Vampires Bloodlord Rising is an ambitious survival RPG that leans heavily into the gothic atmosphere, long-term progression, and the fantasy of becoming a true vampire lord. Available now in early access on Steam, this game is about patience, power, and just how much darkness you’re willing to embrace. Here’s our Vampires: Bloodlines Rising ‘Review-in-Progress’ for you to sink your teeth into.
You awaken as Dragos, a newly risen vampire in the oppressive town of Medestri. It acts as your first hub, but not a safe one. Enemies patrol aggressively, resources are limited, and the game offers very little guidance early on. Majesty establishes the tone quickly. This world does not care that you’re special, that you’re immortal, blood sucking creature of the night. You really have to earn your place.
What Bloodlord Rising gets right early is the vampire fantasy. Feeding isn’t optional, it’s survival. Blood restores strength, fuels abilities, and reinforces that constant predator prey loop.
One of the standout vampire abilities is bat traversal, and it’s more than just a visual flourish. Transforming into a bat lets you quickly cross terrain, scout areas from above, and bypass hazards that would have otherwise slowed you down. This fundamentally changes how you move through the world.
Now, Batform reinforces the Predator fantasy. You’re not just navigating Sangavia like a normal character. You’re stalking it from above. It’s limited enough to stay balanced, though, but powerful enough to feel rewarding, especially when you’re exploring areas like the Grove of Sorrows or navigating the vertical dangers of Hell’s Chasm.
Now, without blood, you can’t fly. And without flying, you can’t find blood. I don’t know where I’m going with that, but you do need the blood element to be able to fly. It will cost you in blood as you soar the skies.
Not Immortal Just Yet
Now, combat in Vampires Bloodlord Rising blends an action heavy meal with supernatural abilities, emphasizing positioning, timing, and crowd control. You’re constantly balancing aggression with survival, managing stamina, cooldowns, and health while weaving vampire powers into standard attacks.
Encounters can escalate quickly, especially when you’re facing groups or elite enemies. And the game isn’t afraid to punish careless play. Combat feels more rewarding when abilities, movement, and terrain come together, turning each fight into a tactical decision rather than a button mashing exercise. Some fights go exactly as planned, others become learning experiences.
This game is very good at reminding you that you’re not immortal. Well, not yet.
Vampiric powers expand how you approach the world. Enhanced movement, supernatural combat abilities, and traversal options that let you stalk environments instead of just running through them. Progression is driven largely by the arcane skill trees, which defines how a vampire evolves. Rather than simple stat increases, the arcane system encourages specialization, committing to specific play styles and strengths.
Now, choices here feel meaningful, but it’s also clear that this system is still growing. The foundation is very strong, even if some branches feel lighter than others in the current early access build I played.
Now, beyond Madrestri, the world opens into distinct regions. The Grove of Sorrows is eerie and atmospheric, a haunted forest that leans into mystery and environmental tension. And then there’s Hell’s Chasm, a brutal, hostile region defined by fire, verticality, and danger. It’s less forgiving and demands preparation.
Somewhere To Keep Your Coffin
Castle building is more than visual flare. It’s the backbone of progression. Your castle houses your crafting stations, refining systems, and resource storage, and it will grow alongside your power.
Now, your followers and your thraws? It adds another layer. You can assign them tasks like gathering or crafting, which will reduce the grind and reinforce the fantasy of your leadership. At certain points, you just stop surviving alone and you start ruling and that’s when you have the most fun.
Now, they have multiplayer in Vampires Bloodlord Rising and it’s built around cooperative survival, not quick matchmaking. On Steam, you join or host persistent worlds, meaning progress is shared and long-term.
Co-op fundamentally changes the experience. Dividing responsibilities, one player is gathering, one is building, another is pushing combat – and it makes the early game far more manageable. Systems like castle building and the following mechanic really feels especially strong in multiplayer where coordination turns what can really usually feel grindy solo into something strategic and social.
That said, this isn’t drop-in-drop-out chaos. It’s slower, more deliberate, intimate even, and best enjoyed with communication and planning.
At its best, Bloodlords Rising delivers a strong vampire power fantasy. Feeding, progression, and supernatural abilities work together to sell the experience. The arcane skill tree offers meaningful specialization. Castle building feels personable, and managing followers adds real depth. Now, the world itself, from Mestri to Grove of Sorrows and Hell’s Chasm, has a strong sense of identity.
That said, the early game can be a little rough. Systems aren’t always clearly explained, and progression paths feel opaque. Combat occasionally feels a little stiff. The UI can be dense, and some systems, especially the Arcane Tree, still feel like they’re growing.
And as an early access title, polish and quality of life improvements are very much a work in progress.
Sun’s coming up…
Taking everything into account, Vampires Bloodlords Rising earns a very nice score. It’s a game with large, strong ideas and compelling vampire fantasy and systems that clearly support the long-term growth vision they have, from the arcane skill tree to castle building to followers and cooperative play.
But it’s also a very much an early access experience. Some systems lack depth. Onboarding can be a little rough and polish is still coming. If you’re willing to grow with it, there’s something very special here. Just know what you’re buying into, which is potential just as much as what’s already present.
Oh, is that sun coming up…?
Vampires: Bloodlord Rising
Played on
PC via Steam Early Access
PROS
- Strong vampire fantasy and atmosphere.
- Meaningful progression systems.
- Bat traversal adds verticality and style.
- Castle building and followers support long-term play.
- Co-op enhances the experience.
CONS
- Early Access polish issues.
- Difficulty spikes can be abrupt.
- Some systems still feel underdeveloped.
