A free Vampire Survivors DLC, Emerald Diorama, was released on April 10, and it brings the world of SaGa: Emerald Beyond to the extremely-popular indie title. While this is not the first time Vampire Survivors has received content inspired by another developer's IP, it is the first time the game has collaborated with Square Enix. Hopefully this is just the beginning of the partnership, though, as it would be incredible to see several other Square Enix franchises find their way into Vampire Survivors.
Vampire Survivors - Emerald Diorama Launch Trailer
Vampire Survivors releases another free expansion pack called Emerald Diorama, adding over 12 new characters, weapons, mechanics, and much more.
Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama DLC, Explained
Vampire Survivors' Emerald Diorama DLC adds more than 12 characters from SaGa: Emerald Beyond to the game, including protagonists Tsunanori Mido and Ameya Aisling, along with a variety of weapons that represent Emerald Beyond's various offensive tools. Things do not end there, though, as the DLC also adds new gameplay mechanics that are inspired by systems that appear in Emerald Beyond. Among those mechanics are Glimmers, which give characters a chance to "spontaneously learn special techniques," and Showstoppers, which give characters bonus stats when they are at critical health.
While some SaGa fans would have been happy simply to see Emerald Beyond characters and weapons appear in Vampire Survivors, the aforementioned unique mechanics elevate the Emerald Diorama DLC considerably. Indeed, the mechanics are wonderful translations of some of SaGa's core gameplay systems, and it would be amazing if future DLCs took a similarly thoughtful approach to translating other Square Enix IPs.
Vampire Survivors Should Continue to Collaborate With Square Enix
No further collaborations between Vampire Survivors and Square Enix are currently confirmed, though Luca Galante, the indie game's creator, indicates that he is definitely open to them. More specifically, Galante notes that he was not given a "menu of IPs" from which to choose at the beginning of the collaboration that led to the Emerald Diorama DLC, though he would "gladly have one of each" if such a menu were presented to him. This is not to suggest that Galante views SaGa as a lesser IP, and he actually indicates that it is the first one he would choose from a hypothetical IP menu, but, rather, the statement makes it clear that he would be happy to bring other Square Enix franchises to Vampire Survivors.
Vampire Survivors and Final Fantasy Could Be a Perfect Match
The Square Enix franchise that players would most like to see turned into Vampire Survivors DLC is almost certainly Final Fantasy. Indeed, it would be such a treat to see some of the series' most-popular characters and weapons appear in Vampire Survivors, and its developer could, undoubtedly, do some truly incredible things with the array of gameplay systems that appear in the various Final Fantasy entries. As examples, perhaps there could be a mechanic inspired by Final Fantasy 7's Materia or one that references the summons that appear throughout the series, though there are certainly many more systems that could serve as the foundation for new gameplay in Vampire Survivors.
A Dragon Quest DLC for Vampire Survivors Could Be Great
While not quite as big as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest is another Square Enix franchise that could make waves if it were to inspire future Vampire Survivors DLC. Once again, this series is filled to the brim with iconic characters and weapons that many fans would surely love to see in the indie game. That said, the Dragon Quest series is not quite as inventive with its mechanics as Final Fantasy and SaGa are, which could put a lower ceiling on what is possible with an associated DLC.
There Are Plenty More Square Enix IPs That Could Inspire Vampire Survivors DLC
Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest are certainly not the only beloved Square Enix IPs, though, and the worlds of Bravely, Mana, and Star Ocean could all make wonderful additions to Vampire Survivors. Perhaps there could even be a King Hearts-inspired DLC, though Disney's involvement with that franchise would obviously complicate matters significantly. Regardless of what ultimately comes to pass, the Emerald Diorama DLC makes it clear that Vampire Survivors is capable of beautifully translating Square Enix properties, and hopefully it will get the opportunity to do so again.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 88 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
- Released
- December 17, 2021
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Luca Galante
- Publisher(s)
- Luca Galante
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- unity
- Genre(s)
- Roguelike
