Are you still craving for some more games like Vampire Survivors? Well, you’re in luck, cause I’ve got another list of fantastic titles for you to try out! All of these entries are games that I’ve personally enjoyed, and I tried to pick ones that aren’t just straight up clones of one another.
[Updated in 11/14/2024] – All but one of the games here are still going strong with new content and QOL changes. Nothing replaced, but more updated information has been added for each entry!
#1. Halls of Torment
First up is one of my favorite recent releases, Halls of Torment, which offers an addicting blend of old school RPG elements and bullet heaven gameplay. It features various unlockable characters, each with their own unique attacks and upgrades.
The enhancements you can get every time you level up in this game feel incredibly impactful, to the point where you can eventually wipe out monsters with ease. Each stage has a diverse selection of enemy types that will keep you on your toes in every run, including teleporting mages and charging bosses.
Halls of Torment also lets you acquire and purchase items that can be equipped for bonus stat points, adding another layer of customization that provides you with some extra “oomph” at the start of each run.
It finally got out of early access in late 2024, and the 1.0 patch features a lot of juicy new content. I’m not even exaggerating, it’s a very chunky update!
#2. R.I.C.E
This game’s title stands for “Repetitive Indie Combat Experience,” which is honestly a perfect summary of the entire genre as a whole. Despite the intentionally generic title, the game has a pretty robust meta-progression system and some mechanics that help set itself apart from other games like Vampire Survivors.
The goal of each stage is to destroy the sun in the middle of the map, which involves breaking through walls of void and obliterating small planets scattered throughout the level. These planetoids drop a wide range of weapons, which can be combined into stronger variants.
Outside of a run, its meta-progression system gets surprisingly deep. It involves slotting in medals like a weird game of tetris to activate bonuses at the start of each run. These boons range from simple damage upgrades to extra weapon slots.
#3. HoloCure – Save the Fans!
Next up is HoloCure, which is a fan game made by Kay Yu. Although I know very little about HoloLive (I’m more of a VShojo fan), I found this title to be insanely fun and addicting despite not getting a lot of the references.
It features over 20 characters to unlock, each with their own distinct selection of attacks. Runs only last for around twenty minutes each, and they are relatively easy to complete with all of the upgrades that the game gives you. Each stage also has hazards that spawn every now and then.
While the game is no longer being updated, it’s completely free and will provide you with endless hours of fun!
#4. 20 Minutes Till Dawn
As the name implies, each run in this game lasts for around twenty minutes each. Unlike the other entries on this list, this game feels more involved as you have to manually aim and fire your weapon, which is automatically reloaded whenever you stop shooting.
Its unlockable characters each have varying base HP values and passive abilities. When combined with the purchasable runes and guns, as well as the additional weapons that you gain when leveling up, no two runs will feel the same.
It’s a more action-focused bullet heaven full of eldritch monstrosities to slay, and those looking for a more active challenge will likely prefer this one over the rest. There is a bit of grinding involved in order to improve your chances of success, but I’d like to think that the tediousness is balanced out by its high-octane gameplay loop.
Though it’s been out for over a year now, it’s getting a major update with overhauled mechanics and two new characters. The patch is in closed beta as of their October 2024 dev log, and it looks like there’s lots for us to look forward to!
#5. Yet Another Zombie Survivors
Don’t let the silly branding fool you, cause this entry is a competently made title with straightforward meta-progression systems and fast-paced gameplay. Rather than controlling a single character, you build up a group of up to three survivors, each with upgradable weapons and abilities that will help you plow through hordes of zombies.
It’s still in early access, though they’ve been dropping some chunky updates over the past year. Their latest one, released in October 2024, added a lot of new and revamped content, as well as some very welcome QOL changes.
Simply put, this game is insanely addicting. I look forward to what else they come up with in the future leading up to their full release.
