V Rising was one of my biggest surprises last year, combining several genres I enjoy into one well-designed game. If you have never heard of V Rising, it comes from Stunlock Studios and is a crafting, survival, action RPG with Metroidvania mechanics, where killing bosses grants the player new skills. Combat is challenging, but well-balanced so that you can’t completely outgear it. The current base-building portion of the game is pretty robust, with some clever mechanics, but it can be frustratingly limiting.
All that said, I’ve put over 70 hours into the game and am looking forward to Secrets of Gloomrot, the upcoming free expansion that is going live on May 17. Secrets of Gloomrot adds a massive new zone with two unique areas, filled with polluted valleys and lightning-scorched highlands. Along with the new zone, the entire world is getting a revamp, which means current biomes are getting improvements and changes. The world is also getting unique trading hubs.
For base-building, the expansion will allow players to build upward, adding multiple floors to their castle. The updated building UI will allow for better castle customization, while new crafting stations will expand the different tools available to players.
The expansion adds 13 new bosses and 30 new enemy types, while improving spells and magic so they’re more specialized. New weapon types and legendary weapons are being added to the game, along with new tools for battle.
While it does sound odd that a game in Early Access is getting an expansion, it really is just a significantly sizable update, as the game works toward launch. But at its current price tag, V Rising is one of the best deals out there, if you are a fan of what the game has to offer.
Watch a new gameplay trailer for V Rising’s Secrets of Gloomrot below.
