‘Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire’ Slays
Justin Wood
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Schell Games, renowned for their exceptional Virtual Reality game series I Expect You To Die, has now shifted their focus to the horror-filled escape room genre with Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire. While I Expect You To Die brilliantly blends espionage and escape rooms, it doesn’t delve into the horror realm. As a fan of the series, I’ve always wanted a horror-themed game from Schell Games. And I finally had the opportunity to preview said game at this year’s PAX East.
Schell Games has stepped into new territory while further refining its expertise in Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire. The game sees us take the mantel as a vampire slayer, looking to take down the brotherhood before they can become all-powerful. You have to approach their coffins during the daytime, silently open them, and plunge a stake right through their heart. However, this is a little more complicated than it seems, as too much noise will wake the vampire, who will instantly kill you.
While the story is brooding, gothic, and scary, where Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire really hits its stride is in the incredibly innovative gameplay. At the beginning of each level, you have to reassemble a stone shape that holds a vampire glyph that helps dispel the magic protecting vampires during the day. Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire takes this opportunity to expound on its lore, so there is some interactivity while you learn more about the world and vampires within.
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Once you reassemble the stone glyph, it’s off to the coffin. This is where things get intriguing and terrifying. There are usually some steps to take before opening the coffin. That includes removing heavy metal slabs, which you need to move quietly as they squeak with each movement, followed up by removing the nails. While using one hand to pry the nails out slowly, you MUST use your other hand to catch the nails as they fall because once again, too much noise will mean the horrific vampire awakens and kills you.
After removing the nails and slabs, opening the coffin reveals our goal: the vampire marked to be slain. But first, you must locate its heart, dispel the magic protecting it, and finally plunge the stake deep into the vampire’s heart. One small mistake here will have you succumb to the vampire. It makes for incredibly tense and nail-biting moments, having the vampire slowly almost wake up as you locate the heart or as you pry the coffin open.
Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire manages to shake things up by changing things between each coffin, adding layers of exciting mechanics. It shows that Schell Games knows the VR space and how to push themselves in new and exciting ways. I Expect You To Die was my favorite virtual reality series for the longest time, but after a brief preview of Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire, things have changed. I can’t wait to see what Schell Games has in store for Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire because, so far, they have already shown their masterful experimentation in VR, and it’s only the start.
Categorized:Horror Gaming News
