Le Vamp Review

Another day means another Endless Runner, a genre that's proving to be immensely popular of late. Fortunately, in the case of Le Vamp, the gameplay feels distinctive enough that it doesn't feel like a rehash of a popular format. It might be all about surviving for as long as possible, but it's amazing what a few tweaks of the control system can do.

Players control Le Vamp, a child vampire, who just wants to play in the forest but the pitchfork wielding villagers have other ideas. So begins a race of survival and not a glimpse of Robert Pattinson anywhere. Le Vamp is less about jumping or swiping to avoid obstacles, and much more to do with interacting with the environment around the young vampire. Players have to keep an eye out for plenty of different obstacles from rivers, forest based creatures and one of vampires's greatest threats, sunlight.

In each case, interaction is initiated through a different movement. For instance, some enemies must be dragged out of the ground with a swipe upwards, while others must be crushed with a swipe downwards. Bridges can be formed across rivers by chopping down a tree with a slicing movement, and sunlight can be blocked with a finger. Piles of Pumpkins can be vanquished, too, by tapping repeatedly on them. Further movements are required through keeping Le Vamp fed, as well, with the careful flick of a finger to propel a Blood Pig towards him for feeding. Plus, there are coins to grab, too, providing the means in which to buy upgrades and power-ups.

There's a lot going on in Le Vamp and that's exactly what keeps it interesting. There's never a quiet moment and while the difficulty curve might take some adjustment at first, it's not long before it all becomes second nature.

Amongst all the neat movements, Le Vamp is also quite charming to look at. The boy vampire is adorable and even the fearsome villagers still manage to maintain a decent cartoon style persona, even when they catch up to Le Vamp and beat him up. There's only one backdrop to ever gaze at, which is a shame, as I'd have loved to have seen more scenery, but that's a minor issue in an otherwise highly enjoyable Endless Runner.