Author: John Scalzo

Publisher Focus Home Interactive and developer Dontnod Entertainment began teasing their moody RPG, Vampyr, back in January. Today, the two companies officially confirmed their partnership, and revealed that Vampyr will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One sometime in 2017.

Taking place more than 100 years ago, Vampyr already has a gorgeous concept trailer (embedded above) to its name and a extensive backstory:

Vampyr is set in early 20th century Britain as the country is gripped by the lethal Spanish flu and the streets of London are crippled by disease, violence and fear. In a disorganized and ghostly city, those foolish, desperate, or unlucky enough to walk the streets lay prey to Britain’s most elusive predators: the vampires. Emerging from the chaos, a tormented figure awakens. You are Jonathan E. Reid, a high-ranking military surgeon transformed into a vampire upon his return home from the frontline.

Explore the darkly atmospheric streets of early 20th century London, and interact with a multitude of characters with their own identities and importance. Accept and fulfill the missions they give you, but don’t forget: sooner or later, you will have to feed, and make a difficult choice… who will be your prey? Absolutely all characters in the game are potential victims of your vampiric lust. Carefully study the habits of your next victim, his or her relationships with other characters, and set up your strategy to feed, unnoticed: seduce them, change their daily habits, or make sure they end up alone in a dark street…

Like with their episodic tale of apocalyptic teenage visions, Life Is Strange, Vampyr will rely heavily on player choice and how those choices affect the game world:

Be careful who you choose to hunt, as they will be gone forever, and their death will impact in a meaningful way the world that surrounds you. Feeding on human blood will not just keep you “alive”; it will also unlock new vampiric powers to use.

There will be times when exploration and seduction will only get you so far, and you’ll need to resort to engaging in Vampyr’s dynamic real-time combat. It blends hard-hitting melee combat with ranged shooting mechanics and the supernatural vampire powers. You’ll face many types of enemies: different species of vampires and creatures, as well as vampire hunters who want to hunt you down with their weapons, tools and traps. In Vampyr, your health and the “energy” that drives your supernatural powers are one and same! Using powers will drain your own blood, giving you an edge in battle but also leaving you weaker. You will have to find a way to feed during combat to replenish your strength.

In addition to the well-received Life Is Strange, Dontnod is also responsible for 2013’s Remember Me, a futuristic beat ’em up that garnered some interesting reviews. In a short time, the developer has quickly established themselves as one to watch.