Pixel Conspiracy’s upcoming tactical roguelite combines vampire recruitment, branching classes, castle conquests, and permanent losses.
A developer called Pixel Conspiracy already has my attention by default, but that interest is only reinforced by their project, which goes by the name Vampire Tactics. We are talking about a tactical RPG with some superb pixel art in which you take command of an ever-growing vampire army, capturing castles, unlocking heroes, and developing your minions. It takes the well-worn idea of building up your party between battles and gives it a rather deliciously vampire twist.
The devs describe it as very much inspired by Castlevania. In their recent introduction they also went into some detail about it being the work of two guys who have been developing it over the last two years whilst working full time.
Heroes have their own individual stories and their own signature abilities (e.g., the ability to create different types of vampires). Your ranks can also include hired mercenaries. Units follow branching class paths (a fledgling could become a fast Impaler or a slower, more powerful Nocturion for example). The progression through these paths alters the unit’s appearance, stats and skills.
Combat involves combining abilities, equipping your followers, and taking advantage of enemy weaknesses, while minions you kill in battle are lost for good.
The castle attacks bring variation between runs in terms of layout, encounters and enemy groups. You can encounter traders, have random events, defeat castle stewards and take their lands. The villages around you present further options (to protect the villagers, to exploit them or to harvest them).
For now, that’s all the information available, but I’ll keep a very close eye on this project. Vampire Tactics will launch on PC via Steam (release date TBA). You can keep up to date with its progress and add it to your wishlist on the Steam store page, and below is the reveal trailer.
