Vampire Survivors
ROGUELITE 'BULLET-HEAVEN' HORDE VIDEO GAME (2022) by LUCA GALANTE / POCET WITCH — top-down survival where you auto-attack ever-growing waves of enemies for 30 min, picking up weapons + passives that eventually clear entire screens. Signature: SPAWNED the 'BULLET HEAVEN' genre (as opposed to bullet-hell); cheap ($3), addictive, easy to play, deep progression. Unlocks 40+ characters, 100+ weapons, secret evolutions. INDIE HIT of 2022; spawned imitators (Halls of Torment, Boneraiser Minions, Brotato).
Quick facts
Category
Video Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–4
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇮🇹 Italy
Estimated origin
First release 2021 itch.io; Steam Early Access 2022 blowup; Full 1.0 2022; iOS/Android + Xbox + PS 2023+; DLC ongoing
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Survive 30 min per stage; unlock characters, weapons, stages, evolutions.
Rules
Basic rules
TOP-DOWN 2D game; you move only (no manual attack)
Signature auto-attack.
WEAPONS + PASSIVES auto-fire at nearest enemies + trigger area effects
Signature auto combat.
LEVEL UP: pick 1 of 3 offered weapons/passives per level
Signature draft system.
ENEMIES SPAWN in massive waves; screen-clearing weapons unlock as run progresses
Signature bullet-heaven.
30-MIN TIMER: at 30, DEATH SPAWNS + wipes you (WIN if defeat Death or achievement)
Signature Death at 30 min.
META-PROGRESSION: coins persist between runs unlock characters, upgrades, stages
Signature roguelite unlocks.
Scoring
Survival time + gold + unlocks; leaderboards + achievements.
Win condition · Survive 30 min + defeat Death (or run-specific completion).
Equipment
PC (Steam) + iOS + Android + Xbox + PlayStation + Switch versions
Multi-platform
Any controller or keyboard-only (2 buttons total)
Signature 1-stick controls
Terminology
- Bullet-heaven
- Genre name coined by Vampire Survivors — opposite of bullet-hell.
- Evolution
- Weapon+passive combo achievement upgrading weapon to ultimate form.
- Arcana
- Powerful random modifiers unlocked mid-run.
- Poncle
- Publisher, Luca Galante's studio name.
- Death
- Reaper spawned at 30 min — forces game end.
Where it is played
Sources & provenance
- Poncle — Vampire Survivors— Poncle
- Wikipedia — Vampire Survivors— Wikipedia