GameXplain reviews single player and multiplayer separately

Hack n' Slash at its sharpest.

Dishwasher: Vampire Smile might easily be the two-dimensional indie equivalent to Itagaki’s 3D take on the classic Ninja Gaiden series. Challenging, frustrating, bloody and at times downright controller-smashing-soul-crushing hard, but like Itagaki’s reincarnation, once the light above the head moment is achieved, one of the most satisfying gaming experiences out there.

If you haven’t played Vampire Smile’s XNA Dream-Build-Play winning predecessor Dead Samurai, don’t worry it’s not needed to fully enjoy Vampire Smile. In fact I skipped the predecessor (not really sure why) and still had a blast from start to finish. Having not played Dead Samurai, I will say I was a little clueless on the events that helped set up Vampire Smile. but while the main narrative fills in the gaps, story ultimately is not why you should play Vampire Smile. Don’t get me wrong, stylistically Vampire Smile from story to art design is one slick game. With its Sin City like visuals and horror themed graphic novel-esque told narrative their is much to enjoy outside the actual game.

But in all hoensty the reason to pick up the sticks in this sleek 2D beat’em up is for the insane amount of depth that is poured into a genre that’s typically associated with button mashing. Like most staples of the hack n’ slash genre, at first glance Vampire Smile does come off as just another run of the mill mash fest. A tactic that can get you through the early parts of the game, but quickly leads to continue screen upon continue screen (there’s a lovely achievement to be earned for us weak sauce reviewers) and a potential controller fling across the room in the latter part of this indie gem. The bliss Vampire Smile evokes comes from learning all the subtle little style nuances that the game affords the player. With each weapon,spell and gun, new combos are thrown into the mix and developing a game plan for when to use each one becomes a rewarding endeavor.

While having a varying repertoire in a brawler is always nice, the single biggest thing that makes Vampire Smile a standout is the unlimited freedom given to the games dash ability. A tap on the right stick in any direction sends your warrior across the screen in an invincible burst of purple smoke. Want to dash to the top of screen? No problem. Want to combo one enemy dash through his counter to other side, grind up another enemy, toss him in the air, dash back to the previous and finish him off with a screen-soaking fountain of blood decapitation? Piece of cake—well maybe not a first, but with a little practice it all becomes second nature.

Vampire Smile offers just the right amount of pulse pumping 2D combo slashing fans of the genre have been yearning. The game is challenging, but multiple difficulties opens up the joy of combat to all. The only real knock against to Vampire Smiles, would be the sometimes lazy and repetitive level design. But with its perfect pacing of action, Dishwasher: Vampire Smile ultimately shines in all its blood soaked glory as an example of just how so much untapped gaming nirvana still lies in the design of gaming’s past.

Twice the carnage, twice the fun.

What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Well for starters Vampire Smile contains two modes for both single and two-player co-op. There’s traditional “story mode” and for the masochistic “arcade mode”— which is all about slaughtering waves of enemies under the constraints of predetermined weapon loadouts. The co-op story mode even presents a third variant on the way the story unfolds containing its own unique twists.

Co-op, either local or over Xbox LIVE holds its own to the single-player experience if not bringing more. Double the players means double the carnage and the symphony of destruction that can be unfolded when two are in unison is blood soaked music to my ears. At times the action can be a little discombobulating with all the artery spraying rampaging onscreen. To balance this the games camera manages the action flawlessly. In co-op the camera does a fantastic job of zooming out to contain everything that is unfolding without limiting any ones vision.

As much fun as Vampire Smile’s 3D hack n’ slash cousins are, the one thing most of them truly fall short of is a great co-op experience. From couch-gaming marathons to XBLA all nighters Dishwasher: Vampire Smile delivers that classic action buddy combo that the genre has sorely been missing.