it IS a game with next to no budget, no hype and a laughable price delivering above and beyond an established standard that we've come to expect from big budget titles. This alone ranks this little sleeper hit very high in my book. I can't wait to see what Neocore Games comes out with next.