Poncle announces Vampire Crawlers, Vampire Survivors deckbuilder spin-off
The game, which is scheduled to arrive on Xbox and Game Pass in 2026, will see us explore intricate dungeons and fight the well-known hordes of enemies using customizable decks of cards this time. Despite the gameplay change, we will find the distinctive elements of the series such as the evolution of weapons, treasure chests and the iconic remixed soundtracks, all seasoned with the usual dose of "terrible" irony that distinguishes Poncle's productions.
Unlike classic card games that often impose slow rhythms, in Vampire Crawlers we will be able to decide the approach to the game: we will have the freedom to play tactically and thoughtfully or to unleash chaos at the highest possible speed. The developers have in fact created a system, jokingly called "Action TurboTurn", which will allow us to play the cards in very quick succession without having to wait for the end of the animations, ensuring a frenetic game flow. We will have to move in first person within dungeons structured in a grid, recalling the style of the classic "blobber" RPGs for PC of the 80s, and manage our hands using a combo system that will require us to stack cards according to value, similar to what happens in Solitaire, to maximize its devastating effects.
The founder of the studio clarified that Vampire Crawlers was born as an experiment that began four years ago, with the intention of applying the pillars of accessibility and immediacy of Vampire Survivors to a different genre, removing the frustrations typical of the most cumbersome deckbuilders. It has also been specified that it is to all intents and purposes a spin-off and not a direct sequel: the team is also working on a real sequel to Vampire Survivors, but for the moment the project remains secret. We just have to wait until 2026 to get our hands on this new Poncle madness; In the meantime, here's the announcement trailer!
