Become King Dracula's personal vamp-assassin in Vampirium: 1997, an immersive sim Bithell Games are launching into Steam early access soon

Drac attack

Remember the 90s? Oasis were unavoidable, Tony Blair stalked the halls of power, and Dracula sat on the English throne. Wait, what was that last one? Turns out I'm thinking of Vampirium: 1997, a fanged immersive sim Tron: Catalyst and John Wick Hex devs Bithell Games are launching into Steam early access soon.

"You are a descendent of Dracula’s empire, tasked with eliminating his enemies," its blurb reads. "Dracula demands results; the details are yours to figure out. Distract, dispose, or dismember guards. Choose your weapon from items found in each environment. Rely on stealth to keep casualties at a minimum, or forge a path to your target with silver."

So, yep, vampire murderage by clicking tiles and picking dialogue options to infiltrate the lairs of pale toffs who've wronged the neck-munching monarch. Then, when things get bloody, snap decisions as whether to gun down enemies or pick out your finest straw to suck them dry. Not in that way. Well, to be fair I've not played this, so maybe in that way.

In the walkthrough above, Bithell Games boss Mike Bithell runs through a mission to kill a bloke named Zsombor by stealthily sneaking through the vamp's house and carefully taking out the likes of his nosy butler along the way. As with most games which put you in the shoes of a hitman, you've got plenty of choice in terms of approach, so it's your call when you stick to the shadows, pick a louder and more direct path, hypnotise NPCs, or just see if you can catch your target in a ray of sunlight. Completing levels earns extra wrinkles to make them worth relaying and XP to tailor your powers towards your preferred approach.

Possibly in order to get it out into the world as soon as possible given Bithell Games have faced a battle to stay afloat in recent years, Vampirium: 1997's set to launch in Steam early access soon. It'll be built up over the course of an expected two year-ish run to full release, with new locations adding characters, settings and powers. The full version will stick "several new levels" introducing new objects and powers on top of that, as well as increasing the level cap.

If that sounds up your dark and bloodstained alley, you can wishlist Vampirium: 1997 on Steam.