Vampyr demo first impressions, PS4: ‘impressive player choices, but generic combat’

London. 1918. The city has been overrun by Spanish Flu. A drunk man stumbles along a cobbled street - the moon barely visible through a thick white fog.

Exhausted, he gathers his breath - only for a figure to emerge from the shadows. Within seconds, he's snatched into the darkness and never seen again.

It's hard to imagine vampires being scary after Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. But Vampyr promises to change that.

You play Dr Jonathan Reid. By day he's a perfectly normal and charming practitioner. But by night, he turns into something completely different – a clinical, ruthless spectre who craves blood – feeding off the weak and vulnerable.

Developed by Dontnod Entertainment – the team behind the acclaimed Life Is Strange and middling Remember Me – Vampyr’s gameplay blends familiar Bloodborne-style combat with interaction and player choice.

To hunt targets successfully, Reid has to gather information, seek clues and build relationships. The player can choose whether to develop these relationships or feed on the characters instead - with every choice affecting the overall story.

During interaction a dialogue box pops up at the bottom of the screen, where players choose what to say. If 'seduce' is chosen, Reid leads his prey into an ally before sinking his teeth into their neck.

This is then reported on in the newspapers the next day, much like Hitman Blood Money – a genius touch.

Combat wise, along with the usual medical instruments such as bone saws, Reid also has a pistol to keep his foes at arm's length. This is particularly handy when staving off other lesser vampires who prowl the streets at night in search prey – a quick blast will knock them back for a few seconds.

Although in very early stages, the combat did look at odds with the rest of the game – generic when compared with the impressive player choice system. That said, a clever level-up system and ability tree may help stave off monotony, as feeding off people unlocks different vampire abilities.

Graphically, the game looks stunning, powered by the Unreal 4 Engine. Although London has been recreated with some creative freedom – landmarks are present but streets have not been mapped accurately – the Gothic feel and impressive lighting effects really help bring the city to life.

Even in these early stages character models also look great, despite some lip-syncing problems. Nonetheless, the voice acting is terrific, with Reid's sinister, well-spoken manner proving a particular highlight.