Interview: Vasyl Novskyi on Rogue-like Action RPG Vampirio

https://ift.tt/3Bnszgj Outfit7, best known for Talking Tom & Friends, is releasing something very different with its newest title – Vamp...

https://ift.tt/3Bnszgj

Outfit7, best known for Talking Tom & Friends, is releasing something very different with its newest title – Vamprio.

It’s a rogue-like action RPG where you play as Vlad Dracul before his transformation into Dracula. It melds together strategy, combat, and roguelike progression – and even throws in a day/night cycle for good measure. 

We spoke to Vasyl Novskyi, VP of Cell Division at Outfit7, about how the idea for the game came about, differences between the PC and Mobile iterations, and much more.

Hello! Can you tell us about the process of developing Vampirio, and how it came to be?

Vampirio brings together two very different moods: the satisfaction of preparing a defense and the chaos of finding out whether it actually works.

The gameplay concept grew from survival-action RPGs, with fortress-building and a day-night cycle adding another layer. During the day, you gather resources, build, and prepare. At night, you take control of a hero and face the consequences of those choices. “Build by day, survive the night” captures that rhythm quite neatly.

From a development perspective, the interesting part is connecting those phases. A wall you built a few minutes ago suddenly becomes very important when monsters are trying to get through it. Your preparation gives the combat context, and the combat gives you something to rethink the next morning.

Then you have the heroes (currently nine in total), each bringing a different personality and way of fighting. That makes the same basic situation feel quite different depending on who you’re playing.

What were the biggest challenges developing the game in general?

One of the biggest development challenges was making fortress-building, hero combat, and roguelike progression feel like parts of one game. During battles, players need to follow what’s happening to both their hero and their defenses, so keeping the action readable was important.

Another big challenge was pacing. Vampirio has a lot going on: gear, buildings, heroes and several game modes. In earlier versions, new players met too much of it too soon. Pop-ups and new screens kept interrupting what they had actually come for, which is surviving the night.

The game now introduces these systems more gradually. The first map is just your hero, a crossbow and a few buildings. The boss at the end drops a Fire crossbow, and that’s how gear arrives. The town opens after the second map, and new heroes join as the campaign goes on. Modes like the Boss Dungeon, Raid and Hellsing Trials wait until you’ve mastered the basics. Most of what you haven’t unlocked yet stays out of sight.

The goal is simple. You’re never overwhelmed at the start, and there’s always something new waiting a few maps ahead.

Were there any key inspirations — in gaming or elsewhere — when it came to developing the game?

Survival-action RPGs were an important reference, particularly their ability to make a simple starting point grow into a very different experience through skill choices and combinations.

Vampirio adds tactical preparation to that rhythm. Before the fighting starts, you’ve already made decisions about your fortress. Once the night begins, you discover how those decisions work alongside your hero and build.

The Dracula story provides another source of inspiration. There’s something compelling about meeting Vlad before he becomes the figure everyone recognizes. Players bring their own expectations to that name, while Alba, Vlad, and Radu give the story different personalities and perspectives.

And vampires give the day-night cycle a rather natural deadline. When the sun goes down, you probably shouldn’t still be deciding where to put a wall.

Are there any differences between the Mobile and Steam versions of the game?

Both versions share the “build by day, survive the night” gameplay loop, but there are differences in the current experience.

The Steam version currently features one story campaign, compared with two on mobile, and a more limited feature set. It also offers higher difficulty and full controller support.

The higher difficulty is particularly relevant to how the PC experience feels: preparation and execution come under more pressure. The basic question remains the same on either platform, though – will the fortress you prepared survive the night?

Is this a game that will appeal to both experienced rogue-like action RPG players, and newbies to the genre?

There are different layers for players to get into. The first is easy to understand: prepare your fortress, then defend it. You don’t need a history with the genre to understand why a broken wall might be a problem.

Alba is the first hero players use, and she provides an approachable introduction to the combat and core systems. More complexity opens up as players progress.

For experienced players, there’s room to experiment with skill combinations, different heroes, and the relationship between your build and your defenses. A new hero can also challenge habits you’ve already developed. Something that worked comfortably with Alba may need a different approach with Vlad, Lucian, or Morana.

Understanding the basics gets you started. Learning how to adapt is what gives you more to explore.

What is next for Vampirio, are there any updates or expansions planned for the game?

There’s a lot still to come. The story isn’t finished yet, so Campaign 3 is next, and it brings the story to its conclusion.

With it, we’re heading into the dark side of the story. Dracula and Otto join as new heroes, and they arrive together with new bosses to face.

And finally, in a game called Vampirio, it’s about time: vampires as enemies. Until now, the night has belonged to monsters. Soon, some of the things trying to break through your walls will have fangs.

Until then, there’s plenty to explore across the nine heroes. I’d encourage people to try a hero outside their usual pick, because it changes which skills you value and how you approach a fight.

We thank Vasyl for his time! You can check out Vampirio on Steam, iOS, and Android now.

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