Tales of reanimated corpses feeding off the living are present in some form in almost all cultures around the world. Some are dark and disturbing like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, while others are beautiful and seductive like the sparkly creatures in Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight series. As long as they drink blood to sustain their immortal existence, they’re vampires, and we love them. Much like the creatures that populate them, vampire tales come in all forms – including video games. Get your garlic, wooden stakes, and silver bullets – it’s time to explore the very best vampire-themed video games of the last few decades.
20. BloodNet (1993)
Available on PC / MS DOS / Commodore Amiga The first item on our spooky list is BloodNet, a bit of an antique with a very unique take on the vampire myth. The game takes place in a “Gothic Cyberpunk” future where the lines between magic and technology blur. You’ll explore the “cyberspace” pursuing Abraham Van Helsing – a vampire seeking to enslave humanity through this digital realm. The game doesn’t feature the most sophisticated graphics and gameplay, but this point-and-click adventure is still quite engaging thanks to its unusual and gripping narrative.
19. Darkstalkers Resurrection (2013)
Available on Xbox 360 / PS3 If you’d rather play something with more action, consider Darkstalkers Resurrection – an updated compilation of Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge and Darkstalkers 3. This fighter series is set in a Gothic horror universe full of classic monsters seen through a Japanese lens – meaning it features plenty of risqué clothing and flashy character design. This updated version features beautiful HD graphics that retain the original feel of the art style. You can even play the games on a simulated arcade cabinet for authenticity’s sake.
18. Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars (2019)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Nintendo Switch If you’re strategic-minded, you’ll appreciate Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars. This will put you at the helm of diverse vampire clans as they fight for survival in a dark and chaotic world. The gameplay is pretty varied, bringing together turn-based combat with empire building, resource management, and even some card-game elements. Each of the three vampire clans has special units to discover and unique abilities that’ll help you dominate the battlefield as you delve deeper into the world of Nemire.
17. Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova (2015)
Available on PC and mobile platforms I’ve always been a fan of story-driven hidden object games. And Vampire Legends: The True Story of Kisilova delivers everything you expect from the genre with a fantastic storyline based on one of the oldest cases of “vampirism” recorded in Europe. It follows a female protagonist as she delves deep into the mysteries of Kisilova, Serbia. You’ll make your way through several gorgeous and eerie hand-painted environments, finding clues and slowly uncovering a major conspiracy involving some of the town’s most prominent figures. It’s a bit on the short side, but it’s delightful while it lasts. And it captures the vampire tale aesthetic perfectly.
16. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Dawnguard DLC) (2012)
Available on all major platforms If you don’t know Skyrim, you’ve probably spent way too much time in your sarcophagus these past eight years. But if you haven’t played it, you might not know of the fantastic vampire tale that is the Dawnguard DLC. This vampiric expansion lets you choose between joining the Dawnguard – an order of Nordic vampire hunters – or becoming a vampire yourself in search of ultimate power. It adds several dungeons, a new region to visit, and lots of new vampire-related skills. Dawnguard is included in both the 2013 Legendary Edition and 2016 remastered Special Edition as part of the main game.
15. Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi (2003)
Available on PC If you don’t mind somewhat dated graphics and old-school Survival Horror gameplay, Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi is something you should consider. You’re trapped in Castle Malachi by a Romanian count who’s trying to summon the diabolical vampire known as Lord Malachi. Now it’s up to you to rescue the rest of the victims, stop the summoning, and make it out alive. The game captures the dark and dank ambiance we expect of a vampire-ruled castle, and it’s take on the vampire myth respects the classic image of a corpse-like, disfigured blood-sucker. Fun fact: The layout of Castle Malachi is randomly generated at the start of each playthrough. No two runs are the same!
14. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999)
Available on PC / PlayStation / Dreamcast Another oldie-but-goody is Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, the sequel to the fantastic Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain. It takes place in Nosgoth, a mysterious land home to humans and vampires. Rather than the previous protagonist, here we play as Raziel – a disfigured and ghostly vampire/wraith in a quest for revenge against… you guessed it, Kain. The game isn’t scary by a long-shot. But it’ll appeal to anyone with a taste for dark magical beings and action-adventure gameplay involving puzzles, exploration, and engaging combat.
13. BloodLust Shadowhunter (2015)
Available on PC Explore a forgotten vampiric society in BloodLust Shadowhunter, a dungeon crawler/RPG with a fantastic setting and lots of freedom for a personalized adventure. You’ll learn the customs and history of this world of vampires as you battle for supremacy among the remaining vampire clans. Killing strong vampires will make you more powerful, but be careful, or you might lose your humanity to your cursed blood.
12. Nocturne (1999)
Available on PC Vampires are often associated with the Old Continent, especially northern Europe. But if you’re interested in an all-American horror story, I’ve got you covered. Nocturne follows The Stranger’s exploits as an agent of the Spookhouse – a secret government organization established by Theodore Roosevelt to deal with supernatural threats to the nation. As expected from an American horror story, it features several classic monsters like werewolves, zombies, and – of course – vampires. The controls and gameplay are clunky and a tad outdated. But the overall experience is still pretty enjoyable, and the story is surprisingly gripping for such an absurd concept.
11. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (2014)
Available on PC / Xbox 360 / PS3 The storied Castlevania franchise surprised everyone with the original Lords of Shadow, which stepped away from the classic side-scrolling affair for more modern hack-and-slash gameplay – and the sequel only gets better. The game follows Gabriel Belmont – now known as Dracula – as he fights his way through a dark open world fighting all sorts of monstrous creatures with his vampiric powers and various weapons, such as the Void Sword and Chaos Claws. Even if you didn’t like the first one, the sequel offers a more structured open world and a somewhat improved combat system.
10. Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York (2020)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Nintendo Switch The classic pen-and-paper Vampire: The Masquerade has spawned several solid video games lauded by fans of the seductive modern face of vampirism. Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York is a beautifully illustrated visual novel with a fascinating story taking place in The Big Apple. Protagonist Julia Sowinski – a recently “embraced” Lasombra clan vampire – becomes entangled in a large-scale conspiracy that could flip the vampire underworld upside down. It’s up to you to decide if she’ll play the ruthless power-hungry vampire, or cling to her humanity.
9. Vampyr (2018)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Nintendo Switch Another fantastic story-driven experience where your choices shape how the story unfolds is the beautiful-looking Vampyr. Set in London during the Spanish Flu outbreak, the game lets you choose whether to turn the newbie vampire Dr. Jonathan Reid into an ambitious and self-centered blood-sucker or go against his vampiric instincts to respect the Hippocratic oath and protect humanity. While the dialogue in this game is a bit lacking, the story and character development are genuinely interesting thanks to Dr. Reid’s complex moral dilemma.
8. BloodRayne 2 (2004)
Available on PC / Xbox / PS2 If you like blood, gore, and dangerously sexy bad-ass women, then the BloodRayne franchise is right up your alley. Just like the original, BloodRayne 2 is a total power fantasy where you’ll use vampiric powers, firearms, and your trusty arm-blades to brutally dismember your enemies and make their blood rain. The combat is over-the-top and very appealing, as is the titular redhead dhampir. Fun fact: I already said protagonist Bloodrayne is incredibly sexy – but don’t take my word for it. She was actually featured in the October 2004 Playboy magazine!
7. BloodRayne Betrayal (2011)
Available on PC / Xbox 360 / PS3 While the main line of BloodRayne games died off with the sequel in 2004, this stylish 2D side-scrolling hack-and-slash spin-off might be better, depending on who you ask. Contacted by the Brimstone Society to infiltrate a mysterious castle, BloodRayne will have to cut down a ridiculous amount of enemies to reach the lavish vampire ball taking place inside. Be warned: the game is incredibly challenging at times, which was one reason why it wasn’t so well-received despite the gorgeous 2D graphics and flashy combat.
6. Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (2019)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Nintendo Switch If you like the in-depth exploration, precise platforming, and intense combat of the classic Castlevania games, but can’t stand the somewhat dated graphics, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is worth a try. It was crowdfunded and developed under the leadership of former Castlevania series producer Koji Igarashi, who did a fantastic job channeling his experience into a more modern and visually appealing package. The story, which follows protagonist Miriam in her struggle to stop a demon-summoning cult from destroying 18th-century England, is also well-paced and absorbing from beginning to end.
5. Darkwatch (2005)
Available on PS2 / Xbox Vampires and cowboys are two of the most conceptually different things in the world. Yet they come together perfectly in Darkwatch, an outstanding shooter set in the late 19th century Wild West. The game follows Darkwatch member Jericho Cross as he hunts down the vampire who cursed him with an unquenchable thirst for human blood. Like most vampires, Jericho is severely weakened by sunlight – but that won’t stop him from continuing the hunt around-the-clock. Vampiric powers are cool and all – but good-old gunpowder will do just fine under the scorching Western sun.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Blood and Wine DLC) (2016)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 / Nintendo Switch TES V: Skyrim isn’t the only open-world fantasy epic with great vampiric DLC to sink your teeth into – and it’s not the best. The Blood and Wine expansion for CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher 3 takes Geralt to the lush and vibrant Duchy of Toussaint, an idyllic region filled with vineyards and flowery fields – but dark shadows lurk just beneath the surface. It’s a refreshing update to the base Witcher experience, featuring a branching storyline, several new quests, and – of course – a looming threat to the region’s wine-filled necks.
3. Code Vein (2019)
Available on PC / Xbox One / PS4 Just like in Western media, vampires have been a recurring trope in Japanese anime and games for decades. And Code Vein is one of the best examples. The gameplay is deeply inspired by the Dark Souls series, but everything else in this fantastic hack-and-slash screams “anime”. The over-the-top flashy moves, the overly-convoluted storyline, the cast of ridiculously good-looking people – it’s all there. If you want intense combat, superb visuals, and a modernized alternative take on vampires, this is the way to go.
2. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)
Available on PlayStation / Sega Saturn / PS4 / PSP / Mobile The most acclaimed game in the Castlevania franchise couldn’t be missing from our vampire-centric ranking. Symphony of the Night follows the dhampir Alucard, a stylish half-vampire sired by the dark lord Dracula himself. In his quest to stop his father’s resurrection, Alucard will have to face everything from mermen to zombies. The game improved the franchise’s in-depth exploration and non-linear level design, which, coupled with tight combat and gorgeous spritework, made it one of the most important titles of the decade.
1. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (2004)
Available on PC Based on the classic pen-and-paper tabletop game, Bloodlines lets you choose one of seven vampire clans and set out into Los Angeles as one of its members to experience a gripping storyline. Depending on which clan you choose, gameplay will vary wildly. It’s this variety in vampires that gives Bloodlines such magnetism. They can be sexy, creepy, mystical… or just, well, people. You are what you eat, after all. And if you’re getting this on PC, remember to install the VTMB Unofficial Patch – you’ll thank me later.
