eXceed2nd - Vampire REX Demo

Vertical shooters are a special breed of video games, since they are designed to be as difficult as possible and very disorienting at the same time. However, they also feature interesting gameplay mechanics that force you to improve your reflexes in order to deal with vicious enemy attacks. Flashy graphics are usually part of the mix as well, together with upbeat electronic tunes.

eXceed2nd - Vampire REX is a colorful mashup between a variety of stories and motifs, including anime characters, the Inquisition, vampires and a couple of other elements that wouldn’t technically belong together. However, once the bullets start flying and you have to concentrate your entire attention on the keyboard, all of the previously mentioned things fade in the background.

As such, the entire plot revolves around a war between the Inquisition and vampires, somewhere in an alternate universe. Your role is to gain recognition in this war, by killing as many foes as you can and improving your powers significantly along the way. Not only that, but you also get to find out how this war ends and whether you made any difference at all.

The game comes with a few interesting gameplay mechanics that dictate the pace of the action. As such, your character can oscillate between two different energy types and thus absorb enemy attacks of a certain color. In essence, it is all about managing this gimmick in order to receive as little damage as possible, otherwise you start losing lives and you have to restart the entire thing.

Visually, the game may feature the classic vertical shmup interface, but that doesn’t mean it looks bad. In fact, the graphics are quite nice and the special effects make the confrontations look and feel great. The visuals become a lot more striking when you are fighting a boss, because they can take you by surprise with powerful special attacks as well.

In the end, eXceed2nd - Vampire REX may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the game is exactly what shoot ‘em up fans are looking for. Hence, if you are comfortable with the anime culture and you do not mind ludicrous storylines, this is one of the better choices out there right now.