From the moment I awoke from my coffin within the moonlit ruins of an old, yet forgotten graveyard, weakened and famished, V Rising drew me into its dark embrace. Developed by Stunlock Studios, this open-world survival game promises a Gothic adventure like no other. Journey with me as I recount my transformation from a feeble fledgling to a fearsome vampire lord, charting the game’s evolution from early access to its blood-curdling full release, with a special focus on the PlayStation 5 experience.

Early Access: The Dawn of Darkness
My initial foray into V Rising during its early access phase was akin to discovering a hidden gem. The potential was evident: a sprawling world teeming with untamed wilderness and ancient secrets waiting to be unearthed. At first, the landscape felt vast yet somewhat desolate, with the gameplay loop of scavenging for resources and battling minor foes laying the groundwork for something greater.
What struck me most was the game’s atmosphere. The Gothic and haunting soundscapes created an immersive experience from the outset. The early game was challenging, with the relentless sun forcing me to navigate through shadows, and scarce resources making every find feel rewarding.

The Final Release: Emergence of a Masterpiece
With the full release, V Rising blossomed into a rich, multifaceted experience. New regions where added, each with its own unique challenges and lore. The developers poured their souls into expanding the world, adding depth to the story and richness to the gameplay. The PlayStation 5 version brought a new level of polish and immersion, making the experience even more enthralling.
Gameplay: A Dance of Predation and Survival
V Rising’s gameplay is a delicate balance of predation and survival. Starting as a vulnerable vampire, you must hunt for blood to sustain your powers. The thrill of stalking prey at night, the strategic retreats into the shadows during daylight, and the constant need to evolve kept me on edge. Crafting and building mechanics are intricate and deeply satisfying. Constructing my vampire castle, complete with ominous spires and hidden chambers, felt like bringing my dark fantasies to life.

Crafting is everything, well to me it was
In V Rising, crafting is key to your survival and growth as a vampire lord. You start by gathering basic resources like wood, stone, plant fibres, and animal hides to craft essential tools, weapons, and armour. Early on, you’ll build simple structures like bone shelters and wooden palisades to protect yourself.
As you progress, you’ll upgrade to stone structures and construct specialized rooms such as workshops, alchemy labs, and storage rooms. Essential crafting stations like sawmills, furnaces, workbenches, and alchemy tables allow you to produce advanced items and materials.
Resource management is crucial. You’ll need to farm, hunt, gather, and mine to sustain your base and expand your territory. Establish outposts, build defensive structures, and even raid enemy bases to gather valuable resources.
Advanced crafting includes enchanting weapons and armour, tailoring advanced clothing, engineering complex mechanisms, and brewing powerful potions. Efficient crafting and strategic resource management will transform your base from a simple shelter into a formidable vampire castle, ensuring your dominance in the world of V Rising.

V Rising Skills Trees: Mastering the Dark Arts
In V Rising, skills play a crucial role in shaping your vampiric powers and combat prowess. The game features a diverse array of abilities divided into different skill trees, allowing you to customize your playstyle and adapt to various challenges. Here’s a look at the skill trees and how they enhance your experience as a vampire lord.

Blood Magic focuses on healing and utility spells, allowing you to sustain yourself in battle and manipulate enemies.
Unholy Magic centres on debuffing enemies and summoning undead minions to aid you in combat.
Illusion Magic specializes in deception and crowd control, using illusions to confuse and control foes.
Chaos Magic excels in dealing high burst damage and applying various debuffs to enemies.
Frost Magic focuses on slowing and freezing enemies, providing excellent crowd control options.

Let’s be honest: having a vast array of skills doesn’t mean you’ll use every single one. It’s important to choose the skills you prefer and stick with them, or take some time to experiment with different skills to see which ones are most effective for each boss fight.

Multiplayer in V Rising: Unite, Compete, Conquer
In V Rising, multiplayer is a thrilling mix of cooperation and competition. Join forces with friends to build, fight, and conquer together. Form or join clans for epic wars over territory and resources. Test your skills in PvP battles, raid enemy bases, and trade with other players. Events and challenges offer rewards and prestige. Multiplayer in V Rising is your chance to unite, compete, and carve your legacy or die.

PS5 Controls: A New Level of Immersion
Navigating the world of V Rising on the PS5 is a seamless experience. The DualSense controller’s responsive and intuitive design makes it easy to manage your inventory, track quests, and navigate the vast game world. The user interface is clean and well-organized, ensuring that even in the heat of battle, you can quickly access the tools and abilities you need.
However, there are some areas where the control scheme could use improvement. Currently, there are two camera options: the first involves using and holding R2 down along with the right analog stick, and the second requires holding the triangle button and then using L2 and R2 to control the camera. Combining the camera and targeting into one control scheme via the right stick, with panning controlled by R2, would greatly enhance the user experience.
I’ve also considered the option of implementing a lock-on system by pressing down the right analog stick. While it might seem like it makes the game easier for some, it would enhance targeting and help you stay focused on the enemy, allowing you to concentrate more on survival.
Story and Lore: A Tapestry of Dark Histories
The narrative in V Rising is masterfully woven into its world. As I explored the world, I uncovered pieces of vampire history and lore. The environmental storytelling is superb, with every location hinting at past tragedies and forgotten battles. NPC interactions and lore items scattered throughout the game world provide depth and context, making the story feel personal and compelling.

Visuals and Graphics: A Gothic Masterpiece Enhanced
Visually, V Rising is a feast for the eyes, and the PS5 takes it to another level. The Gothic aesthetic is rendered with stunning detail through Cel shading, from the eerie glow of moonlit nights to the foreboding shadows of ancient structures. Each region is beautifully designed, with lush forests, misty swamps, and desolate ruins creating a world that feels alive and immersive. The enhanced graphics of the PS5, including ray tracing and higher-resolution textures, make the world even more breathtaking. The character models and animations are fluid and lifelike, adding to the overall sense of immersion.
PC players, your version of the game may still hold the edge over the PS5 version, but having a console edition allows Stunlock to focus on refining and optimizing the game’s performance. While PC players can adjust graphical settings based on their hardware, console users benefit from a consistently smooth experience, based on console limitations.

Sound and Music: The Symphony of the Night
The sound design in V Rising is nothing short of exceptional. The ambient noises, from the rustling of leaves to the distant howls of wolves, create an eerie atmosphere that keeps you on edge. The music, with its haunting melodies and dramatic crescendos, perfectly complements the game’s dark tone. The voice acting, though sparse, adds a layer of authenticity and depth to key characters. On the PS5, the 3D audio capabilities further enhance the experience, allowing you to hear the subtle nuances of the environment, adding to the immersion.
I used Sony’s proprietary earbuds, the Sony Pulse Explore, and the soundscape was phenomenal—everything sounded exceptional. It could have been the earbuds, but I also used the Samsung 11.something soundbar with Dolby Atmos, which further elevated the sound experience.

Updates and Community Engagement: A Collaborative Triumph
One of the most impressive aspects of V Rising is the developers’ commitment to their community. Throughout the early access phase, Stunlock Studios listened to player feedback and continuously refined the game. Each update brought new content, balanced gameplay mechanics, and addressed community concerns, fostering a strong and loyal player base. The PS5 version benefits from these updates, offering a refined and polished experience right out of the box.

Conclusion
V Rising is a triumph of game design, blending survival, action RPG, and Gothic horror elements into a cohesive and captivating experience. From its atmospheric visuals and immersive sound design to its engaging gameplay and rich narrative, the game offers an unparalleled journey into the world of the undead. The PlayStation 5 version elevates this experience with enhanced graphics, immersive audio, and the innovative use of the DualSense controller.
If you have ever dreamt of walking in the shadows, commanding dark powers, and carving out your legacy in a beautifully haunting world, then V Rising is your ultimate adventure. Embrace the night, rise to power, and let your dark saga unfold.
I don’t emphasize this enough, but sound can truly make or break a game. Just like gameplay, visuals, story, presentation, and performance, it’s a crucial aspect of the overall experience. For me, the game not only stood out visually and in terms of gameplay, but with a good sound system setup, the experience was elevated even further. It’s like being treated to a vampire buffet with perfectly timed blood-curdling moments to sink your teeth into.
V Rising Trailer

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V Rising is now available for PlayStation 5, and you can choose from three distinct packages to suit your preferences and budget. Here are the details:
1. Standard Edition

2. Legacy of Castlevania Edition

Contents:

The base game.
Castlevania Collective DLC.

3. Complete Edition

Contents:

All items from the Castlevania pack.
Additional content and DLCs.

Note:

If you can only afford the base game for now, all the DLC from all the packs can be purchased separately at a later date.

Written by me, edited by Natalie Thomas