10 Must-Try Games Like Vampire Survivors for Endless Horde‑Slaying Fun

Vampire Survivors carved its niche in the gaming world with its hypnotic blend of minimal controls, frenetic action, and bite-sized runs. If you're hooked on that bullet-hell, auto-shooter formula, then you're in for a treat. This curated list highlights ten titles that capture the essence of Vampire Survivors—each adding its own twist to the genre.

1. Brotato

Released in 2023, Brotato is a fast-paced top-down shoot‑’em‑up roguelite starring a spud protagonist—and yes, it really is a potato. You choose from several unlockable potato characters, each with unique stats and starting attributes. As you battle through waves of ever-increasing enemies, you gather materials to upgrade both your attributes and an arsenal of weapons. While attacks are auto-fired by default, you can opt for manual aiming for added control and strategy. Originally in Early Access, the game has sold over a million copies and now supports multiplayer across platforms—from PC and mobile to Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.

2. Halls of Torment

Think Diablo meets Vampire Survivors—this roguelike blends gothic isometric visuals and '90s RPG aesthetics with horde‑survival gameplay. In 30‑minute runs, you navigate beautifully pre‑rendered, hellish environments, weaving between hordes of enemies, mini‑bosses, destructible terrain, and occasional chest rewards. Surviving till the end pits you against a powerful “Lord,” and defeating them grants new abilities and permanent upgrade items via a well—adding both short‑term tactics and long‑term progression. You can auto‑attack or wield direct mouse/joystick control. With multiple characters to unlock and strategic choices built into every run, Halls of Torment delivers both complexity and replayability.

3. 20 Minutes Till Dawn

A roguelike shoot‑’em‑up crafted by indie developer flanne, 20 Minutes Till Dawn offers a darker, more thrilling spin on the formula. Instead of auto‑attacks, players manually aim their shots, or use an auto‑target override—adding dual‑stick shooter elements. Each run lasts 20 minutes unless you beat the final boss early. Gems dropped by enemies act as both experience and currency, unlocking upgrades mid‑run, while post-session, you spend gems to unlock new characters, weapons, and runes. Modes include Standard, Quickplay (10 minutes), and Endless, with adjustable “Darkness” difficulty levels for veterans. Released in 2023, the game is available on PC, macOS, Android, and iOS—earning an overwhelmingly positive response for its tense, immersive mode and satisfying loop.

4. HoloCure – Save the Fans!

A free, fan-made roguelike developed in 2022 by Kay Yu, HoloCure merges Vampire Survivors gameplay with the world of Hololive VTubers. With 47 playable VTuber characters (and counting), each run puts you in control of iconic personalities, facing waves of enemies while earning items, abilities, and upgrades. Initially released on itch.io, it swiftly became a hit—so much so that leaderboards were disabled due to overwhelming traffic. The Steam version followed with official backing, and critics have called it “the best Vampire Survivors imitator,” praising its balance of charm, polish, and deep gameplay loops.

5. Spellbook Demonslayers

Spellbook Demonslayers offers a magic‑tinted take on the genre. Instead of guns or auto‑attacks, your primary weapon is a spellbook, unleashing spells that synergize and evolve during the run. It’s a game where flashiness meets strategy—unlock powerful incantations, find relics, and chain combos dynamically. Crafted for a mobile-friendly interface, it’s visually clean and addictive, with a satisfying rhythm of upgrades that keeps each session compelling.

6. Boneraiser Minions

Here’s where necromancy gets twisted into bullet‑heaven fun. In Boneraiser Minions, you play as a necromancer commanding skeletal minions to fight hordes for you. Combining humor, strategy, and horde‑survival, this title adds a layer of indirect gameplay—you're managing a growing army, rather than blasting enemies yourself. Fans highlight the quirky tone and mastery needed to balance summons, offensive spells, and pacing across runs.

7. Soulstone Survivors

Imagine a glossy, 3D twist on Vampire Survivors mechanics, with multiple classes, crafting, and build combos. Soulstone Survivors upgrades the formula by offering enhanced visuals, strategic depth, and customization. Players can choose from various classes and explore builds that combine abilities, gear, and crafting systems—all while battling waves of enemies. It’s beloved for its polish and accessible yet deep loop.

8. Spirit Hunters: Infinite Horde

This one emphasizes tactical positioning and deliberate aiming. A hybrid between bullet‑hell and strategy, Spirit Hunters demands spatial awareness—position yourself to avoid damage, channel spells effectively, and manage cooldowns. The spellcaster mechanics add a satisfying layer, rewarding thoughtful play and precision over frantic button-mashing.

9. Army of Ruin

For players craving flamboyant magic in their horde‑survival fix, Army of Ruin delivers. This fantasy-infused title packs vivid visuals, diverse characters, and spell-based combat that feels explosive and grand. It's about unleashing powerful magical attacks and watching numbers soar as enemies fall—a cathartic and high-impact evolution of the genre.

10. Ocean Keeper: Dome Survivoal aka Codename: Ocean Keeper

This gem stands out with its underwater-meets-roguelite twist. You pilot a robotic spider exploring depths filled with sea monsters and ancient tech. Procedurally generated environments guarantee fresh runs; you collect upgrades and treasures to customize your build. Its combination of survival, exploration, and customization offers a unique flavor within the genre.

Why Battlefield 6 Might Finally Outshine Call of Duty

The FPS genre has been ruled for years by one titan — Call of Duty. Known for its fast-paced gunplay, cinematic campaigns, and annual releases, CoD has kept millions engaged season after season.

But in 2025, the competition is heating up. Battlefield 6—after learning from past missteps—is making a bold comeback. With a focus on massive battles, dynamic class systems, and player-driven experiences, Battlefield 6 might just be the challenger to finally put pressure on CoD’s throne.

Returning to Roots: Gameplay and Mechanics

Battlefield 6 is steering away from the overly arcade-like mechanics that alienated its long-time fanbase. Its modern-class system brings clarity to team roles, reintroducing the strategic interplay between medics, engineers, recon, and assault classes. The Kinesthetic Combat System adds layers of immersion—players can lean around corners, interact with vehicles more dynamically, and revive squadmates with improved animations.

On the other side, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 emphasizes its omnidirectional movement system, allowing sprinting, diving, and sliding in any direction—keeping its hallmark fluidity but leaning even further into hyper-fast engagement pacing.

Gunplay and Combat Feel

Battlefield 6’s weapon handling has been fine-tuned for hitscan precision combined with realistic ballistics, making every shot feel weighty but still responsive. Gun recoil patterns are more readable, while bullet drop keeps long-range firefights skill-based.

Call of Duty maintains its signature fast TTK (time-to-kill), rewarding quick reflexes and map control. However, some players find it less immersive than Battlefield’s heavier, more tactical engagements that emphasize team play.

Scale, Modes, and Player Agency

Where CoD thrives in compact, high-intensity skirmishes, Battlefield 6 goes wide.

• Maps: Massive battlefields hosting up to 64 players (with console parity), enhanced destructible environments, and dynamic weather.

• Portal Mode: Returning in a new form powered by the Godot engine, enabling players to craft custom maps, modes, and even rule sets—effectively letting the community extend the game’s lifespan.

Meanwhile, CoD continues to dominate with tightly designed arenas and more curated, polished mission design, but at the cost of large-scale tactical freedom.

Community Momentum and Player Reception

The hype is measurable. Battlefield 6’s beta peaked at over 521,000 concurrent Steam players, beating CoD’s best at ~491,000. Social media buzz and Google Trends searches for BF6 trailers have been surging since the reveal.

Fans also praise BF6’s grounded tone. While CoD has experimented with over-the-top cosmetics (like the infamous “rollercoaster rifle”), Battlefield has doubled down on realistic aesthetics and atmosphere—an approach resonating with players seeking authenticity.

Challenges & Community Feedback

Not all feedback is glowing. Battlefield 6’s slide-and-glide movement has sparked comparisons to CoD’s “ice skating” mobility, with fans urging DICE to keep movement weightier. Similarly, while destructibility is a major marketing point, early testers note that environmental damage feels inconsistent across maps.

Still, these critiques are being acknowledged pre-launch—something Battlefield fans haven’t always seen in past entries.

Conclusion

Battlefield 6 represents a calculated return to the series’ roots: team-focused gameplay, realism, and epic scale. While it may not dethrone Call of Duty overnight, it’s poised to reclaim significant ground in the FPS war, offering a refreshing alternative for players tired of twitch-heavy arena shooters.

2025 might just be the year the battlefield changes.

FAQs

Will Battlefield 6 feature a battle royale mode?
Yes. It will carry forward a battle royale experience similar to past titles, integrated into the game’s core offerings.

When is Battlefield 6’s release date?
October 10, 2025.

What’s unique about Battlefield Portal?
It’s a robust toolset powered by the Godot engine that allows players to build and share custom maps, modes, and scenarios—greatly expanding replay value.

Ready Or Not Mods: How to Find, Install & Enjoy Them

If you're deep into Ready Or Not and craving more gear, maps, or challenges, mods are where it’s at. Whether you want to boost realism or spice up visuals and sound then Ready Or Not Mods give your tactical shooter experience a whole new layer.

Good news: installing them is way easier than it sounds.

You may also be interested in:

• Explosive & Honest Ready Or Not Review: A Tactical Masterpiece or Overrated Hype?

• Best Loadout for Ready Or Not: Gear Up Like a Pro

• Best Guns and How to Use Them in Ready Or Not

Where to Find Safe Mods

Start with trusted hubs—Nexus Mods is your go-to for quality and safety. Avoid downloading from random sites unless they're endorsed by the community. Look for:

• High ratings and recent updates.

• Clear install instructions.

• Compatibility notes.

Check forums, Reddit, and YouTube reviews to see how others feel about a mod before installing.

How to Install Mods

You’ve got two super simple methods:

Method 1: Manual Installation (Paks Folder)

1. Open Steam → right-click Ready Or Not → Manage → Browse local files.

2. Go into ReadyOrNot/Content/Paks.

3. Download a mod file (usually zipped). Extract the .pak file.

4. Drag and drop it into the Paks folder.

5. Boot the game and you're ready to go!

To uninstall? Just delete the .pak file.

The Mod Menu Button in the Ready Or Not main menu. The easiest way to install Ready Or Not Mods.

Method 2: In-Game Mod Menu (mod.io Integration)

This is by far the easiest way, and it’s built right into the game:

1. Launch the game and click "Mods" on the main menu.

2. Enter your email tied to a mod.io account.

3. Check your email and paste the verification code into the game.

4. Browse mods from inside the game.

5. Click "Subscribe" on any mod you want to install.

6. Restart the game and boom—it’s installed.

You never even have to touch your file explorer!

The Ready Or Not mod authentication popup.

Modding Tips & Troubleshooting

Mods not loading? Game acting weird? Don’t stress.

Quick Fixes

• Disable all mods, then re-enable one by one to isolate issues.

• Run “Verify Integrity of Game Files” in Steam to repair any corrupted installs.

• Read mod descriptions for version compatibility (especially after updates).

Boosting Performance

• Switch between DX11 and DX12 in graphics settings to see what runs better.

• Reduce shadows and post-processing effects if you're getting lag.

• Try enabling DLSS or FSR for smoother frames.

Conclusion

Whether you want to dive into gritty realism or explore mind-bending custom missions, Ready Or Not Mods are your fast pass to deeper immersion and more fun. Use the in-game menu for quick installs, or explore file modding if you want total control.

Now go grab a few, suit up, and command your squad through some epic new scenarios!

You may also be interested in:

• Explosive & Honest Ready Or Not Review: A Tactical Masterpiece or Overrated Hype?

• Best Loadout for Ready Or Not: Gear Up Like a Pro

• Best Guns and How to Use Them in Ready Or Not

How to Build the Most Effective Victoria 3 Army Compositions in 2025

Wanna crush your enemies in Victoria 3 without throwing all your money and peasants at the problem? Army composition in Victoria 3 is more than just spamming infantry or unlocking fancy units. In 2025, with updates, hotfixes, and tweaks to combat mechanics, crafting the right army mix is essential to winning wars efficiently—especially in multiplayer or large-scale conflicts.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about forming the best army compositions in the current meta. Let’s gear up.

⚔️ Why Army Composition Matters in Victoria 3

Whether you're fighting for your nation’s survival or just flexing imperial muscles, how you build your army can mean the difference between victory and a disastrous retreat.

Victoria 3 uses simulated warfare—battles are calculated based on stats, supply chains, and unit synergy. That means brute force alone won’t carry you. If your artillery is under-supplied, or under-manned, your troops will melt like snowflakes under cannon fire.

The Military Overlay In Victoria 3.

🪖 Core Units Breakdown – What You Need to Know

Infantry: Your Army’s Backbone

Infantry are cost-effective, reliable, and crucial for holding the line. They’re the meat shield of your war machine and offer decent offense/defense ratios. Your army needs at least 50% infantry or it will suffer an organization penalty, so it’s a no brainer to have half of your army made up of infantry brigades. They are good defensively, and if you don’t need to launch attacks of your own then having a more infantry heavy army is a cheaper way to hold the line. However, their offense is lacking if you do need to attack into enemy territory, and that is where other unit types come in.

Best Usage:
Use them to soak up enemy damage while artillery dishes out punishment behind them.

Artillery: The Real Damage Dealers

Artillery units bring the pain. They deal massive backline damage and scale well with tech. However, they’re expensive and require logistical support to shine. They are the ultimate support unit for the infantry, especially in the offense, but are very helpful in defense as well. Though they are expensive to field, at least more so than infantry.

Recommended Ratio:

• 1:1 Infantry-Artillery for balanced armies

• 2:3 Artillery-to-Infantry for aggression, but the organization penalty may not be worth it

Cavalry: Niche but Situationally Useful

Cavalry can be good for flanking bonuses or speed-based tactics, but in the 2025 meta, they’ve become niche. They're more useful in low-tech fights or wide-open terrains. While they have much better offense than infantry, cavalry don’t have much staying power. However they can be situationally very useful on fronts without many units and flat terrain. Expensive to field.

Use If:

• Fighting in open plains

• Your nation hasn’t fully industrialized and you need to attack

Your Mobilization options in Victoria 3.

🔧 Mobilization Add-Ons & Enhancements

Your army’s strength isn’t just in its bodies—it’s in its mobilization options. The screenshot from your military tab shows several toggles that boost army performance and sustainability.

Supplies (Food, Ammunition, Rations)

These are your basics—no army can fight on an empty stomach or without bullets. Don’t ignore them. The more supplies you can funnel to your army then the more effective they can be. So if you are a rich country make sure to allocate more supplies to your units.

Supplements (Luxury Rations, Field Kitchens, Alcohol)

Boost morale and reduce desertion. Adds staying power in longer conflicts.

Transportation (Forced March, Trucks, Trains)

Essential for speed and reinforcement rates. Later tech unlocks allow faster mobilization across vast regions. Pro tip: Use trains when fighting across large industrialized regions. Mostly important for very large countries (i.e. Russia).

Medical Support

This add-on directly reduces casualty rates. With the right policies, it can save thousands of lives—and gold.

Support Equipment

Often locked behind tech, these improve battlefield awareness and efficiency. Don’t sleep on them in the late-game. When you do unlock upgrades like machine guns and flamethrowers be sure to utilize them as much as possible… permitted your economy allows for it.

Readiness & Organization

From the UI, you’ll notice two stats:

• Readiness % = Equipment and logistics levels

• Organization % = How prepared the structure of your army is

Aim to keep both at 90–100% before deploying. Mobilizing with low readiness leads to battlefield disasters.

Also keep an eye on the amount of manpower in each of your armies. If an army is constantly in battles it can easily lose men at a faster rate than it can replenish them. You can use the Enlistment Efforts decree in regions with barracks for that army to assist in recruiting more men.

Army Composition in Victoria 3.

🛡️ Top Army Composition Templates for 2025

Whether you're a warmonger or defensive turtle, here are the top meta builds for this year:

Balanced Army (50% Infantry / 50% Artillery)

• Great for all-around performance

• Strong defense with enough punch for most scenarios

• Easy to maintain

• Recommended 95% of the time

Defense-Focused Army (70% Infantry / 30% Artillery)

• Perfect for trench warfare or defending fronts

• Still hard to break and cheaper than a 50/50 composition.

Offensive Army (40% Infantry / 60% Artillery)

• High damage output

• Focused on taking enemy territory fast

• Vulnerable to attrition, so keep supplies high

• Lower organization, so not great at sustaining offensives

• Not highly recommended, but can work situationally

• Kind of a cheese strategy

Colonial Forces (Light Infantry / Less Artillery / Max Mobility)

• Tailored for low-supply areas and jungle warfare

• Less punch, but fast deployment and cheaper upkeep

🏁 Conclusion

Victoria 3 isn’t about brute force—it’s about the perfect blend of unit types, supply chains, tech, and strategy. In 2025’s meta, focusing on a mix of artillery-heavy firepower, infantry sustainability, and mobilization upgrades will lead you to domination.

So next time you prep for war, don’t just recruit blindly. Build smarter, supply better, and march to victory.

Cossacks 3 Review

Cossacks 3 is a 2016 real-time strategy remake of the classic Cossacks: European Wars, developed by GSC Game World. It revisits 17th and 18th-century warfare in Europe with updated 3D visuals, new lighting, and support for mods. In this Cossacks 3 Review, we’ll break down its strengths, shortcomings, and whether it delivers the grandeur fans expect.

Cossacks 3 is a classic RTS focused on 17th and 18th century warfare.

Nostalgia Meets Modernity: Graphics & Atmosphere

From the moment you start a game in Cossacks 3, the revamped 3D engine is evident. Cities, buildings, and unit models receive fresh textures and dynamic lighting, which elevate the sense of scale compared to the original. The animations are smooth, and armies numbering into the thousands march and clash fluidly. Yet, while the visuals breathe new life into familiar terrain, they retain a distinctly old-school RTS vibe—deliberate, functional, and not overly cinematic.

The atmosphere is further enhanced by an immersive soundtrack composed to reflect the historical theme. The music captures the era's grandeur, punctuating dramatic moments with stirring scores that lodge in your memory long after campaigns end.

Overall, in this Cossacks 3 Review, the graphics and atmosphere are a fine balancing act: they honor nostalgia yet feel polished for modern audiences.

Economy & Resource Management

Backed by the resource system taken from the original, Cossacks 3 challenges you to tame six resources—gold, wood, food, stone, coal, and iron—through meticulous planning. Gold, coal, and iron come from mines; food is produced at mills or farms; and wood and stone are gathered conventionally. The catch? Over-harvesting slows your economy, and resource scarcity cripples your war machine—coal and iron are vital for firearms, and lack of food causes famine and troop death.

This approach rewards efficiency: you must balance harvesting, production, and maintenance. It's deeply satisfying when your supply chains hum, but punishing when they falter.

In mid-game, micromanagement becomes intense, especially when juggling large populations. Still, it is important to say in this Cossacks 3 Review that the complex economy remains one of the game’s most compelling features, though daunting for newcomers.

Army Composition & Tactical Depth

The battles get even larger than this in Cossacks 3.

Cossacks 3 lets players create formations with regimented units—36, 72, or 108 infantry grouped with officers and drummers; cavalry form in increments of 40 per unit type. This regiment system rewards strategic choices: infantry on wide lines, cavalry in column charges, or tight squares against mounted threats. Even better it is used automatically when you select units, so there’s no need to spend precious time microing units into formation.

Combat mechanics blend ranged, melee, and artillery engagements. Positioning and line-of-sight matter—cavalry flanks, formations hold ground, and artillery decimates enemy concentrations. According to GameWatcher, this leads to massive battles with up to 32,000 units, delivering grand-scale RTS action.

However, this Cossacks 3 Review must note combat's downside: formations often dissolve into chaos under AI control. That tactical elegance crumbles into a “human meat grinder” at scale. The result is that masterfully arranged troops can fall apart mid-battle.

AI Performance & Controls

Our Cossacks 3 Review finds the AI to be perhaps the weakest link. Both enemy and ally units lack the finesse to maintain formations under pressure. When maneuvering large armies, units commonly veer off their formation or target far away enemies.

Controls too feel dated. Interface elements, while reminiscent of classic RTS, lack intuitive improvements, making unit selection or commanding large regiments sometimes clunky While diehard RTS fans may accept this for nostalgic fidelity, modern players might find the combat experience less polished than desired.

Campaign & Historical Immersion

Each Campaign mission in Cossacks 3 has a historical story to go along with the gameplay.

The main campaign spans several European theaters: Austria, England, Ukraine, Russia, and France, while DLCs add Poland, Prussia, Sweden, Scotland, Turkey, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, Piedmont, Hungary, Bavaria, Saxony, and others. Missions cover famous battles from the age of Pike and Shot like Khotyn and Edgehill, with historically flavored objectives and narratives.

Storytelling is straightforward, but well-paced. Each scenario introduces fresh strategic goals—sieges, defenses, naval engagements—and unfolds in appropriately themed maps, seasonal weather, or terrain. DLCs add unique nation-specific mechanics—Scotland’s “Personal Assistant” AI or winter maps for Prussia/Sweden partying with snow.

Fans of historical RTS will find the depth and variety engaging. However, some critics say pacing and nation-specific impacts feel shallow. Most nations feel the same with only one or two units being slightly different.

Modding & Multiplayer Longevity

True to GSC’s strategy, Cossacks 3 is highly moddable. A built-in editor lets players add maps, units, nations, and new scripted campaigns. The community has produced variety in maps and balance patches, improving the experience over time.

Multiplayer supports up to 8 players, optional alliances, and massive battles

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Granular, large-scale resource & economy management

• Massive battles with thousands of units and rich tactical depth

• Extensive historical content including campaigns and nation variety via DLC

• Full mod support & friendly built-in editor

• Multiplayer is expansive, laid for up to 8 players

Cons

• AI and unit control feel dated—formations break easily

• Tactical complexity becomes unwieldy at larger scales

• Limited narrative variety—missions feel similar over repeat plays

• Community is niche compared to high-profile RTS titles

Final Verdict

Cossacks 3 shines brightest when delivering massive historical campaigns with complex resource systems and regimented battles. For fans of deep strategy and old-school RTS mechanics, its library of nations, modular economy, and grand battles quench nostalgia. Robust mod tools and multiplayer maps extend longevity.

However, AI and control limitations hamper large-scale tactical purity. Where precision is expected, chaos sets in—eroding the satisfying formation dynamics. While some players embrace this as classic charm, others see it as missed opportunity.

If you're drawn to deep historical RTS and can look past some mechanical roughness, Cossacks 3 offers a rich, if imperfect, strategic playground.

Conclusion

In this Cossacks 3 Review, the verdict is clear: it recaptures the grandeur and complexity of 17th–18th century warfare, offering thousands of units, resource-heavy gameplay, and historical flair. But AI breakdowns and formation issues temper the scale’s strategic power. It’s a passionate throwback with room to grow.

Still, those willing to engage deeply, explore mods, and embrace occasional chaos will find Cossacks 3 a compelling strategy experience steeped in historical authenticity.