What is it that makes V Rising PS5 so great? Could it be the depth of progression? The levels of customisations – from character creation to the castle walls you build? Or maybe it’s the fact that you can enslave humanity and do so with the help of some sun-dodging friends?
For me, the quick answer is immersion, and should you peel back the skin a little, the customisation levels. I covered Stunlock Studio’s debut in Early Access in 2022 and immediately fell in love, brandishing it as one of the best games of the year – even at that early stage. Aside from playing a vampire, there were so many gameplay elements that have transitioned well to the PS5 version, and some… not so much.
V Rising’s premise is an open book. As a vampire, you reawaken to claim some land and rebuild your castle, feeding on mortals, slaying all manners of beasts and warriors, and pushing for complete and utter dominance when you have evident weaknesses such as the sun and a constant need for a fresh bag o’ blood.
You’re left to do as you please in the game. Explorers and crafters will be in heaven as there’s an abundance of resources to swipe, more than a fair share of enemies to tackle, and tons of things to unlock. However, you have to appreciate that it’s mostly a linear path, and there are a fair share of hurdles to clear, notably vampire tech.
The gist of V Rising gameplay is to build a castle and furnish it with all manners of production equipment and decoration to thrive. In the medieval era, you’ll produce weapons such as swords, axes and bows, masonry gear, varying levels of woodwork, and research stations to wield magic such as shapeshifting and seduction. I’ve covered the ins and outs of the game numerous times, so feel free to look at the previous article.
The question now is whether V Rising runs well on the PS5? Technically, yes – it’s all fine and dandy and works perfectly. However, I have two beefs with the game – one is the number of commands/key bindings that make muscle memory a pig when you play other games. The second is the linear upgrading system (which was present in Early Access, and playing this on the PS5 reminded me how frustrating it can be).
Let’s start with the commands – there are a lot of them! Combat, camera angles, spell wheels, inventory, crafting, minions and tracking are just a few of the elements to juggle. Arguably, the camera aspect is the trickiest to get used to as you have to hold L2 with the right stick to swing the camera and the d-pad to change the zoom (which often resets). Getting a handle on the camera is critical, and maybe it’s just me, but it can sometimes be frustrating when faced with low health, pursuers, and trees blocking your path.
The second beef is how you have to do a hell of a lot of searching for resources to unlock the next objective. Sometimes, you will be tasked with building a structure, but the item you need can’t be built for some reason or another, so you have to go out and find it, hoping it’ll drop. Due to the levelling system in V Rising, the only way to improve your power is through gear, usually crafted from items you’re always a few steps away from. This might mean tackling a boss far superior to you when you’re underpowered, and there’s no other way to unlock a new technology.
In fairness, the commands are doable, so the only major criticism would be the above. With that all in context, I love this game. Coming back to the immersion comment at the start of this review, I found myself playing this for hours on end without even contemplating the time. It’s so thoroughly engaging with the base-building aspects, and with each drip-fed tech or skill unlocked, the game continues to deliver in new ways.
I could argue that the PC version is much more practical because of the controls, but honestly, I could pick either one, and the experience would still be amazing. And yet again, my V Rising time was a solo one through choice. No doubt playing with fellow vampires would make the journey much easier, but we pale types like our own company.
TLDR? V Rising on the PS5 is fantastic.
