Created by developer and voice actor Cyrus Nemati and the company he founded, Little Bat Games, Vampire Therapist takes classic vampires in a brand-new direction: sending them to therapy. Protagonist Sam is an undead cowboy who, thanks to spending time with the Transcendentalists, has discovered the various unhealthy ways vampires think about themselves and is determined to help his bloodsucking brethren.
Vampire Therapist is a story-rich, character-focused indie game that centers around seeing different vampiric clients in therapy sessions, uncovering their cognitive distortions, and ultimately helping them have a happier and more peaceful undeath. Game Rant was only able to play Vampire Therapist for a couple of hours, but its premise combined with its strong delivery thus far suggest the rest of the game could be a real treat for vampire lovers.
Vampire Therapist Gameplay: Calling Out Cognitive Distortions
When creating Vampire Therapist, Nemati worked with licensed therapists to identify and properly define and utilize real-life "cognitive distortions," otherwise known as unhealthy and unproductive ways of thinking. The gameplay centers around Sam meeting various clients and correctly identifying their cognitive distortions to reach the root of their problems. Examples of these include "Nosferatu Thinking" which is also known as black-and-white thinking, vampires "labeling" themselves with unproductive names like "bloodsucker" and "murderer," and clients making "Should Statements" about how they "Should" have accomplished more during their lengthy un-lives.
Bond With Undead Clients
In the preview, Sam first learns about cognitive distortions from his mentor Andromachos, an ancient Greek vampire, and then has a session with his first client, Dr. Drayne. Drayne is a fussy Englishman who's attempting to invent synthetic blood, frequently forgoing necessary things like sleep in pursuit of his goal. Although the preview only features one session with Drayne, there are plenty of intriguing hints that the good doctor has more going on that he's not quite willing to admit yet - including, perhaps, a problem of a distinctly Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde nature.
The game starts fairly simple, with only five distortions to identify, and Andromachos is always present (whether physically or telepathically) to assist and correct the player. This results in a fairly easy start to the game, although it will presumably get more difficult as Sam meets more clients and identifies more types of distortions. The full game promises to utilize more techniques, such as meditation, and the addition of clients with more complex mental health concerns, including but not limited to narcissism and identity issues.
Take a Break to Take a Drink
In between therapy sessions, Sam can also interact with other characters, such as the bartender Crimson and the various patrons of Andromachos' club, mostly mortal goths who don't mind having attractive vampires feed from them. This will occasionally lead to a small mini-game where Sam must choose the right area of each person's neck to drink blood from. It's a fun diversion from the often-heavy therapy sessions, as the goth characters tend to be more light-hearted in their obvious pursuit of Sam contrasted with the all-American cowboy's general unfamiliarity with more sexually open European attitudes. The preview only has one goth couple to feed from, but the full game will hopefully incorporate a few more.
Humor Sharper Than Vampire Fangs
What's most clear from our time with Vampire Therapist is how strong and humorous the writing is. The clever, occasionally dark but always well-thought-out dialogue brings to mind What We Do In The Shadows mixed with a Terry Pratchett or PG Wodehouse novel. It's that kind of comedy where the funny moments often show up when they're least expected, and players will find themselves laughing while also thinking "Wait, did that vampire really just say that?" Even the serious therapy sessions are mixed with highly necessary moments of levity, which prevents the game from ever getting too depressing despite the genuinely heavy and often emotional subject matter (although those moments of pathos are also extremely well-written, especially as Sam remains so understanding and genuinely kind throughout).
What Vampire Therapist does best is acknowledging that its vampiric cast has been around a long time and allowing that - and other common tropes of the vampire genre - to be used effectively for humor. Andromachos can go from casually talking about the modern world to reminiscing about the time his pharaoh ex-partner mummified his pet cat, creating a hilarious moment. At the same time, he blends his humorous historical anecdotes with plenty of insight into the vampires of 2024, from consensual blood exchanges at the club to luxurious "smart coffins" complete with TVs.
A Bloody Lovely Cast
Sam is also a great source of humor, with his frank, refreshing demeanor honed by a combination of his strong cowboy identity, Wild West upbringing, and his 90 years of wandering in nature. There are many laughs to be had in his willingness to accept the surrounding strangeness, such as not interjecting when the Goth couple he intends to feed on suddenly engages in a debate about which figure on US currency is the most attractive. Another good example of this is how Vampire Therapist refers to former US president Dwight D. Eisenhower as "a snack." This open-mindedness also makes Sam a relatable protagonist who players can easily connect with, even though anyone playing this game is probably not a cowboy vampire taking their first steps into the therapeutic profession.
The cast of vampires is great. Players only get to meet a few during the preview, but it's already quite a promising bunch. Nemati voices several of them himself, and he brings his experience voice acting in games like Hades fully to bear. Each is distinct, from folksy Sam to almost too-suave Andromachos to fussy, snappy Drayne. Even more minor characters, like Bert the bouncer or the Goth couple, are well fleshed-out and fun to encounter and exchange words with. Every single character was memorable, and the thought of even more quirky clients for Sam to treat is an exciting one. If what the full Vampire Therapist has to offer is "more of the same," then, based on what was shown off in the preview, it will certainly be a bloody fun experience for vampire fans when the game launches.
