Editor’s Note: Vampire Therapist contains mature themes related to mental health and is not suited for all audiences.

I am very picky when it comes to visual novels or narrative-focused games. However, now and then a game will come across my inbox that catches my attention and focus. Vampire Therapist is a game that is probably one of the most unique and impactful things I’ve played all year.

Vampire Therapist is a narrative game/visual novel in which you play Sam Walls, a vampire who has become a therapist for other vampires. Upon invitation, Sam is invited to the home of Andromachos, an Elder Vampire who also has taken on the task of being a therapist. He seeks to teach Sam his ways, guiding him to identify cognitive distortions in his patients.

The interesting part about Vampire Therapist is that it was created by a team that includes actual mental health professionals and uses accurate therapy terminology and processes over the course of gameplay. I want to warn you, however, that Vampire Therapist is not a substitute for actual mental health care or an actual therapist.

The developers at Little Bat Games refer to Vampire Therapist as an Interactive Play, and they aren’t wrong. You can choose specific cognitive distortions to focus on in each of your client’s sessions, helping them unpack their traumas and problems one session at a time.

The entire cast is intriguing and interesting, with character arcs that are well-realized and unique. I found myself growing attached to these characters, empathizing with them despite not being as old as they are. The concept of unpacking centuries’ worth of trauma and baggage is fascinating, and I’d love to see the developers do more with the characters and world here.

There is also humor in Vampire Therapist, despite the heavy topics involved. There are heavy topics in Vampire Therapist, but they are presented with an undercurrent of hope as well. That is the brilliance of Vampire Therapist. Despite the immortal problems the characters face, it presents a very human meaning.

While one of the characters annoyed me, Vampire Therapist is probably one of my favorite visual novels I’ve ever played. If you like things such as What We Do in the Shadows, it’ll hit the right notes for you. Overall, it’s a great experience that will likely cause you to look at yourself and the people in your life a little differently.

A PC Review Copy of Vampire Therapist was provided by Little Bat Games for this review.

If you know someone who is struggling with their mental health or suicidal ideation please reach out. There are resources available such as the national suicide hotline reachable via dialing 988 in the US and 111 to reach the NHS hotline in the UK.

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Vampire Therapist

$14.99

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Great Artwork
• Fully Voiced
• Interesting Storyline
• Worked on by actual professionals

Cons

• Edward is Obnoxious