DONTNOD Invites Players to Glance Behind the Curtains of Vampyr

The developers of DONTNOD Entertainment are no strangers to telling stories. Anyone who has played Life is Strange can tell you that it seems to flow in their very blood. It is fitting, then, that their next game is about blood- and that they are keen to reveal its stories. To that end, they’ve begun releasing video development diaries, and the first of these is a deeper look at the different vampires players will meet on the war-torn streets of London.

Main character Doctor Jonathan Reid finds himself in good company among the most common type of vampire in town, the Ekons. The Ekon vampires appear normal and live among humans, balancing their need to feed on the people around them with their desire to live in the society they knew before the change. In contrast, the Vulkods exist in the dark shadows of the city, submitting to a primal drive to feed. They seem to shift between a human appearance and one a bit more terrifying, increasing in size and muscle mass as they defend their territory or hunt new prey. The third type of creature is called Skal. While they share a physical form with humans, the appearance of six months’ post-burial decay and oozing pustules on their skin make them easy to spot in a crowd. The Skal are labeled ‘discrete’, implying that they also feast on the human population, though the developers don’t specifically refer to them as vampires during the video.

The developers in the diary are meticulous in their choice of words, making the omission of the word ‘vampire’ from their description fo the Skal much more pointed. They’re also careful in their explanation of the game itself, clarifying their desire to confront players about their killings within the game. Non-playable characters will confide in Jonathan, giving him access to supplies, information, and passage through the city. He still must feed, though, and in some cases must kill to prevent his victims from harming others. It is this choice that the developers want players to consciously face. Every killing has far-reaching consequences, wither opening up new social alleys or creating barriers and suspicions that Jonathan must dodge. No choice in Vampyr is without effect, so players must choose carefully.

Vampyr is scheduled to release in Q1 or Q2 2018 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.