Ikemen Vampire: Temptation in the Dark (Current on 9/2020) -- No Spoiler Review
Ikemen Vampire: Temptation in the Dark (Current on September 2020)
System: Phone
Price: Freemium (Free to play with in-app purchases available, but not required)
Voice Acting: Partial (Japanese)
ESRB Rating: M (17+)
Overall Rating: Stole 7.5/10 ♥s
Pre-Game Perception: A comedic take on famous Europeans that MC has to try to fend off, but ultimately falls in love because vampires.
Morning-After Reflection: A game about learning to live life without regret, while a completely normal woman somehow manages to light the way for ridiculously brilliant men.
Story: “A chance encounter in the Louvre leads you into a mansion full of some of the greatest men from history! But there's a twist...they’re vampires! And they're out for blood. Your blood.
Can you survive a month living under the same roof as these deadly handsome men? Or will you give into temptation?”
MC: I’m not sure if we’re getting away from the blank, self-insert MC in phone games, or if Cybird just likes to give you something to work with, but this MC is another one with personality. She doesn’t have a name, you have to enter one in. Hint: She’s Japanese, despite it telling you you start in France, MC identifies herself as a Japanese citizen if that matters to your naming choice at all. I picked a very European name, then found out MC was Japanese and made this face : \
Okay, now that that grievance has been aired, back to the MC and game! MC still has little to no personal background, no mention of friends or family except maybe once or twice to consider that there are people she cares about. She does, however, have a job, and a hobby that doesn’t revolve around cooking or cleaning. A nice change from what we’re typically given to work with. Most women come with cooking and cleaning pre-installed. I guess this one does too, but it’s just a background program and not integral to her core personality. She also seems pretty intelligent, for an otome heroine, that is. I’d love to have a game with a geeky girl that knows more than the men in her life, alas, I don’t think that’ll come anytime soon. And in this game, I’m not sure that would really be possible, since, ya’ know, most of the LIs are brilliant. There certainly are still times she goes blank in the head because a complicated subject is just too intellectual for her, but I can forgive that. Not everyone knows everything.
If I were to age the MC, I’d say she’s at least mid-20s, though I tend to consider her late-20s just because I want one a little older since they don’t give any clear clues to her age. She has been working for a while. Her reasoning and choices typically reflect mature thought, and not teenage rashness. And she doesn’t enflame when looking at one of the very attractive men in the game. Yes, she still blushes from time to time, but this is a more adult-themed game and it isn’t unreasonable to blush at some of the content.
Oh! I didn’t even cover that she isn’t voiced, doesn’t have a sprite, but appears in about half of the CGs. Plus, she has a face! Goodbye eyeless MCs. Hello fully conceptualized women. MC’s height is a bit harder to pin down. I’d estimate somewhere around the average 5’3” mark based on CGs and how some dudes tower over her.
Likability Rating: Yu. I like the older, more grounded MC with characteristics that step outside the typical otome self-insert.
Plot: So… there are vampires, ‘kay? And there are all these famous men from history, like Vincent Van Gogh, Napoleon Bonaparte, and William Shakespeare. And those dudes are the vampires. And I guess they’re all just chilling in this mansion because they’re all supposed to be dead, and now they’re not, so they’re living the best second life they can. That’s… basically it. I mean, there is more story to it, but that’s the basics. So, you, as the MC, are doing tourist things as a tourist in France, and some sauve-ass gentleman comes up and makes you weak in the knees, and then disappears. Unrelated to the disappearance of Mr. Eyef*ck, you find an odd door and for some reason decide to wander around a possible storage closet in the Louvre, and you time-travel to a mansion full of vampires. Like, what is even happening in this story? I guess it’s not the weirdest game I’ve played; and I claim I don’t need a big believable reason to date some dudes, just a reason, and that is what I got here.
Since it’s a phone game, after you play the prologue (which reveals everything in the paragraph above and then a bit more), you are then sent to a character select screen to choose your man. The story pretty much diverges from there. The goal is the same for every route, survive until you can go back home in a month’s time, with some romancing to go along with it. Every LI has his own plot, and it seems like there might be an overall story the writers are trying to get at; however, there are only a few routes released right now and not enough similarities drawn between what’s out to fully theorize what is going on beyond the individual routes. I think I have an idea, but not enough evidence to support it.
Point is, every route is different enough that they’re all worth a shot. Knowing that the end goal is the same for everyone can make it feel samey, but it certainly isn’t the same story.
Replayability Rating: ★★★★☆ I’d play all routes. In fact, I did. Not too samey, but same general story development and progression.
Love Interests: This is strictly a phone game, and the way most phone games work is you start in a prologue where all the LIs are introduced, though some not directly to the MC, then there comes some sort of dramatic conflict, and you go to a choice screen to pick whatever dude you’ve determined to be devoured by. Well, that last part may be a little more apt in this case than most other games. Point is, you pick your LI route and then continue the story from there. Currently (September 2020), there are only six of the twelve advertised guys available for your choosing pleasure. Eventually, I’ll do a review on the other six, but it’s roughly a four to five month lull between the gift of pretty men to which we can feast on, meaning it will be a good long while before Ikemen Vampire part deux comes out from me.
There are two endings per LI, a Romantic and Dramatic Ending. You must complete the full story each time separately to read each ending. How to play this phone game will be explained further in the UI/Mechanics section. I have only done one ending per character, so far. There is no recommended order, as nothing is really spoiled by doing any one guy before the next. I feel I must express how much creative freedom was taken with this game. These men are merely names from history, with a few historical facts thrown in, but largely designed to be romantic interests to someone who has the barest of knowledge about them. If you’re a history buff, this game probably would annoy you, since it doesn’t appear to be close to true to character. That being said, I suppose hitting up the LIs in order of introduction to the MC would be the easiest way to manage what man you’ll be allowing to manhandle you.
That starts us off with Napoleon Bonaparte, and boy does he manhandle you. The moment you’re thrown into this crazy vampire house, he curiously eyes you up and down and then forces you behind a curtain. I was half hoping for some steamy action, but his motives appear to be heading in a different direction. Then things get weird. I mean, they’re already weird, but skipping past the prologue and what his intentions were, it becomes some odd game of “is it hot or not?” He’s an unintentional charmer, constantly bringing you in just by existing, but then attempting to put distance between you two because he didn’t mean to be the flame you’re drawn to. He’s super serious and somber, but also genuine. I rather liked the way he was drawn, they gave him this piercing gaze that looks like he’s constantly studying you when his sprite just stares.
As much as Napoleon accidentally charms you, Arthur Conan Doyle does it on purpose. Here is your flirt character. Constantly. Aggressively. Womanizing. If those words appeal to you, go at him, he’ll let you. I’m not entirely sure why the MC continues to approach Arthur in his route, but she does, and eventually you get a glimpse into something fragile that might kick in those protective instincts. It’s a fun route, since you’re romancing a playboy. And for people that enjoy making an honest man out of someone like Arthur, you’ll probably like it much the same. I didn’t dig the MC as much in this route as others, but what can you do? It was okay, overall, and I liked the puppy dog eyes that he can give.
And then you have Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who is nothing like the previous two. He doesn’t even want to chance coming close to touching you on first meeting. Swell first impression, amirite? If you pick this path, at least someone pushes you two to somehow interact. Once you have a reason to keep seeing this cold, aloof, recluse, the reasons don’t stop coming and you’re practically inseparable. It really is a cute route, because Mozart is a cute little angry boy. He reminds me of a certain green-haired hacker in another game, just much, much, much prettier. Those god damned purple eyes and the perfectly placed beauty mark right below one. The MC in Ikemen Vampire notices just how pretty Mozart is as well, so she’ll remind you. I found the route funny and sweet. Would Mozart again.
I had high hopes for Isaac Newton, judging from his introduction in the prologue. Not a great way to start off a LI review, I know. I had high hopes, and they weren’t really met in Isaac’s route, but that doesn’t make it bad. Have I said how I like awkward smartbois? Isaac is exactly that archetype. He’s incredibly awkward. He’s incredibly smart. He’s great, imo. The MC, unfortunately, just wasn’t a good match for Isaac. She constantly tuned him out when he started talking about something he was passionate about, and she was more concerned with getting him out of his shell than, you know, letting him just be the adorable genius he is. It almost felt like the writers wanted MC to fix Isaac. But I don’t think he needed to be fixed. I liked him just the way he was. The route is still worth a go. It just feels a little more cobbled together than the smooth pavement of the others.
Time to take a break with Vincent Van Gogh. Don’t worry, no ears are lost in this route. Portrayed as a gentle angel, he instantly attempts to befriend you, even before the owner of the mansion does. There’s a lot of talk of sunflowers and sunshine, and that’s pretty much what Vincent’s route is like. It was a quick romance, probably quicker than any other, and I tend to not care for those. It also highlighted a certain future LI that I’m practically dying to play, but that’s not here, nor there. The overall route felt kind of slow and just too mellow until the end, to me. But, if you want golden-locked, genki men, Vincent is the one for you.
Last, but certainly not least, we have Leonardo Da Vinci. His meeting in the prologue made the biggest impression of me, and it would appear to be the same with the MC. He is, so far, my favorite of the bunch. Do him. I found his interactions with the MC fun and amusing. I could hear his voice in my head everytime he popped into the scene. I like how his story also included most of the mansion’s other residents; they didn’t just disappear once you weren’t on their route, like they tend to in other LI routes. Do him. Leonardo is the type of man I would want to romance if I was stuck in a mansion full of vampires. :heavy breathing: He also has a mature air about him; coupled with other aspects of his route, this was the one designed for someone with me in mind. Do him.
Boy Crazy Rating: 87%. I didn’t dislike a single route in this game, and enjoyed my romances with all these historically inaccurate men. Would husbando most.
Romance: Yes. . . . . . . . . . . What? You mean I can’t just leave it at that? Alright, alright. :rolls up sleeves: Ikemen Vampire is the romance of romance games that I’ve played, so far. It may not sound like much; 30 days to survive, surrounded by vampires, in the past where electricity isn’t commonplace, assaulted by plots and drama, and on top of all of that, you just want some of these famous men to “enlighten” you. Where’s the time for sweet words, relationship building, and romantic moments? All over. The MC constantly consults her feelings on each LI’s route, recognizing that she has fallen in love, and trying to figure out what the best course of action would be due to their circumstances. Ya’ know, human and vampire, future and past, time-limited romance. Every once in a while we get the LI’s point of view in the main story, and they typically have equally fallen in love with MC. There almost always is a “date” part of the story. And it isn’t difficult to get enough points through choices to get the letters that are offered for free after certain chapters, which give a little more insight into the currently chosen LI’s mindset. It isn’t a fluffy, slice of life, first time in love romance. It’s an adult, sometimes the right decision is not the one wanted, chest-tightening romance. And this is what I eat up. This is what quenches my thirst. I’m a twisted-romance vampire. Or a twisted romance-vampire. Why not both? Both is good.
Heart Palpitation Rating: B+. I laughed. I cried. I felt some feelings. Actually, I lied, I didn’t cry, but it is some good sh*t.
Spice: :checks out the ESRB rating: M? Yep, M. This is certainly a M title. Now, I’m a free to play player, and there are some downfalls to being a f2p player. One of those is that we don’t get the super erotic “romantic” stories that are offered for premium currency. That’s not to say that this title doesn’t bring the heat. I’ve felt that ghost pepper burn in the main, free story. It doesn’t compare to the carolina reaper that is offered for those willing to pay, but it is spicy. (Heat index may be exaggerated because I couldn’t think of any other peppers besides these two and the super mild jalapeno.)
There are shirtless men, and some routes contain some mildly lewd scenes where it is never implicitly stated that a penis penetrates MC, but some -ahem- colorful language or metaphors are thrown around. I recall one scene, which might have been a free event story, where MC’s breasts were exposed on a terrace and the LI went to town before they went back to their place for the f*cking. It gets hot, guys and gals. And I don’t know why, but those moaning and grunting sounds spelled out kinda get me. No moaning and grunting sounds are voiced. This is probably the raciest free title I’ve played. I can’t even imagine how far stories go that you pay premium currency for.
Cold Shower Rating: Pass! I certainly needed it a time or two. That flush goes more places than just my cheeks.
Angst: With so much going for it, I guess it isn’t a surprise that Ikemen Vampire also brings the angst. It certainly isn’t an angst-filled game, but there is plenty o’ drama to keep our llama happy. You’ve got these vampire men, and this one, goodhearted woman, who somehow warms every single one of them up to the thought of loving a human, who they might hurt just by being around. Bittersweet love. Plots that involve each LI’s past. No one is particularly broody. But there are physical altercations in most routes. Get you some violence to top it off. It’s an angsty game.
Drama Llama Rating: 6/10. The drama llama is mildly pleased, you may approach, but don’t engage. How can you have vampires without angst to some degree?
Voice Acting: I get it, hiring seiyuus is expensive. Voice acting is costly. We should be happy with something as it is better than nothing, right? I… actually agree. Cybird pulled some big names into this game, and I’m surprised they’re on the list for a free to play game. I typically say I would rather no voice acting over partial, but not in this case. Even though it is barely considered partial, some of the seiyuus are numbered among my favorites, so just hearing their voices for a line or two pleases me greatly. And that’s all you really get, one or two lines. You can replay your favorites by using their cards for your home screen or through battles, which is what I do. Notable mentions include Kenjiro Tsuda and his sexy-smooth, lazily arrogant manner of speech for Leonardo Da Vinci. Daisuke Hirakawa for that poetic, singsong way he fires off romantic lines as William Shakespeare (route not currently out). And Ryohei Kimura being perfect for Arthur Conan Doyle’s teasing, English playboy drawl.
Expression Rating: Ryo. Too few lines to base a solid rating on it, but good choices for characters, imo.
Art: This is a beautiful game. I’m a bit jealous that a free phone game was given this level of art and care, tbh. Each sprite pretty much has one set of clothing, though sometimes event stories add additional wardrobe changes during those events. Of course, there is also the partially nude sprite, and they have nipples (just an fyi). They get a few expression changes, as well-- sprites, not just the nude ones. I’ve snapped a few pictures of my favorite guys in other event outfits, but they aren’t up to par with what I’d want for a background picture. They just are part of my collection for me to drool over later.
Still Picture Rating: ★★★★☆ Many attractive men. Such drool. Very singular pose and outfit.
CGs: The CGs for Ikemen Vampire are pretty good. Most of the art for the game that is advertised are CGs from events, promotional designs, and a few from the actual story. I’m not sure if there are better CGs if you pay for the racier stories, but I’m not collecting CGs in this game since there’s no way to actually enjoy them outside of looking at the album. That’s rather normal, yes, but I can’t make them background pictures in the game like I can with other phone games. They’re very nice CGs, with dramatic poses that give a lot of information on what is going on without having to have the story explained to you.
Look at this Photograph Rating: 83%. Good photos for telling a story, but nothing I’d revisit outside of the game for fapping reminiscing purposes.
UI/Mechanics: Here comes the most detailed part of the review. The game pretty much tells you how to play it with tutorials everywhere inside the game. But before you dive in, if you want a run down, here’s the deal:
If you’ve never played a phone game, let me lay down some tracks so you can figure out how Ikemen Vampire works. To start, it’s free. No need to pay for anything unless you want to. There are options to buy gems, or diamonds, or whatever the premium currency in this game is called, in order to then buy other items that can improve your gaming experience. I have not paid for anything so far and have played for roughly six months. You can gain gems through various means in-game, like daily log-ins, (rarely) secret dates, and placing in events. The other currency is gold. This comes from battles, both winning and losing, daily log-ins, sending greetings to friends, and I’m sure there are other ways that I’m not currently thinking of. Also, this is a chapter ticket game, meaning you get five free tickets a day that do not stack with any other day, and replenish at 5am PST. With those 5 tickets you can read one full chapter a day; there are 27 chapters per route, all chapters have five parts, hence the five tickets = one chapter. But wait, there’s more!
This is also a dress-up game, a gacha game, and an energy game. This is where those battles come in. You get cards that you add to your deck (two cards only) and for 20 energy you ghost battle other players (really, you just hit a button and it does it for you). But where does the dressing up come in? Well, your beauty score (easy to think of as strength for battles) is determined by the amount of beauty you have on all items owned by you and in your closet, you do not have to wear them for them to up your strength. This strength is added to your card strength, and if your strength is higher than your opponents, you win. Why does this matter? Heh, I’m getting to that. So, you build your beauty, to battle for intimacy, with energy, and gain gold as well. While playing through your chapters, there will be intimacy challenges, and avatar challenges. In order to pass an intimacy check-point, you just have to have more intimacy than required. In order to pass an avatar check-point, you have to purchase the dress-up item with gold or gems (premium currency).
It seems all rather complicated, but isn’t once you understand how it works. Just log in a few times a day to spend your energy on battles, and read your chapters, and that’s how easy it can be. Eventually you’ll have enough of a beauty rating that you don’t need to even screen opponents in order to find the best to win against. I’m at that point. It’s been a good month or more since I even cared if I would lose a battle, and I don’t typically lose.
For those that have played phone games before: the UI and mechanics are pretty simple. Once you learn how to navigate the menu, everything is laid out in an easy to access manner. It doesn’t take much time to load anything, so pages are pretty quick. And the menu will pretty much tell you if you have anything you haven’t looked at yet.
What’s this button do? Rating: B. Probably one of the easiest for first timers, due to the massive amount of tutorials it throws at you. Easy to figure out once you explore a bit.
Errors: It’s actually really well translated. I catch a grammar or punctuation error every now and then, and there are coding errors where special characters show up with the ‘?’ between the letters because the game doesn’t know what something like a ‘ç’ looks like in the text. But overall, it’s pretty well done. I don’t think I’ve seen any actual spelling errors, and nothing that made me stop to try to figure out what was supposed to be conveyed through the text.
Here there be Bugs Rating: Pass. Even less than the usual expected creepy crawlies. Not perfect, but easily earning a passing grade.
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