Bullet Hell has become one of gamers’ most popular genres in the past few years. The dopamine rush that the games of the bullet hell genre provide is something that gamers can’t seem to get enough of. One such game is Vampire Survivors developed by Luca ‘Poncle’ Galante.
Interesting Fact: None of the enemies you face in the game are vampires.
The gameplay involves the player’s character automatically attacking the enemies coming at it. The waves of monsters intensify as the session progresses. The session lasts 15 or 30 minutes, and at the end of the stage, an incredibly powerful boss named ‘Death’ or ‘Reaper’ appears. An additional ‘Reaper’ appears every minute after the game’s limit has been crossed, ensuring the eventual death of the player’s character.
Vampire Survivors started gaining popularity in February 2022 and now, according to SteamDB, it consistently ranks among the top 50 most-played games on PlayStation Steam. The game can only be played on Windows and macOS. Scroll further down to know the best games like Vampire Survivors you can play.
Games Like Vampire Survivors List
1. Nuclear Throne
| Developer(s) | Vlambeer |
| Release Date | 17 Dec 2021 |
| Platform | PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nintendo Switch & PC |
Nuclear Throne is one of the best bullet hell games that you can play. This top-down perspective shoot ’em up game features two game modes – single-player and local co-op.
At the beginning of the game, the player has access to two playable characters, and the other ten characters are unlocked by playing the game. All the characters in the game have unique abilities that add additional elements to the gameplay.
The game includes enough characters, weapons & abilities that increase the replayability of the game. Overall the game is designed in such a way that the battles don’t seem to be repetitive. Nuclear Throne is one such bullet hell game that you must try if you’re a fan of the genre.
2. Cuphead
| Developer(s) | Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc. |
| Release Date | 29 September 2017 |
| Platform | PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch & PC |
Well not exactly like the other games mentioned in this list; Cuphead needed to be mentioned if we are talking about shoot ’em up games. The game takes inspiration from the rubber hose animation of the 1930s (the start of the golden age of American animation). All the assets in the game are hand-drawn, giving the game an aesthetic feel.
In the game, you assume the role of Cuphead, who after losing to the Devil in the game of craps progresses to collect the soul contracts of the runaway debtors of the Devil. The gameplay mostly involves boss fights which require you to learn the attacking pattern of the enemy and dodge its attacks. Cuphead also involves some platforming and run-and-gun elements.
The game is a must-try and is highly recommended. It has an overwhelmingly positive rating on Steam.
3. Gunlocked
| Developer(s) | FromLefcourt |
| Release Date | 29 April 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
Gunlocked is an Indie-RPG game with bullet hell elements in it. The game is currently in early access but its development is almost completed. The gameplay involves a spaceship shooting continuously at the incoming enemies/hazards with the player trying to dodge the incoming attacks by controlling the position of the ship.
The game features seven different pilot characters, 25 unique enemies to fight, evolving bosses that grow powerful with time, and many upgrades and powerups. The game is rewarding and every playthrough feels unique. Looking for games like Vampire Survivors? You might want to try Gunlocked.
4. Spirit Hunters: Infinite Horde
| Developer(s) | Creature Cauldron |
| Release Date | 25 May 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
Another early access game that is knocking the door hard so that you acknowledge its presence. Spirit Hunters is another game similar to Vampire Survivors. The game has drawn inspiration from Vampire Survivors, which can be seen in its combat system. The game features a total of 5 heroes that you can play with. The player can choose one of the two available characters in the game at the beginning.
Players are given a choice of selecting one of the starting abilities before the combat takes place. As the player progresses further in the stage, he/she can unlock various other abilities and skills, much like Vampire Hunters. The game can be tried if you’re looking forward to some rogue-lite action.
5. Synthetik: Arena
| Developer(s) | Flow Fire Games |
| Release Date | 22 January 2019 |
| Platform | PC |
If you like Vampire Survivors, then chances are that you might like Synthetik Arena. It is a rogue-lite top-down shooter and is a standalone expansion of Synthetik. This free-to-play game is fast-paced and filled with action. Similar to the other games on this list, you battle against the incoming waves of enemies that grow stronger the longer you survive.
The game features a ton of guns that can be modified at will, a nice roster of characters, and different perks that increase the replayability of the game. If you have a buddy, you can tag him along since the game also features a two-player online co-op, making it more fun. If you’re having a rough day, Synthetic Arena allows you to shoot countless robotic maniacs to make you feel good (Note – It’s a loud game).
6. HoloCure
| Developer(s) | Kay Yu |
| Release Date | 24 June 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
Holocure shares many similarities with Vampire Survivors. It is a free-to-play unofficial fangame that took the gaming community by storm and got over 50K downloads on the first day of its release. Its gameplay is very much similar to that of Vampire Survivors. The Player’s character moves around on an infinite 2-D ground battling an infinite wave of enemies that grows stronger as long as you survive.
The game features several playable characters that a player can choose from. Every character has a unique set of perks, abilities, and skill that increases the diversity of the roster. The game is not available on Steam but you can download the game by visiting the game’s official website. The game is a very good substitute for Vampire Survivors.
7. Project Lazarus
| Developer(s) | Terapoly |
| Release Date | 23 June 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
Project Lazarus can be termed a blatant Vampire Survivors clone but with a few ideas of its own. It is a reverse bullet hell game where you control a bulky robotic machine and shoot down innumerable aliens. As the stage progresses, you can upgrade your mech, equip it with weapons, and upgrade them using items and crystals. If we talk about graphics, the game takes a different approach from Vampire Survivors. The graphics in Project Lazarus are presented in 3D.
This early access game has a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam and it still has a year before it is completely developed. The devs are working on adding more mechs and weapons that could give players a new gameplay experience. Project Lazarus is a popular pick among games like Vampire Survivors.
8. Brotato
| Developer(s) | Blobfish |
| Release Date | 27 September 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
This top-down arena shooter draws inspiration from Vampire Hunters. The gameplay is pretty much similar to Vampire Hunters with enemies coming in from all four directions toward the player’s character. The game currently offers 30 playable characters all with unique abilities and combat styles.
The game is currently in its early access where it plans to stay for a few months. The devs are working on making the game more balanced by taking the community feedback. Devs also plan to allow modding support and introduce other functionalities for the game soon.
Brotato looks promising and we speculate it will go a long way. It has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam as well.
9. Bardbarian
| Developer(s) | TreeFortress Games |
| Release Date | 16 January 2014 |
| Platform | PC and Mobile Phones |
Bardbarian shares some of its elements with Vampire Survivors. In the game, you play as Brad, the barbarian who has grown tired of saving his town whenever it is attacked. Brad’s real passion is music. Brad loves its town and he decides to save it from the attackers but this time in a different style. Brad is consistently playing his axe lute (a musical instrument carved from an axe) which generates notes that can be used to summon fighters (archers, wizards, and others).
The fighting units will follow Brad wherever he goes. So it is up to the player to save them by controlling Brad’s movement. The gameplay involves dodging enemy attacks and using power-ups (speed, attack & defense) to turn the tide of the battle in your favor.
Bardbarian can be given a try if you’re looking to take some time off of Vampire Survivors.
10. Enter the Gungeon
| Developer(s) | Dodge Roll |
| Release Date | 5 April 2016 |
| Platform | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Stadia, Luna & PC |
Talking about the best bullet hell games and not mentioning Enter the Gungeon would be a big mistake. This pixel art game contains rogue-lite elements in it. The art style of the game is great; the protagonist in the game fights against bullet-shaped enemies. The player aims to reach the bottom of the Gungeon, where lies a special gun that can kill the past.
The game features four playable characters (collectively called the Gungeoneers). The gungeon is made of five floors each having 20 rooms — the weapons in the game range from ordinary pistols to rifles and even unicorn horns and a mailbox. At the end of each room, a random boss must be defeated to progress further. The game uses a permadeath feature, meaning that upon death you lose every item and gun you may have collected until that point and you have to restart from the first floor.
This top-down bullet hell shooter is an entertainer; you can’t get bored while playing it.
11. Disfigure
| Developer(s) | Cold Brew Entertainment |
| Release Date | 27 July 2023 |
| Platform | PC |
Disfigure is a top-down, rogue-like shooter game in which players play as a glowing character who must fight through an unlimited horde of vicious enemies emerging out of the darkness and try to survive the relentless onslaught.
In this shooter game, the entire arena around the player is covered in darkness and the only light source is that coming from the in-game character itself. Players will have to keep a keen eye on their surroundings and look to eliminate the creatures, as and when they step into the light.
Players will be able to unlock new weapons with each run. This game also offers players the choice of over 100 unique upgrades and over 90 perks for them to try out and experiment with during their gameplay sessions and craft new types of characters for each new run.
12. Yet Another Zombie Survivors
| Developer(s) | Awesome Games Studios |
| Release Date | 3 February 2023 |
| Platform | PC |
Yet Another Zombie Survivors is a top-down, high-octane rogue-like action game in which players take on the role of zombie outbreak survivor who has waited enough behind barricades and now wants to take the fight to the wandering zombies instead.
In this game, initially, the players will control a lone SWAT soldier, but as they progress in the game, players will have the option of adding more soldiers to their squad to help vanquish enemies quicker.
This game regularly rewards players with perks that they can use during their respective runs, and moreover, players can also invest in more permanent upgrades like increasing their charisma, strength, or endurance by using the game’s elaborate, dedicated skill tree system.
13. Spellbook Demonslayers
| Developer(s) | Xendra |
| Release Date | 2 November 2022 |
| Platform | PC |
Spellbook Demonslayers is a fast-paced, action-packed rogue-lite, bullet-heaven game in which players implement and customize a variety of features into their game like charms, abilities, demon summoning skills, and much more, in their quest to become the ultimate demon slayer the world has ever seen and protect the cosmic library.
Players playing this game have access to a large collection of equipment, upgrades, and abilities to unlock and choose from, so much so that they can utilize them to build a powerful version of their character for every new run that they go on and enable them to mercilessly slay the countless foes they encounter.
Players who want to add an edge to their characters but want to bend the rules of the game a little bit can choose to buy illegal upgrades from the shady smuggler present in the game, to get access to some truly cool yet devastating powers.
14. 20 Minutes Till Dawn
| Developer(s) | Flanne |
| Release Date | 7 June 2022 |
| Platform | PC, macOS, Mac Operating Systems, Android, iOS |
20 Minutes Till Dawn is a top-down, shoot ’em-up game in which players select a character of their own choosing and must look to withstand and survive through endless waves of enemies until dawn arrives.
In this game. players have complete freedom to decide what kind of game they want to play by deciding what difficulty level they want to play at, what weapons they want to use, and finally, what character they want to play as.
Speaking of characters, players have a choice of a few characters with whom they can play this game. The best part about the character selection aspect in this game is that each character brings with them their own unique skills and abilities that players can utilize to fight the endless hordes of monsters.
During each run, players will be able to unlock more than 50 in-run upgrades to diversify their gameplay, so that each new gameplay session feels fresh and new. Moreover, players will also collect ‘gems’ during their runs which they can trade in for new characters, better weapons, and abilities.
15. Bounty Of One
| Developer(s) | OptizOnion |
| Release Date | 18 August 2022 |
| Platform | PC, Linux, macOS |
Bounty of One is a top-down, fast-paced, action rogue-like game set in the Wild West where players take on the role of a disgraced Wild Westerner, who must not only survive waves of bounty hunters who are on hot on his tail but he must also look to clear his tarnished image in the process as well.
In this game, players will have to fight endless bounty hunters and special bosses on their way to prove their innocence by choosing to play this game with their friends and families or solo.
During the course of the game, players will be presented with the opportunity to utilize various upgrades and equipment in this game to change the way they play. Players can choose to be a damage-focused tank with a high amount of health and impenetrable defense or they can be nimble and fast like an assassin and focus more on their attack speed to deal high DPS, the choice is totally theirs.
If you’re someone who’s looking for a Red Dead Redemption-type rogue-like game to scratch a particular itch then this top-down action shooter is one of the best options available on the market today.
FAQs-
Is Vampire Survivors on console?
No, Vampire Survivors can only be played on PCs having Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems. It is also available for mobile devices running on Android OS.
What happens when you reach 30 minutes in Vampire Survivors?
After completing the 30-minute stage, one Grim Reaper Boss appears every minute. Reaper is an extremely strong Boss that is almost impossible to defeat. Death is inevitable after crossing the 30-minute mark in Vampire Survivors.
What is the strongest character in Vampire Survivors?
Imelda Belpaese, Poe Ratcho, and Dommario are gamers’ most preferred characters in Vampire Survivors.
Can you beat the Grim Reaper Boss in Vampire Survivors?
Yes, you can absolutely beat the Grim Reaper Boss if you are equipped with the correct weaponry.
Conclusion
That was the list of the best games like Vampire Survivors. After playing these bullet hell games, you might feel overwhelmed, so you might want to try some relaxing games. Check out the list of the best relaxing games that you can play.
