"Unfortunately, the story of Vampyr is as dead as its protagonist. A lifeless tapestry of cliches, knotted together to form a passible, but overly long and tedious tale. RPG’s live and die on two things – Narrative and interesting characters, both of which are severely lacking"

I seriously disagree with this as the narrative and characters is the main reasons I kept going with this game, because it definitely wasn't the combat which I felt became very lacking quickly.

I thought I would like it, as I like the studio, the setting, and the graphics.

The gameplay was so bad I could not continue. Horrific controls and combat, which are related, but not exactly the same. Not sure how a game that was so frustrating terrible to control and fight even be released.

"This acceptance of fact is just one of many suspensions of disbelief you’re expected to accept in Vampyr. Reed isn’t a healthy man, but no-one feels the need to mention it."

It's actually mentioned often at the beginning, but most people aren't "healthy looking" in the game. You have overworked or drug-addled types throughout who look like crap.

"this man has no discernible heartbeat and lifeless eyes as black as coal."

No one is checking his pulse and it's always dark when he's out and about. And his pupils are the only thing black, as shown in the image immediately below the sentence in the article.

"A lifeless tapestry of cliches, knotted together to form a passible, but overly long and tedious tale. RPG’s live and die on two things – Narrative and interesting characters, both of which are severely lacking."

The author provides ZERO PROOF to his claims. He just says it, therefore it must be true. No examples of his proclamations, instead the opposite where he outlines two side stories he did like and didn't find as such (let alone one of his selections is a side tale affected immensely by how you handle the story and the people involved -- kill or not, help or not, etc.).

"Melee weapons are ineffectual and lack weight"

Nope. I rarely used powers outside of boss battles on hard, and melee weapons were my go-to. Did the author not know how to use weapons, in regards to building stun factor, and then utilizing another for damage potential?

"You can upgrade several vampiric powers that are essential for later moments in the game."

Because you don't do this in other games? You design a game where the powers aren't vital to aiding in defeating the game?

"Vampyr annoys me. It started as a promising RPG that could revive the use of vampire for more than pulpy love interests. Instead, it’s a jumbled mess of half-baked ideas and lifeless gameplay."

Proving that words are easy to say just to say something but doing as such doesn't make them true.

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This is more of an explanation of a 2018 game mixed with just horrid opinions that make me feel like the author was looking for something to hate rather than attempting to appreciate anything at all. Or, you know, just exaggerated to extremes for clicks because saying a game has some issues you didn't like and it was okay doesn't get as much attention.

I played some of this on gamepass. I'm probably going to pick it up for my PS4. The aesthetic is just right for me.

This guy doesn't know what he is talking about.

Code vein is a sexy soulslike game. Very well done. Wish it had dlc though.