The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing

This game has some really creative enemies, clever takes on the source material and some clever bits of banter. However it skirts the line between being a satire of the original source material and trying to be its own sort of serious story. The final boss fight is the best example of this as you get this James bond sort of banter, however you have been trying to save the city from horrifying creatures so it has conflicting moods.

Just got the "final cut" version for the price of a bad sandwitch.

Never played anything from this series before.

It ticks ALL my boxes:

 

It's like Diablo, but far more complex wich doesen't mean it's hard. On normal, with my tanky damage "protector" build, it's the never ending story of me, beating the cr** out of everything moving! (except for some people, i have very mundane dialogue with) 

 

The enemies STAY dead!!! (except for if you want to grind and activate respawning in the options)

 

Music is good to incredible!

 

Unlike Diablo, it's ridiculously funny but also grim and scary.  (...seems unlikely....but remember the movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail...it managed to do the same thing imo )

 

All the environments look great and are full of little secrets that make them feel much more alive, compared to Diablo.

 

Atmosphere is dense at all times and the characters, the writing and the voice acting never let me down.

 

The popculture references, although overabundant, never seemed to me to be shoehorned in.(...the above mentioned final boss goldfinger quote beeing one rare exeption...)

 

subj. rating: good/great (i prefer serious games in general, wich is the ONLY thing, keeping this game from FANTASTIC)        

Played through it some months ago. Have to agree with Ross here. The character building was fine and visually it evokes a good amount of atmosphere, but soundscape, soundtrack, feel of the world and world-building were flimsy. Neither in that respect nor in regards to the story did it leave much of an impression. It also was just a bit too long for my liking and the endless hordes got tiring to fight relatively quickly.

I despise this video game. I've played a *ton* of ARPGs and this is by far my least favorite. The world is dull, the skill trees are terrible, and the skills themselves are nearly useless. Played through the first game with friends and just couldn't take any more. Incredibly slow paced, nonsensical story,  terrible itemization. There is legitimately not one positive in this for me.