Victor Vran: Overkill Edition Review

Developer: Haemimont Games

Publisher: THQ Nordic

Release Date: May 30, 2017

Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC (2015)

Diablo III has popularized the isometric action-RPG genre and its no surprise many developers have tried capitalize on the formula. Victor Vran, originally released on the PC back in 2015, was relatively unnoticed but was well received by those who played it. With a solid combat gameplay loop similar to the Diablo series, Haemimont Games is hoping to win over console gamers with Victor Vran: Overkill Edition, which includes the original game plus its two expansions.

Demon Slaying In The Name Of

The one the you will notice right of the bat is who the main character Victor Vran is voiced by. It’s no other than Doug Cockle, or as he’s better known by many, Geralt of Rivia from the iconic Witcher series. This is both a positive and a negative, as we all know his work as a voice actor is fantastic, but it may leave us wanting to return to arguably the best video game of all time. Fortunately, the voice acting works and fits with the Steampunk/Van Helsing-like setting.

Though Vran starts off the game monologuing to himself, he quickly finds an audience in a strange disembodied voice who follows him on his journey. The voice, unlike Vran, has a very dry, sarcastic wit, in stark contrast to the serious Geralt-like tone of the Hunter. The back and forth between these two adds some great flair and comedy to the narrative, allowing the player to become more attached to both Vran and the voice.

An opening cinematic, narrated by protagonist Victor Vran, sets the stage for the narrative centered in the once proud city of Zagoravia, which has been overrun by demons, monsters, and all manner of beasts. Vran eventually discovers his long-lost demon hunting friend Adrian is trapped in the city and sets out to reunite with Adrian and cleanse the city from complete annihilation. The plot is generic, but it does the job of moving the story along to get to the good points.

Exploring the city is also made more enjoyable by incorporating a jumping mechanic, allowing more complex map designs and verticality. The jumping mechanic not only allows players to jump up to higher levels but they’re also able jump down to lower levels for faster traversing. It also allows maps to have hidden areas with treasure that can only be reached by jumping up or down levels or over debris. Wall jumping is also an option for traversal to reach harder hidden areas.

Time To Bear Arms

No doubt, the star of the show is the combat and it is here where Victor Vran does not disappoint. The gameplay is fun, addictive and has a Diablo feel to it as you pull off multi-kills and kill bonuses. Achievements are rewarded by fulfilling certain tasks and the game is very generous with providing loads of experience points and sending showers of gold coins erupting from the floor. The game contains five Basic Challenges and five Elite Challenges per map, whether it be to kill a number of enemies, find all the secret chests or not to take a hit throughout, which forces you to play in unique and fresh ways.

Character development isn’t centered around classes, but rather each weapon having its own two abilities and the demon powers which act as magic. Magic uses the Overdrive meter which is charged depending on the myriad of outfits you can have equipped. This allows you to change your loadout on the fly and quickly switch to a different style of play, which can be handy for those new to the genre, but eliminates some replay value by not having a different path of upgrades to explore by changing to a new character.

When you equip different weapons, there may be special bonuses which are tied to a prefix and suffix system, much like what is seen in Diablo III. Just like said series, there are also “Legendary” weapons which not only provide special bonuses but also have unique properties and effects. Special bonus vary in effectiveness and range from increased damage or attack speed to reduced cool-down timers and many other possibilities. With over 30 prefixes and suffixes which can be combined, the amount of possible weapons to obtain is an immense total.

While taking out all manner of monstrous foes, Vran will gain experience to level up. Once he does, you’re given a choice between numerous perks called Destiny Cards with different passive abilities, which increase health, add damage to critical attacks, and more. These cards become the main focus of your character load-out. Being a bit different from most action-RPGs, where the focus is on armor and potions, Victor Vran puts your attention on these cards, weapons, and the demon powers.

Dressed To Kill

I would be remiss to not mention one of my favorite inclusions in the Overkill Edition which is the Motorhead adventure. Not kidding, you play with memorable instruments and locales from the late, great bands glory days. The new additions include weapons in the form of guitars, Moorhead-themed demon powers, and a Monuments of Rock section which has you fighting waves of monsters while listening to the classic catalogue of Moorhead hits. Even if you are not a fan of the band, it’s still very enjoyable and provides a good value for the Overkill Edition.

Overall, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition takes the isometric action-RPG genre in a new and fun direction while retaining what makes games like Diablo III great. While Victor Vran may lack the ‘X’ factor to give it more attention, the strong atmosphere, familiar controls, and strong gameplay make for a solid title.