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My annual Buffy the Vampire Slayer rewatch is in full swing. Call it nostalgia or choice paralysis in the face of newer shows, but something about October always draws me back to the crowded dancefloor of The Bronze. It's a time-honored tradition, hailed by the chill in the air, the thrill of spooky season settling on supermarket shelves and themed cocktail nights, and this year, by its own upcoming revival.
The Buffyverse is slated for a return to the small screen, Bloodlines 2 is about to drop, and the next few years promise two other vamp games (at least). If you told me I'd somehow woken up in 2001, I'd probably believe you. But all these signs have me dreaming of something potentially scene-shattering, something that could someday become the greatest bloodsucking RPG of all time: a Buffy game, this time done right.
Totally wigging
I'll address the elephant in the room first. Despite all my fangtastic hopes and dreams, my Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 review makes no bones about how much of a letdown it was for me. Sadly, The Chinese Room's latest falls flat of every expectation – but that might just be a blessing.
The crown of best vampire RPG ever is still up for grabs. To my mind, there's only one IP that deserves the honor. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is no stranger to game adaptations. I played and loved Chaos Bleeds' nostalgic kitsch when I got my paws on a PS2 copy last year, reveling in how well the Scoobies worked as an action posse, each with their own unique tools. Willow's witchiness makes for fun spellcasting moments, as does Spike's vampiric brawling, and I wasn't prepared for how thrilled I was to step into Buffy's tasteful slaying boots.
By modern standards, Chaos Bleeds isn't without its share of jank and simplicity – I expected no less from a 22 year old beat-'em-up – but it's a shining example of what makes Buffy such a compelling choice for a video game. The characters are iconic, especially since most of the TV cast reprise their roles in Chaos Bleeds, and the town of Sunnydale remains one of the most exciting and strange supernaturally-plagued settings I've experienced in any medium.
Given Bloodlines 2's lack of RPG bite, I think Buffy provides the perfect set-up for a proper roleplaying game where you can actually play a role. Specifically, role playing as one of the vampires.
My Buffy RPG fantasy is precisely that – a fantasy, borne of the bitter pill that is my disappointment with Bloodlines 2.
I know, I know – if I want to play a leather trenchcoat-clad renegade vampire who slays his own kind, I could just be patient and wait for Marvel's Blade.
But how awesome it would be to play Spike himself, maybe during one of the later seasons when he's already in good with Buffy and the Scoobies? I picture it as a third person RPG akin to The Witcher 3, allowing us to get a good look at the man himself as he traipses through Sunnydale (and maybe even Los Angeles for a little Angel crossover?) helping or hindering those he meets as a Geralt-like mercenary. I'd even settle for something set around the 25-year timejumped TV revival if Spike (and voice actor James Marsters, by default) were off the table, getting my teeth into a totally original vampire character to customize and shape for my very own.
I know CD Projekt Red has its plate full enough between its Cyberpunk 2077 sequel and upcoming The Witcher 4, but I can see the studio doing the Buffyverse a world of justice. Especially since once Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale starts its televised run, I imagine there'll be a great many new fans flocking to the series as well as returning ones.
Right now, my Buffy RPG fantasy is precisely that – a fantasy, borne of the bitter pill that is my disappointment with Bloodlines 2. But it's enough to keep a flicker of hope alive for someday seeing the proper, meaty vampire roleplaying game I've been thirsting for since 2005 – at least until The Blood of Dawnwalker quenches it (hopefully in part, anyway).
With so many upcoming RPGs in the works, I guess I'll at least be kept a bit busy until a Buffy game gets announced...
