Real Vampires

Real Vampires is a narrative adventure based on Slavic vampire folklore and historical accounts of vampirism. Dr. Łukasz Kozak, whose anthology With Stake and Spade: Vampiric Diversity in Poland inspired the game, leads you through stories rooted in local beliefs, including plague burials and devoured shrouds. You experience these tales from the perspectives of both vampire and folk, and consider who the real monsters are.

Stories and perspectives

The game draws on accounts of fear, death and transformation, adapted in collaboration with cultural experts. Its narrative combines dark humor, eerie poetry and historical depth, with artwork and animation inspired by Slavic art and Monty Python-style absurdism. Undead beings you encounter are frightening, absurd and oddly relatable.

Inverse mechanics

Each level uses inverse mechanics that turn traditional gameplay on its head. You progress through failure, question your actions and see the world from both sides of the stake. Levels can be replayed with their original inverse mechanics.

Surreal mini-games

Across the mini-games, you dig, slice, chew, bake and bleed as you uncover buried truths and challenge your assumptions. Failure is a starting point for greater understanding.