5 Vampire Games that Really Bite - In the Good Sense

Vampires seem to be in vogue these days, with movies like Twilight and TV shows like The Vampire Diaries entertaining those interested in bloodsuckers. Vampires have also made for a popular theme in the world of video games, as well. Being a fan of both vampires and video games, I decided to give my picks for the five best vampire-based video games.

5) Lunar Knights (Nintendo DS): A sci-fi vampire game, Knights has a deep story, excellent graphics, some fun puzzles, and even a little spaceship combat thrown in. Most of the game is from the isometric perspective, where you switch between characters as you battle vampires and other monsters, but there are also space battles that are reminiscent of games like Star Fox. I liked this game a lot, but it is a bit short.

4) Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PlayStation): An intriguing story and dark setting make this game a standout title. You play as the vampire, Kain, as he seeks vengeance for his own murder. Kain has a distinctively "biting" personality(pun intended) and is not the cookie-cutter hero of many action games.

This game did spawn a few sequels, none of which matched the fun of the original. You can play the original via the PlayStation Network, where it is available for download.

3) Vampire: The Masquerade-Bloodlines (PC): Possibly the most involved of any vampire game, Bloodlines lets you choose from one of several clans, each of which offers a different ending to the game(source). The graphics are impressive, and the story is good, but there are a few drawbacks.

First of all, this game had a lot of bugs when it was released. I tried to be patient, but it seemed like forever until the patches made this game work correctly. Also, you don't get experience for all the enemies you beat, only for completing the quests. Half the fun of being a vampire is getting to kill people. It would have been nice to get rewarded for it. However, once properly patched, this was still a very cool game.

2) Dracula (Intellivision): This 1983 title for Mattel's game machine let you play as Dracula himself. You would wander(side-scrolling style) through the streets at night knocking on doors. When a resident was foolish enough to answer, you would bite him on the neck. The residents were basically helpless, but the local police would chase you around and shoot a kind of a crossbow which fired stakes at your heart. By biting the hapless residents with a different button, you could turn them into zombies that would attack the police briefly. Also, you have to find your way back to your crypt before daylight, or you're toast. I loved the simplicity of this game, and me and my friends always laughed at the pathetic victims who kept answering the door even though vampires were roaming the streets.

1) Castlevania (NES): A great side-scrolling game where you get to battle Dracula himself! The graphics were good for the time, and the music was eerie and haunting in the way that only 8-bit music can be. Your character, Simon Belmont, uses a special whip(along with a few other special items like holy water) to destroy the undead and other creatures.

For me, the highlight of this game was the boss battle against the Grim Reaper, who was the most difficult boss in the game(even harder than Dracula, if you ask me). You can still play this game today by purchasing it on the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console.

Be a vampire or have fun killing them in one of these games. I tend to like the ones where you have to kill the vampires. Whatever you choose, have fun!