Vampire Survivors, the popular roguelike game, has inspired a whole new subgenre within the gaming community, but until now, it has never quite delivered on its promise of featuring vampires in the gameplay. This has changed with the release of a new DLC titled Ode To Castlevania, developed by Poncle in collaboration with Konami.
This expansion marks a significant moment for the game, bringing in elements that fans of the classic Castlevania series have been eagerly awaiting after three years and over 30 updates since the game’s initial launch.
The Ode To Castlevania expansion introduces a vast new castle environment for players to explore, enriched with over 30 music tracks that evoke the atmosphere of the original series.
It also expands the game significantly with more than 40 new weapons and over 20 new characters, including fan favorites like Alucard and Richter. The addition of these iconic characters and elements from Castlevania aims to deepen the connection between the two franchises and enhance the gameplay experience for fans.
A trailer for the DLC has been released, showcasing the exciting crossover and featuring a humorous and nostalgic interaction between Richter and Dracula. This playful homage has delighted fans and highlighted the fun, zany spirit of the game.
Notably, the trailer also reveals a surprise element: Neil Newbon, the voice actor known for his role as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, voices Dracula, while YouTuber SungWon Cho, known as ProZD, takes on the role of Richter. This casting adds a unique twist to the characters and further engages players with recognizable voices.
While the trailer does not explicitly state the extent of the actors’ involvement in the DLC, players have reported that the characters indeed sound like Newbon and Cho in the cutscenes, albeit with a less distorted, more contemporary audio filter. This detail enhances the immersive experience of the expansion and showcases Poncle’s commitment to high-quality voice work and character design.
In light of the substantial content offered in this update, Poncle has indicated that future patches may take longer to release but will include free content to keep the player base engaged.
The developer aims to focus on delivering larger updates less frequently to alleviate achievement-related stress and encourage exploration within the game. This shift in update strategy reflects the ongoing dedication of Poncle to improving player experience and expanding the beloved Vampire Survivors universe.
