Inside Look - The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing at E3 2012

I find that my emotions about video games can range from “super excited” to “meh.” At a show like E3, you run the risk of sensory overload due to all the flashing lights and “bloop-bleep” sounds coming from every nook and cranny on the showroom floor.

But if you are patient, and look deep, you’ll find what looks like a potential gem. For me, it was The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing by Neocore Games.

Part of the immediate charm about this game is that you’re not playing as the legendary Van Helsing, but rather his son. Van Helsing Sr. has retired and junior is taking up his father’s mantle to fight evil in every form.

Ok, so the gameplay is something that is very familiar to any action/RPG player where you’ll have items to loot from fallen foes as well as potions and spells to manage and upgrade as you progress through the game.

But what does stand out to me is the world itself. Reaffirming that this isn’t your father’s Van Helsing that you’re controlling, you’re battling against abominations of science versus just regular, silly old vampires. That is SO last century. The look and feel of the game retains an “Ye Olde English” tone but adds a dash of steampunk and a pinch of horror.

The action of the game keeps the pace going strong and the variation in enemies keeps things interesting. Character and enemy design is very strong and even though this was an early build of the game, feels very clean and polished.

While the demo we played was for PC, Neocore told us that the game will also be releasing on Xbox LIVE Arcade which immediately made me happy. Don’t get me wrong, I love my PC brethren, but I’ve really become a console guy over the years so that’s my preferred platform.

Yet the bad news is that there is no release date just yet. The studio is taking their time to ensure that the game is polished and that’s better than the alternative so I’m happy to wait to a “when it’s done” timeframe.

Definitely keep an eye out for this title as development continues. I think you’ll be equally impressed. Also check out this teaser trailer to get a see for yourself.